Wood, Materials and Indoor Air

There is no single airing time for every product. Follow the maker's instructions, unpack new furniture well before the baby uses it, and ventilate the room: the US Environmental Protection Agency advises increasing ventilation when products emit volatile organic compounds and notes that emissions can persist after an activity ends. Airing is not a substitute for product information or evidence about emissions: ask what the manufacturer's instructions require before use. Ask the maker what finish is used and which emission limits it meets. See the answer on the new-furniture smell.

At SUOMMO

A surface carries the work of the hands that prepare it. In AQUALOGY, the selected water, the application of each layer and the time allowed between stages become part of the clarity and depth through which the creation meets the light.

The White Edition follows SUOMMO's AQUALOGY water-based finishing approach, with extended curing periods and carefully selected mineral water. Explore other finishes in the Gold Edition and limited editions such as Dodo Sakura, and ask our Concierge about care for your chosen creation.

Smell alone cannot establish whether a product is safe, and lack of smell is not proof of low emissions. New furniture, paints and finishes can emit volatile organic compounds, so ventilate the room, follow the product instructions and let the furniture air before the baby uses it, without trying to mask the smell. Ask for information about the materials, finish and relevant testing. See the answer on airing new furniture.

Assess a crib brand's claims through the evidence for the actual model, materials and finish you are considering. The words ‘non-toxic’ alone do not show which substances were assessed or how; ask the maker which finishes and materials are used, which requirements they meet in your market (such as lead limits for coatings in the United States or formaldehyde-release limits in the European Union) and what documentation is available. See the answer on what a non-toxic crib is and the answer on what ‘non-toxic’ means.

‘Non-toxic’ is a claim to examine, not a stand-alone crib safety certification. Ask what it covers, which substances and exposures were assessed, and what evidence supports it; in the US, FTC guidance requires scientific substantiation or clear qualifications to avoid a misleading claim. Relevant legal limits include lead in coatings in the United States and formaldehyde released from articles within the European Union regulation's scope, but meeting limits for two substances does not define the whole claim. Ask who carried out any testing and by what method; airing new furniture does not replace that check (see the answer on airing new furniture).

There is no single best wood for a baby crib. Compare the wood as part of the finished structure: its suitability for the design, moisture control (careful drying keeps the wood dimensionally stable), joints, surfaces and finish matter alongside the species, and the finish should meet the requirements for children's furniture in your market. A wood name alone does not establish safety or durability. Ask how the frame is built and finished. See the answer on what a good crib should have.

At SUOMMO

In La Perla and BELA, wood is entrusted to the hands that give the silhouette its presence. The curve is considered, refined and returned to until it belongs to the work as a whole.

La Perla Crib and BELA Crib Gold combine selected noble woods with advanced structural materials such as Kevlar and carbon fibre, shaped and refined by hand and finished with SUOMMO's AQUALOGY water-based process. Our Concierge can tell you more about the woods used in each creation.

‘Non-toxic’ is a claim to examine, not a stand-alone safety certification. Ask what the claim covers (the whole product or one part), which substances and exposures were assessed, by whom, and which legal requirements the product meets in your market; in the United States, the Federal Trade Commission requires such claims to be backed by competent and reliable scientific evidence or clearly qualified. Meeting a legal limit is not the same as being harmless in every respect. See the answer on non-toxic mattresses and the answer on non-toxic cribs.

Wood can release naturally occurring formaldehyde, so ‘no added formaldehyde’ does not mean zero emissions. Ask whether a claim concerns the adhesive, a board or the finished furniture, and what emission testing supports it. What regulations address is how much formaldehyde products release: in the European Union, articles within the scope of Regulation 2023/1464 must meet release limits, and in the United States composite wood products are subject to emission standards, with a recognised category for resins with no added formaldehyde. Ask which materials and adhesives are used and what documentation is available. See the answer on non-toxic cribs.

Formaldehyde is an irritant and is classified as carcinogenic to humans by IARC. The risk in a room depends on exposure, including concentration and duration; the presence of wood alone does not tell you that exposure. Regulations set release or emission limits for furniture and wood-based materials: in the European Union under Regulation 2023/1464, and in the United States for composite wood products. Ask about the finished furniture's emissions and what documentation is available, and ventilate appropriately. See the answer on formaldehyde-free furniture.

New furniture, paints and finishes can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and the health significance depends on the chemicals, their concentrations and the exposure. There is no single airing period that makes every new item suitable, and smell alone is not a test of emissions. Reduce exposure by choosing low-emission products, finishing decorating well before the birth, airing new furniture and ventilating when outdoor air allows. See the answer on nursery air quality and formaldehyde in furniture.

Neither solid wood nor MDF is better for a cot on the name alone. Ask how the actual components are specified, joined, finished and tested, including the relevant emission requirements. Wood-based panels such as MDF are bonded with resins and must meet formaldehyde emission or release limits; solid wood can also be used with adhesives, so ‘solid’ is not a claim of zero emissions. What matters most is that the cot as a whole meets the requirements for its category. See the answer on formaldehyde-free furniture and what wood cribs are made of.

At SUOMMO

At SUOMMO, noble woods are shaped and joined by hand with specialised structural materials, including Kevlar and carbon fibre, and each surface is given its proper time. Our AQUALOGY finishing philosophy combines specialised application techniques, extended curing periods and carefully selected mineral water.

Explore the White Edition, Gold Edition and Limited Edition with our Concierge to see which creations and finishes can be brought together for your room. Every creation carries a ten-year international warranty covering structural integrity and essential functionality, subject to the terms for each model.

GREENGUARD Gold is a voluntary certification from UL Solutions for products with low chemical emissions into indoor air, with stricter limits intended to account for sensitive people such as children. It concerns emissions only, not structural safety, so it does not replace the safety requirements for a cot or other nursery furniture. Check that the certificate covers the specific product. See the answer on off-gassing.

The best materials for nursery furniture are durable ones that keep their shape and joints over time, with smooth edges and finishes suitable for children's furniture, low emissions and the possibility of care and repair. Solid wood, quality wood-based panels and modern composites can all play a part; the construction and finish also matter. See the answer on solid wood and MDF and what wood cribs are made of.

Different wood species and wood-based panels can be used; ask about each component. Hardwood and softwood are botanical categories, not a scale of quality or safety, and each species has its own strength, grain and response to finishes. Ask the maker which woods and panels are used, and where. See the answer on solid wood and MDF.

UL Solutions publishes a searchable directory of GREENGUARD-certified products, which is the reliable place to check the maker, exact model and programme for a specific crib. Certification concerns emissions, not structural safety. See the answer on Greenguard Gold.

Wood is strong for its weight, can be shaped and joined precisely, takes finishes well, feels warm to the touch and can be repaired, though any repair to a cot should follow the manufacturer's advice. It has a long tradition in furniture-making. Cribs are also made with metal, composites and other materials; what matters is that the whole crib meets its requirements. See the answer on what wood cribs are made of.