Toxic Substance-Free Zone: What You Should Know About Paints and Lacquers
Air quality in a child’s room is often 2-5 times lower than outdoors. It might surprise you, but one of the main reasons for this is furniture. The “new furniture smell” familiar to many parents is actually a mixture of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which are released into the air over months and present a real challenge to a child’s respiratory system.
Let’s find out how to avoid this invisible danger and what makes “Gogora” production unique.
1. What are VOCs and why should we avoid them?
Volatile Organic Compounds are chemicals used in the production of traditional lacquers and paints. They turn into gas at room temperature. For children, whose lungs are still developing, breathing these compounds can cause allergies, asthma, and even a decrease in concentration.
- International Practice: Scandinavian and German brands switched to “Zero VOC” standards years ago. This is the standard that “Gogora” is establishing in Georgia.
2. The Golden Standard: EN 71-3
When it comes to children’s products, ordinary “high-quality” paint is not enough. There is a specific European standard — EN 71-3, which regulates the migration of heavy metals (lead, arsenic, mercury).
- Why is this critical? Children also explore the world through their mouths. They might chew on a toy or the corner of a table. A lacquer with an EN 71-3 certificate means it is safe even if it enters the child’s body.
3. Gogora’s Ecological Choice: Water Base and Natural Oils
In our factories in Tbilisi and Keda, we refuse to use strong-smelling chemical solvents.
- Water-based lacquers: They do not release harmful gases; they are hypoallergenic and dry quickly.
- DIY Line — Absolute Freedom: As Nino Razmadze notes, we created the DIY line to give parents a choice. You can leave the furniture completely without any coating — pure, natural wood that breathes the scent of nature.
💡 How to Check Furniture Safety? (A Parent’s Guide)
- The Smell Test: If new furniture has a sharp, “chemical” smell that does not disappear within a few days, it is a sign of high VOC levels.
- Request a Certificate: Ask whether the paint used complies with the EN 71-3 standard. At “Gogora,” we are transparent and always ready to share information about our raw materials.
- Touch the Surface: Water-based lacquer allows the wood to “breathe”; the surface remains warm and pleasant to the touch.
Nino Razmadze, Founder of “Gogora”:
“As a mother of four, it was fundamentally important to me that every item we make in our factory be as safe as what I would place in my own home. A child’s room is their fortress, and even the air there must be clean.”
Choose “Gogora” — create a toxin-free environment where your little one can breathe peacefully and develop.