Modus is a family-owned business, and the furniture we ship goes into homes like our own. We design and test it with that in mind. Our approach is to control the factors that determine whether a piece is safe, verify the results against the standards, and be direct about it when something falls short. This page describes that program.
Tip-over
A dresser or chest with its drawers open and full can tip forward if a child climbs on it. It is the most serious hazard in furniture, and it is a design problem: weight distribution, how far the drawers travel and the size of the base decide whether a piece stays upright.
- Dressers, chests and other bedroom storage furniture. Every clothing storage unit we sell that is 27 inches or taller is tested with all drawers loaded and open at once, standing on carpet, with the weight of a climbing child on an open drawer and no wall anchor attached. It has to stay standing. Each unit carries a permanent warning label and ships with a tip restraint kit. This is the federal STURDY rule, which adopted the industry standard as law in 2023 (16 CFR Part 1261, ASTM F2057-23). Units are retested every year.
- Tension Lock. Many of our dressers and chests also include the patent-pending Tension Lock system. A cord threaded through the back of each drawer limits simultaneous drawer operation, so the unit cannot be put in its most tip-prone position, with several full drawers pulled out at once. Because the interlock carries part of the load, those pieces do not need extra weight to meet stability standards. They are lighter, easier to move without injury, and potentially less hazardous in the event of a tip over.
- Other storage furniture. Sideboards, TV stands, and cabinets 27 inches or taller with drawers or doors are tested to our own tip-over stability standard. These pieces carry the same warning label.
Anchor every tall piece and any piece with drawers or doors to the wall, whether or not children live in the home. If a Modus product did not include a restraint kit, or you need another, we will provide one at no charge. Contact us here.
Strength and load
Any furniture piece that carries a person must be capable of carrying that load. A bed rail that lets go or a chair leg that fails can cause a serious fall.
- Beds. Bed frames are load tested to our weight capacity standard, which applies a static load well above the weight of the people using the bed and an impact durability load that simulates how people interact with the product.
- Seating. Dining chairs, desk chairs, office chairs, counter stools, bar stools and benches are tested for strength and stability: static load on the seat and back, leg strength, and impact durability.
Strength tests are repeated whenever a product's structure, materials or factory changes.
Fire
Upholstered furniture is the item in a home most likely to be involved in a fire that starts from a cigarette or a candle. Our upholstered products are engineered to resist a smoldering ignition and meet the federal flammability standard for upholstered furniture (16 CFR Part 1640, California TB 117-2013). They do it without added flame retardant chemicals, which carry their own health concerns. Flammability testing is repeated every year.
Chemicals
What a piece of furniture is made of decides what it gives off in a bedroom or living room, and what a child can be exposed to by touching or mouthing it. We choose the materials, and we set limits.
- Formaldehyde. Composite wood (plywood, particleboard and MDF) can release formaldehyde into indoor air. All composite wood in our products comes from mills certified for low formaldehyde emissions, and every product containing it carries a label saying so (EPA TSCA Title VI).
- Lead. Paints and finishes are tested every year for lead content to confirm they stay within established safe limits (16 CFR Part 1303).
- PFAS. So-called forever chemicals are used in stain, water and heat resistant treatments. We do not accept products with intentionally added PFAS, or materials with PFAS content above 50 parts per million from any source. Treated fabrics, leather, foam and coatings are tested every year for total fluorine, with PFAS analysis on any failure.
- Where California requires a Proposition 65 warning, we provide it on the product and retailers include it in their product listings.
How we verify
- Every product we ship is performance tested and inspected by company personnel prior to shipment.
- Potentially hazardous components are tested at a qualified laboratory.
- Chemical and flammability tests are repeated every year. Structural and stability tests are repeated whenever a product's design, materials or factory changes.
- Test documentation is available to our retail partners through their account representative.
Recalls
Modus recall notices, including completed recalls, are posted on our Recalls page with the remedy for each. If you own an affected product and never received the remedy, contact customer service.