Foam Order: Flame Retardant Free in San Francisco and Marin

Foam Order sells sofas with Natural Sense Organic latex foam cushions. Foam order educates its customers about types of foams. Customers can have cushions custom made for home or industrial use. Foam order is located on Howard Street in San Francisco, California, in the South of Market. — 1. A flame retardant free sofa at Foam Order’s store, now in San Rafael. Behind is an educational board explaining types of foam. Foam Order is one of four furniture stores in the San Francisco Bay Area participating in the Safer Sofa Foam Exchange. Photo: Regina Ryerson

Flame retardant-containing foam. The old foam will be disposed of safely, and replaced by new, flame retardant free foam. Foam Order is one of five furniture stores participating in Safer Sofa Foam Exchange, a program launched by Green Science Policy Institute. — 2. Foam Order employee Jose Galvan removes old, flame retardant-treated foam from a customer’s seat cushion. The old foam will be replaced by new, safer foam. Photo: Regina Ryerson

Measuring the old foam that contains hazardous flame retardant chemcicals. Customers bring in their old foam to be swapped out with new, flame retardant free foam.The operation took place at Foam Order, one of five furniture retailers in San Francisco Bay Area participating a program called Safer Sofa Foam Exhange. The program was launched by Green Chemistry Policy Institute. — 3. Saul Ordonez measures a customer’s old foam, which he’ll swap out for new, safer foam. Photo: Regina Ryerson

Foam Order Owner Michael Gorham displays a massive slab of flame retardant free polyurethane foam. The slab will be sliced to the thickness of sofa foam, then shaped and cut again to replace the old foam. Foam Order offers natural latex options too. — 4. Michael Gorham, owner of Foam Order, stands before a giant slab of flame retardant free foam. The slab will be custom cut to replace a customer’s old foam. Replacement options are polyurethane (shown here), or natural latex. Photo: Regina Ryerson

A machine takes a slice from the new, flame retardant free foam. This slice will be cut again, and shaped to match the curves of the old cushion. — 5. First cut of the flame retardant free polyurethane foam. Photo: Regina Ryerson

A machine cuts flame retardant free polyurethane foam for a customer's sofa cushion. The new, flame retardant free foam will replace the customer's old foam that contains flame retardants. — 6. Second cut of the flame retardant free foam. This time, to a custom width.

Soft new flame retardant free foam, ready for its second cut. At Foam Order, a furniture retailer in San Francisco. — 7. Flame retardant free foam, ready for custom shaping. Photo: Regina Ryerson.

Saul matches the shape of the new, flame retardant free polyurethane foam to the old, flame retardant-containing foam. The new foam will be cut along the drawn line, and inserted into the old casing. The operation took place at Foam Order, one of five furniture retailers participating in Safer Sofa Foam Exchange program in San Francisco Bay Area. — 8. Shaping the new, flame retardant free foam, using the old foam as a guide. Photo: Regina Ryerson

Foam Order employee Saul, cutting flame resistant free foam to replace the old foam. Foam Order is one of five furniture retailers participating in the Safer Sofa Foam Exhange program, launched by Green Science Policy Institute. — 9. Final cut to the new, flame retardant free foam. Photo: Regina Ryerson

Replacing the old foam with flame retardant free foam at Foam Order in San Francisco. Foam Order is one of five furniture retailers participating in the Safer Sofa Foam Exchange. — Saul Ordonez of Foam Order replaces foam in a sofa cushion. Foam Order is one of the first retail participants in the Safer Sofa Foam Exchange program. Photo by Regina Ryerson

The finished cushion contains the new, flame retardant free foam. Thanks to the Safer Sofa Foam Exchange, Foam Order and five other participating furniture stores in the San Francisco Bay Area can now offer flame retardant free foam options for their customer's sofas. — 11. With its outer casing now on, the flame retardant free seat cushion is ready for pick-up. Photo: Regina Ryerson

Foam Order in San Francisco offers two types of flame retardant free replacement foam for the Safer Sofa Foam Exchange program. Options include latural latex foam, or polurethane foam. Shown here is Natural Sense Organic latex foam, which is extra durable and dustmite resistant. — 12. Foam Order also offers Natural Sense Organic latex foam. Natural Sense is 100% latex, and flame retardant free. Shown here with an organic cotton casing. Photo: Regina Ryerson

$At Foam Order in San Francisco, you can find Natural Sense brand organic latex, and organic casings, as shown here. Custom-sized cushions and casings are also available. Organic latex foam, made from rubber trees, is naturally flame retardant free, and can last up to 30 years with proper care. According to Foam Order, natural latex is "naturally resistant to bacteria, mildew, and mold".$

13. Close-up of Natural Sense Organic latex foam. Feels as luxurious as it looks! Photo: Regina Ryerson

Natural Sense adult-sized bed at Foam Order contains flame retardant free organic latex foam. Also available are kids bedroom furniture, japanese beds, bunkbeds, platform beds, captains beds, trundle beds, chairs, lamps, headboards and nightstands. — 14. Natural Sense Organic latex bed at Foam Order.

In California, San Rafael-based Foam Order is helping customers in Marin and San Francisco Counties go flame retardant free through the Safer Sofa Foam Exchange. Here’s how you can get your flame retardant free foam, and create a healthier home for you and your loved ones.

What’s Foam Order? And what’s Safer Sofa Foam Exhange?

Foam Order is among the first San Francisco Bay Area retailers to participate in Safer Sofa Foam Exchange (SSFE). SSFE, officially launched on June 17, 2014 is a pilot program that replaces your flame retardant-contaminated foam with foam that’s flame retardant free.

All removable furniture cushions and pillows can be exchanged. Unfortunately, most backs and arms can’t be removed, and therefore can’t be exchanged. The same goes for some seat cushions.

Here’s just one benefit of participating through SSFE: You can participate in a house dust study that measures flame retardant levels in your body, and in your home.

Read more about the program in my blog post, Flame Retardant Free: Safer Sofa Foam Exchange.

If you live in Marin

Drop off your flame retardant foam cushions, in their casings, to Foam Order’s San Rafael location. Foam order will measure your foam. Based on these measurements, Foam Order will cut your new flame retardant free foam, and replace your old foam with it. Simply pick up your new foam when it’s ready!

If you live in San Francisco

Foam Order has closed its San Francisco store. But you can still take part through Foam Order’s San Rafael location. Here’s how.

Step 1: Sign up for the Safer Sofa Foam Exchange Program here.

Step 2: Bring in one sample of each size/shape cushion, from each furniture piece, to Foam Order’s San Rafael Showroom.

Step 3: Foam Order will measure your old foam. Based on these measurements, Foam Order will cut your new foam, and deliver or ship it to your home.

Foam Order offers free shipment or delivery to your home for orders over $75.00. And free installation, by Foam Order’s own staff, for orders over $250.

The following limitations apply: For high-security high-rises, and out-of-the-way locations, Foam Order will ship one way via UPS. You can then install the new foam yourself. Or ask a friend to help.

If you live anywhere in the U.S.

You’ll find links to options in my blog post, Flame Retardant Free: Safer Sofa Foam Exchange.

Your turn!

Have you exchanged your foam through Foam Order? Chime in, and help others. What kind of foam did you opt for? Did you sign up through Safer Sofa Foam Exchange?

What’s Foam Order? And what’s Safer Sofa Foam Exhange?

If you live in Marin

If you live in San Francisco

If you live anywhere in the U.S.

Your turn!

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