Poly FiberFill Stuffing and Batting

[Former_Member]

I have quite a bit of both stuffing and batting that is poly fiberfill.

I assume that the jury is still out whether it is safe to use under the new CPSIA guidelines.

Question for soft toy makers and baby quilters: what do you use to fill your products? Are you only using cotton and natural fibers?

[Former_Member]

Hopefully someone will see this tonight

I'm off to bed and will check in the morning.

[Former_Member]

The best thing for you to do is contact the manufacturer of your polyfil1 and find out if they have done any testing. If they have - and if they make crib size batting they should be - then get copies. There should be no problem with lead but there very well may be a problem with phalates (wish I could spell that). These are used to make plastics pliable and some poly fiberfill is made from recycled bottles - which will contain these chemicals. (And we all thought that recycling was a good thing.)

If you can't get a certificate it is easy enough to use cotton batting and cotton stuffing.

[Former_Member]

Still using polyfil on my stuff for now. A friend uses undyed wool roving for her stuff, seems to work fairly well (they're small items, though).

[wigglysee]

marking

[Former_Member]

I like to save snips of yarn when I'm making something; doesn't take that long to collect enough to stuff something small.
Also whenever I crochet something that needs to be stuffed I like to stuff it with the same yarn I crocheted it with.

[taffyknits]

Hadn't thought about polyfiber! I will switch and use scraps of thread and yarn for stuffing. I have a whole draw reserved for scraps.

[Former_Member]

I saw some stuffed toys made completely from polyester yesterday at Barnes & Noble. The label was quite specific that it was all-new polyester fibers for the stuffing.

Following in the event that I ever want to stuff something I've dyed....

[Former_Member]

I use fiberfill, which is made from corn. It's called PLA fiber, and there are no phthalates in it (or lead). Also, I really love the way it stuffs. It's denser than polyfiber, and works so well for my giraffes.

Here's the link to their site for more info:

http://www.mountainmistlp.com/ecocraft.htm

[Former_Member]

Thanks to all who responded. I'll try to get certs for the bags of fiberfill I have but the batts are hopeless as they were purchased off a roll at the fabric store - no labels now and I've had them for a couple of years.

Guess I'll be switching to more natural fibers

[Former_Member]

polyester is not related to the banned phthalates.

it's safe to use. and non-toxic.

[Former_Member]

although, i wouldn't recommend eating it... :)

[happywhosits]

If you are stuffing toys, it has to be done with new materials. That's one of those rules that has been around for awhile, but I don't have a link handy. So I don't know that using scraps of yarn would meet that requirement.

Eileen...

[happywhosits]

Also, here's a thread where people were posting suppliers that were compliant. You may find your polyfil supplier listed here.

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6006981

Eileen...

[Former_Member]

happy is right. you can't recycle stuffing.

[Former_Member]

The poly fiberfill that I have is new - just purchased a couple of years ago -- still in the bag and stored in a dry location. That should be no problem to use.

The yarn I believe that some mentioned is the clippings you have left over (small 2 and 3 inch pieces) when you make something either knitted or crocheted. This is new yarn, never used. Shouldn't it be considered new stuffing also?

[Former_Member]

I thought if it was 'inaccessible' you didn't have to worry?

[Former_Member]

Stuffing in a toy is not really "inaccessible" children can get into most fabric toys, if they really try. The lead that can get away by being "inaccessible" must be buried under something else like in the middle of an electronic toy.

[GulfCoastCottagePDF]

You could also try bamboo stuffing. They sell it at JoAnnes.

[Former_Member]

I generally use all cotton batting in my baby quilts, my purses vary, marking

[StoryBlox]

Pretty sure the "inaccessible" rule only applies to lead and not to phthalates anyway, according to one of the articles I read from CPSIA (don't remember which one though)

[Former_Member]

I'm going to second the PLA/corn fiber recommendation; I'm pretty sure I got some at Joann's or other big chain craft store a couple years ago. It made a great big stuffed/felted animal for a kid, it is nice and dense.

[Former_Member]

I was trying to switch to a natural material, not because of the new rules but just 'cause that's how I roll, and I tried the corn batting. I didn't really like it because it seemed to clump really easily (which I understand some people like), but I recently tried a bamboo stuffing, and I love it--it's soft as silk and still denser than fiberfill but not as clumpy.