SGS has introduced a dedicated service to help U.S. furniture manufacturers demonstrate the quality and durability of their products through the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers' Association (BIFMA's) new Conformance Program.
BIFMA, the not-for-profit trade association for business and institutional furniture manufacturers in the U.S., launched 'BIFMA Compliant' on March 1, 2021. The voluntary program introduces BIFMA Compliant, a new product register which will list all products that conform to the trade association's safety and durability standards; and a new BIFMA Conformance mark that can be displayed on approved products, packaging and marketing materials.
This program is designed to enable manufacturers to demonstrate that their products meet BIFMA's safety and durability standards, and to support architects, designers, B2B buyers and consumers in the easy identification of products that are safe, have been tested and can be trusted.
For almost 50 years, BIFMA has sponsored the development and refinement of standards, taught their importance and application, and translated their complexity into formats that are easily understood and implemented.
Kevin Smith, Senior International Sales Executive, SGS: "We welcome BIFMA's new compliance program which will help lift standards across the industry and make it easier for architects, designers, B2B buyers and consumers to identify furniture products that are safe and reliable.
"As a BIFMA member and an active participant in its technical committees, we are properly positioned to guide manufacturers through BIFMA's testing and compliance process. In the end, we believe it's only trusted because it's tested."
SGS, through its network of ISO/IEC 17025 accredited testing laboratories, can test performance of furniture products and demonstrate compliance against nine physical and mechanical standards that focus on safety and durability:
- Office seating
- Lounge and public seating
- Desk products
- Panel products
- Storage
- Educational seating
- Occasional use seating
- Large occupancy seating
- Small office/home office
About SGS Services for Furniture
SGS assists manufacturers, retailers and buyers to ensure well-designed, functional, durable and safe products reach the consumer by checking a product's compliance against regional, national and international standards and a company's own specifications.
Its furniture services cover all aspects of indoor and outdoor furnishings. When developing or sourcing a new product, employing SGS's expertise to test it prior to launch can save financial cost, logistical difficulty and reputational damage of recalling or fixing defective items.
Accredited to UKAS, HOKLAS, CNAS and VINAS, SGS is a member of the BIFMA, the AHFA (American Home Furnishings Alliance), the KCMC (Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturer's Association) and the BNBA (Bureau de Normalisation du Bois et de l'Ameublement).
Contact SGS today to enjoy the fruits of a partnership with the leading testing, certification and verification supplier.
For further information contact:
Kevin A Smith
Senior International Sales Executive
SGS North America
t: +1 (973) 575 5252
About SGS
SGS is the world's leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 89,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world.