The formaldehyde content of the top e-commerce furniture exceeds the standard, w

01

Genji Wood Language "Formaldehyde Exceeds Standard" Complained

Recently, consumers have complained on the Black Cat Complaints platform about serious quality issues with Genji Wood Language's products. A consumer claimed to have purchased an oak solid wood bed from Genji Wood Language, but after more than a week, there was still a strong odor that severely affected its use.

This is not the first time the brand has been questioned on product quality. In April of this year, a consumer named Zhang Xiao (a pseudonym) pointed out on the complaint platform that the quality of Genji Wood Language's products was substandard. He purchased furniture from the Genji Wood Language Tmall flagship store on January 20th, and until April 21st, he kept the windows open for ventilation, but the formaldehyde concentration still exceeded the standard.

Zhang Xiao requested a third-party agency to conduct a professional test. The test report showed that the solid wood frame bed from Genji Wood Language continued to release phenolic polymers in the fourth month after purchase, leading to an excess of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) in the bedroom air. Among all the rooms, the most severe excess was found in the second bedroom, where all the furniture was from Genji Wood Language.

In the comment section of the complaint, the official response from Genji Wood Language was to verify and handle the issue immediately, but so far, the brand has not disclosed more follow-up information.

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A reporter from "Computer News" learned during a visit to the Genji Wood Language Times Paradise store in Chongqing that the business model of Genji Wood Language is factory direct operation, with the factory and stores directly managed by the brand. Stores in various locations are mainly responsible for brand promotion and product experience, without setting up warehouses for inventory. After customers place an order, the factory will send the products out uniformly. The factory mainly does batch production, and consumers can only choose from the styles on the shelf, without offering customization services.Regarding consumers' concerns about product safety, the sales staff at the store candidly stated: "We do not directly advertise 'zero formaldehyde' to consumers. In fact, there will be some in these types of products, but as long as it is below the regulated levels, it can be used with confidence."

The person then continued: "For safety reasons, it is best to keep the area ventilated for a while." It is understood that some consumers specifically go to buy display beds from physical stores because the new beds have been placed in the open environment of the store for a period of time, allowing the smell to dissipate, and they can also negotiate discount offers based on the samples.

According to staff, the products of Yuan's Wood Language are generally subject to random sampling, where professional testing institutions randomly select samples from the factory for testing. This method is more credible than the manufacturer proactively selecting high-quality products for testing. However, based on the current complaints from consumers, it is clear that the manufacturer has not done enough.

The only product that the sales staff promote as "formaldehyde-free" is the zero-glue mattress. Yuan's Wood Language claims to have abandoned the use of adhesives, from the fabric to the springs, and the complete use of no glue for the edges, ensuring the environmental and safety of the products.

For this, the reporter consulted with a salesperson in the mattress sales area of IKEA in Yubei, Chongqing. The other party introduced that most mattresses are using individually wrapped coils, and there will still be glue used to bond the cloth bags between each packaged spring. In addition, as a textile, the mattress fabric will use auxiliary agents containing formaldehyde for color fixing, anti-wrinkle, anti-shrink, and anti-pilling during the raw material and post-production processing, so there is no such thing as a formaldehyde-free mattress.

Teacher Zou from Boss Cabinets told the reporter that the emission time of formaldehyde from furniture is generally 3 to 15 years. Different types of furniture materials and decoration methods will affect the emission time of formaldehyde. In our country, E1 is the national mandatory health standard, which is the mandatory "safety standard line". In the practical book for first-level builders, the formaldehyde emission of Class I civil buildings is ≤0.08mg/m3, and the formaldehyde emission of Class II civil buildings is ≤0.12mg/m3.

But in reality, when you go to any furniture store, the other party can take out a national-level test report, and no one will show that formaldehyde exceeds the standard. The authenticity and water content of these reports actually need to be questioned.

From the data, as a leader in the furniture industry, Yuan's Wood Language has been leading the category of pure solid wood furniture on Tmall for many years. During this year's 6.18 shopping festival, the performance reached a new high: one hour after the sale on Tmall, the transaction amount exceeded one billion, and it also topped the sales list of single bed products on Pinduoduo, with a year-on-year increase of 1827.6% in the total sales volume of JD's live broadcast room.

However, the larger the brand's market, the greater the impact of potential product quality issues. Although the details of the current incident and the handling of complaints are unknown, from a safety prevention perspective, it is enough to arouse people's attention.Furniture Manufacturers Are Not Afraid of Rights Protection

Four words sum it up—rights protection is difficult. Formaldehyde is colorless and odorless, making it extremely challenging for ordinary consumers to prove that formaldehyde levels exceed the standard. Especially after various types of furniture are brought in after decoration, detecting formaldehyde levels that exceed the standard is one thing, but proving which piece of furniture is the most "toxic" is not easy. Many furniture brands dare to make slogans like "full refund if formaldehyde exceeds the standard" and "0 glue" because they bet that most buyers will not seek trouble afterwards.

