Crib
The first juvenile furniture purchase new parents usually make is a crib for their little one. More than four-million babies are born in the United States each year and this is an emotional purchase with life changing experiences.
Savvy parents seek the perfect crib that meets their budget, design and style palate. The crib is the centerpiece of the nursery and is the safest place for baby to sleep. To consumers style is the number one factor. The industry standards, design and expectations are constantly changing in the juvenile furniture market to meet consumer demand and regulatory requirements.
Safety and Quality Assurance Standards
Within the juvenile furniture industry it is imperative for cribs to meet the ever changing ASTM International standards. The new December 2009 standards do affect the design of cribs going forward. One of the biggest changes is the elimination of the traditional drop-side that moves up and down. Fold down gates are still allowed.
The ASTM standard has added a slat test which is very similar to the European standard. The slat test requires a 60 pound weight be placed on each slat for a total of 30 seconds. Cribs are also subjected to the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) law which went into effect in 2009. This law has requirements that directly deal with lead in paint and in other materials such as steel and plastic parts. Phthalates level is also looked at in plastics and other materials. In addition, this new law requires every style of crib be tested by a third party lab to meet federal standards.
With these standards in place, you may ask: How will the above affect crib design and production?
Due to the elimination of the drop rail, most cribs will have fixed side rails and be lower than 38 inches to accommodate parents when reaching in to access the child. The slats or dowels will generally be larger. The cost of cribs will likely increase taking into account all the additional testing costs which can run up to several thousands of dollars per crib model.
So, what makes a good crib?
With the standards in mind – safety should be your top priority when choosing a crib for your retail floor. You should choose reputable companies that have the infrastructure in place to ensure cribs are produced to meet the new guidelines and testing standards. After safety, the design of a crib comes into play which includes selecting different color finishes.
"Furniture" is the key word. Consumers want the crib to be a part of the room and seamlessly work with their current interior design especially within the medium to higher price points. Color trends range from natural wood tones to deep browns to cherry tones. Juvenile furniture style and color trends tend to lag adult furniture by one to two years. Recently, the design trend has been modern and sleek. This continues to be the "it" look within the high-end bracket and continues to have a strong demand. Transitional styling is also very strong in the medium to high value price points.
Conversion features have become a key element in the design of cribs. Consumers have become accustomed to looking for items that can serve multiple purposes. Today most cribs convert to toddler beds or day beds and/or full size beds. This trend was introduced to the market in the early 90s when the furniture industry studied consumers and their sophisticated economical ways to make their crib investment last longer. The conversion design has mushroomed to where almost every crib sold today has some of these additional features. The ability to convert a crib into a headboard for a full size or twin bed extends the life of the product through the teenage years. This in turn will bring the consumers back to the same brand to further expand the furniture in the bedroom.
Manufacturers today are also designing cribs with a "green" conscious. Many cribs are now being produced with wood that are generally known to come from sources that are cognizant of their environmental impact. The sustainable types of wood to look for are pine wood from New Zealand and Australia. Poplar from the USA and rubber wood from plantations in Malaysia.
One other feature you should take into consideration is hardware. The modern design of cribs attempt to aesthetically hide the hardware so it does not take away from the beauty of the crib. When looking at hardware, it should always complement the design of the crib even if visible.
Other features to look for when selecting a crib are the following:
- Edges should be smooth and rounded, especially in the sleeping area.
- Slats should be free of large knots.
- The finish should be smooth and even. When choosing a more expensive crib the expectation is that the finish is a multi-step process usually around six to eight steps. This will give the finish a three-dimensional affect of depth and warmth. It will also add to its durability.
When selecting the right crib for your market, safety should be number one on your check list and that the manufacturer meets all federal and international guidelines. Style will always be a key factor for consumers and now, they can have the best of both worlds.
Safety and style do co-exists today. Knowing that the crib is the safest place for a baby to sleep will create a peace of mind for you the buyer, the parents and comfort for baby.