CertiPUR^® is a voluntary testing, analysis and certification programme for the environmental, health and safety properties of polyurethane foam used in bedding and upholstered furniture applications. It specifies substances that may not be used in the production of polyurethane foams and sets stringent maximum limits for some components.

Foams that conform to CertiPUR® are notably certified to be made without:

• heavy metals, e.g. mercury, lead or cadmium
• dyes that are carcinogenic or allergenic as described by EU legislation
• phthalate plasticisers
• substances that cause cancer or may cause heritable genetic damage

They are also certified for low levels of VOC (volatile organic compound) emissions.

The Recticel Flexible Foams operations in Belgium, France, Netherlands, Finland, Estonia, Sweden and Norway are all CertiPUR^® certified, and the foams they offer for bedding and upholstered furniture comply with CertiPUR^® specifications. These foams are tested in independent laboratories and control tests are performed every year during the label’s validity period.

Transparency
The CertiPUR^® programme is fully transparent. It rests on clear criteria which require firms to comply with restrictions concerning substances in foam that may be of concern for health or the environment. The foams of label holders are tested every year by independent laboratories to ensure that they continue to comply with the CertiPUR^® specifications. Any firm failing these checks is required to take immediate remedial action. Further failure will lead to dismissal from CertiPUR^® and withdrawal of the right to use the label.

The CertiPUR trademark
CertiPUR^® is a registered trademark of EUROPUR, the European association of flexible polyurethane foam block manufacturers. Foam producers are only permitted to use the CertiPUR^® logo if their foams are certified and conform to the CertiPUR^® standards. They can transfer this right to bedding and mattress manufacturers who purchase certified foam from them (although the logo may only be displayed on products that are produced exclusively with certified foam). This means that the CertiPUR^® logo may appear on furniture and mattresses sold under a different name than the label holder’s brand.

Enforcement
EUROPUR is committed to ensuring that the CertiPUR^® logo is only used by companies that have the right to use it (certified foam producers and their customers). If you have any doubt about whether a product is displaying the CertiPUR^® logo legitimately, please do not hesitate to contact us. We take action against fraudulent users of our logo.

Similar labels
Purchasing a mattress or furniture bearing the CertiPUR^® logo means you can be sure that the foam it contains complies with the programme’s stringent standards. Other certificates may also be displayed on mattresses or furniture, as some certification schemes cover all components of a product (including textiles, for example). The most important schemes with comparable quality requirements for polyurethane foam are OEKO-TEX^® STANDARD 100 and the EU Ecolabel.

For more information, visit the EUROPUR website (www.europur.org)