I taped a 10-minute program for the PBS television program Creative Living on March 10, 2011.
"Understanding the New Safety Standards for Roman shades" gives you an overview of these new rules.
I make Roman shades for clients, both interior designers and homeowners. Because of this, I am required to adhere to all Safety Standards connected to my product. Even if I only make one shade per year that I sell, that shade must adhere to those standards. I also teach and write extensive instructions for making shades, which I offer free-of-charge on my web site. I have always been aware that the standards with regard to the safety of corded window treatments are evolving. I just never really thought it applied to me as long as I delivered the shade with a warning about that pesky operating cord since I always use a cord cleat to keep the operating cord up out of the way. As far as my instructions, I note the safety issues for the operating cord in the instructions. So I’m covered and you are too, right? Maybe.
There were times over the last 2 months (always in the middle of the night) that I thought I should just shut down my business. I felt like I was operating an asbestos company. After reading the latest Safety Standards multiple times, listening to numerous Webinars and talking by e-mail and telephone to industry experts on the subject, I’ve concluded that the new Standards are a good thing.
You can easily modify your fabrication technique to comply with the new safety standards and be assured that your shades are safe for your clients and your own family. The techniques are evolving and I will do my best to keep you abreast with the best and latest techniques.
Yes, you can still make Roman shades with exposed cords. If you sell these shades, you will have to comply with the exposed cord standard by using a cord shroud and limiting the spacing between the lift rings.
Yes, you can still make Top-Down shades as long as the Lift Cords and Operating Cord comply. If you make shades for yourself and don’t have small children or the shades aren’t in a room where they play, you can choose whether you want your shades to be compliant with the Safety Standards.
You may have noticed that I am using two terms when I refer to the shade cords: Lift Cords and Operating Cords. This drawing shows the differentiation. The Lift Cords run up the back (window-facing) side of the shade. Once the cords exit the shade at the top, they become the Operating Cords. There are separate Standards for each type of cord. I will be explaining those Standards and how to make your shade compliant in future Newsletters as well as on the
Safety Issues for Roman Shades section of my web site.
You can purchase a copy of the Standards for $36 on the
Window Covering Manufacturers Association's web site and you can view a
read-only copy of the Standards on the Window Coverings Association of America's web site.
If you are interested in this topic, be sure to sign up for our Bi-Weekly Newsletter by clicking on the lime-green box in the left-hand navigation column.
Upcoming Newsletter Topics on Corded Window Treatment Safety
- Summary of the New Standard
- Operating Cords – how to make them compliant
- Lift Cords – how to make them compliant
- Top-Down Shades - how to make them compliant
- Warning Label and Product Origin Requirements
- Modifying your Existing Shades to make them Safer
- Safety requirements – making shades for yourself
- Safety requirements – making shades for others
- New lift systems – what is available now and what is being developed
This update is being written on November 10, 2010. There will be more detailed information added to this Section of the web site over the next three weeks. I have received enough questions from readers, that I have summarized a few points here.
- A cord shroud is a tube of fabric, or a crocheted tube, or a cord with evenly spaced loops. The lift cord is either enclosed in the tube, or threaded through the loops. The tube is stitched on each side where the lift rings used to be. The cord slides freely inside the tube, but the accessible loop created is limited by the distance between the stitches that hold the shroud to the shade.
- The cord shroud that uses loops is a much easier compliance method. You simply tie the cord shroud to the bottom lift ring and crochet it around each lift ring by passing the shroud through a loop up the column of rings. The shroud is then stapled to the mounting board. The lift cords are passed through the loops in the cord shroud up to the mounting board. Everything else is the same.
- The supplier of the looped cord shroud is back-ordered (surprise). Terrell Designs is in on the next shipment, which is supposed to be received by the vendor today. They have no written directions, just a few photographs. The vendor has been using this shroud for several years and have had it tested for uv and compliance with the new standards. The maximum spacing between the lift rings is 7.5" to 8" (depends upon the size of the lift rings). That means that the maximum fold depth is 3.75" to 4".
- Terrell Designs will be selling the looped cord shroud online for $0.80/yard. I need a few days to make a sample shade and figure out directions. So best case, the shroud will be available for sale by the end of next week.
- The new standard was published on 9/3/2010. Workrooms have 3 months (12/3/2010) to comply with the standards if they are using a cord shroud. It was deemed "easy" to modify fabrications techniques using a cord shroud. Let me tell you, I was very upset about this, as I imagine were all of the other small workrooms attending the webinars. I talked to one of the presenters and he said it is somewhate political. Mostly large manufacturers of window treatments are on the safety committee. They have been furiously developing and patenting new lift systems for several years. Fortunately, several companies that sell "parts" to workrooms were part of the process. They both are developing cord shroud techniques/products. The cord in a tube is one of those, with the loop shroud being the second. The cord-in-a-tube won't be sold until January. I am fortunate to be receiving a sample of that product next Monday, November 15.
- If you are making shades for a customer at this time, you may want to contact your client and give her the choice of waiting a little longer for her shades, or having them fabricated using your current technique. You do not have to retrofit any shades as long as they complied with existing standards when they were fabricated. Any shade that has accessible lift cords that is delivered after December 3rd will have to have a cord shroud as well as a Warning Tag and a permanent label with Origination Information (so they know who to sue, don't you love America).