According to industry insiders, regardless of whether it is custom-made furniture, finished furniture, or self-made furniture, glue is indispensable. The key to the concentration of formaldehyde emission lies in the edge-sealing technology. Good edge-sealing allows for a slow release of formaldehyde, while poor edge-sealing results in a rapid release.

In addition, the coating of the back panel and bottom panel is also a key area for formaldehyde volatilization. As e-commerce brands that focus on volume, quality control cannot be so meticulous, and this is not a secret in the industry. What consumers can do is to switch brands without hesitation when they find blacklisted merchants, and not give them a chance. Try to go to physical stores to select products from conscientious manufacturers, after all, what you can see and touch is more reliable. Do not let the "photo fraud" of e-commerce blind your eyes.

03

Cost of Formaldehyde Control

Formaldehyde is a toxic gas that seriously endangers human health, characterized by being colorless, easily volatile, and soluble in water and ethanol. It is not easily detected at low concentrations, but at high concentrations, it has a strong irritating and suffocating odor. When the content of formaldehyde exceeds 0.1mg/m3, it can cause respiratory system diseases (the Ministry of Health stipulates that the maximum allowable concentration of formaldehyde in indoor air is 0.08mg/m3), and over a long period, it can also cause nasal cancer and leukemia.

In the case mentioned above, Zhang Xiao decided to ask a professional organization to test because he noticed that the irritating odor did not dissipate for a long time. The reporter consulted a professional formaldehyde control company on related issues and found that the detection process is complex, and the cost of control is not cheap.Professional companies typically conduct formaldehyde testing according to the GB/T18883-2022 standard using atmospheric samplers to measure formaldehyde levels. Before testing and retesting, rooms must be sealed for 12 hours, items should be cleared, cabinet doors and drawers opened, and decorative materials removed. The presence of perfumes, air fresheners, or similar substances in the room is not allowed.

The fee is generally charged at 80-100 yuan per measurement point, and it is common to measure in the living room, kitchen, and each bedroom. If the detected value exceeds the national safety limit of 0.08mg/m3, remediation measures must be taken. Typically, if formaldehyde remediation is required, the testing fee is waived.

Different furniture materials and environments require different remediation methods. Some may necessitate dust protection for furniture in advance to prevent damage from formaldehyde remediation chemicals or hardware. After remediation, windows should be opened for ventilation or equipment used to force air exchange. A retest for formaldehyde should be conducted 1-2 weeks later (with the room sealed for 12 hours). If the results are unsatisfactory, remediation work must be redone. Some companies also apply a protective coating to furniture to ensure long-term formaldehyde removal effects, slowing down the release of formaldehyde from within the furniture. Professional formaldehyde remediation costs vary significantly depending on the method and chemicals used, ranging from 2500 to 1500 yuan per 50 square meters.

It is important to note that only companies with CMA (China Metrology Accreditation) qualifications have the professional testing capability, and the reports they issue have legal effect.

Another common method is using a simple formaldehyde detector, which operates on the principle of electrochemical sensors to measure formaldehyde concentration. These sensors allow formaldehyde molecules to undergo oxidation-reduction reactions on electrodes, generating electron transfer and creating a current proportional to the formaldehyde concentration. However, the results from this method may not be reliable, as they can be easily affected by volatile organic compounds such as fragrances and fruit scents, and they have certain humidity requirements, making accuracy not guaranteed.

In comparison, formaldehyde self-test kits, which are semi-quantitative, cannot provide a quantitative assessment of indoor air quality but can indicate the level of air quality and the degree of exceedance through different gradations. They serve as a basic indicator for consumers and are convenient, quick, and easy to use, with no barriers to entry, greatly reducing the difficulty for consumers to verify.

If you want to DIY formaldehyde removal, considering factors such as purchase cost, operability, and effectiveness, the most reasonable decontamination method is to use titanium dioxide as a catalyst with ultraviolet light for photocatalytic oxidation. Among various catalysts, titanium dioxide is the most affordable and easily accessible. Ultrafine photocatalytic titanium dioxide powder with a particle size of 5nm costs less than 5 yuan per gram, and 10 grams dissolved in 1 liter of water can be sprayed with a sprayer to cover 100 square meters.Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light can effectively eliminate formaldehyde indoors. Although titanium dioxide powder is harmless to humans, it is an extremely fine white powder that is insoluble in water. When sprayed on furniture and soft furnishings, it leaves white marks that are not easy to clean. It is best to spray it on the back or inside of furniture.

Additionally, it is important to note that UV light is harmful to the eyes and skin, and one should not stare at the UV lamp for extended periods. People must leave the room while the light is on, so the UV lamp should be equipped with a remote control timer for convenient remote operation and scheduling. The cheapest UV lamp with a remote timer costs less than 50 yuan, and the total cost for de-aldehyde treatment in a 100 square meter area is less than 100 yuan. As long as the titanium dioxide is not removed, it can be reused repeatedly.