CART
MENUMENU
  • Shop Now
        • Air Filters
        • Bath & Body
          • Body Lotions & Oils
          • Deodorant
          • Hair
          • Hand & Body Soaps/Washes
          • Home Spa Products
          • Intimacy Salves
          • Kids' Bath & Body
          • Period Supplies
          • Shaving
          • Sunblock & Bug Repellent
        • Cleaning & Laundry
          • Air Filters, Fresheners & Purifiers
          • All-Purpose Cleaners
          • Bathroom & Tile Cleaners
          • Floor Cleaners
          • Dish & Dishwasher Soaps
          • Glass & Wood Cleaners
          • Hand Soap
          • Laundry & Dryer Products
          • Sponges & Cloths
        • Clearance
        • Clothing & Accessories
          • Baby Carriers & Strollers
          • Backpacks & Lunchboxes
          • Organic Baby Clothes
          • Play Mats & Baby Seats
          • Towels, Cloths, Swaddles
        • Dental Care
          • Dental Floss
          • Teethers & Pacifiers
          • Toothbrushes
          • Toothpastes
        • Diapering
          • Cloth Diapering
          • Diaper Creams & Powders
          • Disposable Diapers
          • Wipes
        • E-Books & Guides
        • Face Care
          • Anti-Aging Skincare
          • Cleansers & Exfoliants
          • Creams, Oils, Lotions & Serums
          • For Acne-Prone Skin
          • For Sensitive Skin
          • Lip Balms
          • Makeup
          • Toners & Mists
        • Feeding Baby: Bottle or Breast
          • Infant Formula
          • Breastfeeding Accessories
          • Baby Bottles
          • Bibs & Burp Cloths
          • Starting Solids
        • Furniture, Bedding & Decor
          • Area Rugs
          • Bed Frames
          • Bedding & Toppers
          • Carpeting
          • For Babies
          • Mattresses & Futons
          • Pillows
          • Art & Decor
        • Gifts
          • Baby Registry
          • Gifts for Her
          • Gifts for Him
        • Health & Wellness
          • Colds, flus, allergies
          • Cuts, bruises, rashes
          • Hand Sanitizers
          • Vitamins & Supplements
        • Kitchen & Eating
          • Coffee & Tea Supplies
          • Cookware & Gadgets
          • Dishes & Utensils
          • Food Storage
          • Lunch Boxes & Food Containers
          • Organic Napkins & Cloths
          • Super Foods We Love
          • Water Bottles & Sippy Cups
        • Pets
        • Pregnancy, Postpartum & Breastfeeding Products
        • Radiation Protection
        • Toys, Games, & Art
          • Art
          • Bath Toys
          • Infant and Toddler Toys
          • Puzzles and Games
          • Stuffed Animals and Dolls
        • Water Filters
  • Product Guides
        • Air Filters
        • Air Fresheners
        • All-Purpose Cleaner
        • Baby Clothing
        • Baby Food
        • Baby Lotion
        • Baby Shampoo
        • Baby Soap & Bubble Bath
        • Bar Soaps
        • Bread
        • Car Seat
        • CBD Oil
        • Cereal
        • Cookies
        • Cookware
        • Cow Milk
        • Deodorant
        • Diaper Rash Cream
        • Diaper Wipes
        • Dish Soap
        • Disposable Diapers
        • Face Cream
        • Fruit Popsicles
        • Hand & Body Lotion
        • Hand Sanitizer
        • Infant Formula
        • Laundry Detergent
        • Lipstick
        • Mascara
        • Mattresses
        • Mayo
        • Nipple Creams
        • Nutrition Bars
        • Olive Oil
        • Organic Prenatal Vitamins
        • Puffs
        • Shampoo
        • Sippy Cups
        • Sofa
        • Sunscreen
        • Teethers
        • Toothpaste
        • Toys
        • Yogurt
        • Water Filters
  • Blog
        • Breastfeeding & Weaning
        • Clean Travel
        • Formula Feeding Without Stress
        • Grandparenting
        • Healthy Holidays
        • Healthy Pets
        • Home Improvement & Yard Work
        • Illness & Natural Remedies
        • Mompreneurship & Career
        • Newborn & Infant Concerns
        • Non-Toxic Mattresses, Furniture & Decor
        • Non-Toxic Cleaning Products
        • Non-Toxic Kitchen Gear & Food Storage
        • Non-Toxic Toys, Clothes & Gear
        • Outdoor Products & Tips
        • Pregnancy, Childbirth, & Postpartum
        • Product Giveaways
        • Products We Love
        • Recipes & Healthy Eating
        • Safer Baby Supplies
        • Safe Product Guides
        • School, Arts & Crafts
        • Skincare & Haircare: Good, Bad, and Sneaky
        • Sleep for Babies & Toddlers
        • Start Here: Detox Your Home
        • Vaccines
        • Vitamins & Supplements
        • Water & Air Filtration
        • Weight Loss & Fitness
        • WiFi & Radiation Concerns
  • Consulting
    • Healthy Home Consults
    • Health Coaching for Healthy Eating
    • Quick Detox for Home & Body
  • About Us
    • About Gimme the Good Stuff
    • The Staff
    • Store Policies
    • Disclosures
    • Contact
    • Subscribe to Maia's Emails
  • Videos
  • Cart
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS $50 AND UP
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Gimme the Good Stuff

Home > Safe Product Guides > Safe Car Seat Guide
Safe Car Seat Guide | Gimme the Good Stuff

Safe Car Seat Guide

March 8, 2020 | BY Maia James
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure page.

Best Car Seats

1. Clek / 2. Uppa Baby Jordan / 3. Nuna Rava / 4. Britax / 5. Bugaboo


Buying a “safe” car seat for your new baby (or your toddler) should be simple, but can be confusing and overwhelming. Obviously, the primary concern is choosing a seat that will protect your baby in the event of a car accident, and I like the Wirecutter for its reviews on items like this.

Of course, here at Gimme, we also feel that it’s essential to look at the chemical safety of every car seat you’re considering. Doing this within your budget can making staying sane a challenge, but we hope this guide will help!

How to Use This Guide

We reviewed seats from ten car seat manufacturers. Most of these did not make seats that were all Good Stuff.

For this reason, you’ll note that in our list of Best/Good/Okay/Bad Stuff below, we’ve categorized the seats by model rather than brand, with the exception of Britax, as all of their seats are Good Stuff (but not Best Stuff).

It’s also worth noting that no car seat manufacture received higher grade then a D in transparency in this report. This is due to the lack of public communication about chemicals and their use, and the fact that not one manufacturer has a public restricted substance list and most do not have a public chemicals policy. We hope this changes in the future.

Toxins in Car Seats

Some of the most concerning chemicals that can be found in car seats are:

1) Flame Retardants

State and federal safety standards (FMVSS 302 and California TB 117) require all car seats and strollers to meet stringent flame retardant standards. 

There are two types of flame retardants: halogenated, which include brominated and chlorinated flame retardants, and non-halogenated, which

use phosphorus and nitrogen. Research shows that non-halogenated flame retardants are likely less toxic than are halogenated flame retardants.

Several companies are moving away from halogenated flame retardants, and that’s great. Still, we believe that phosphoruss-based flame retardants should be considered as potentially hazardous until proven otherwise, so that seats that contain those

west elm sleeper sofa flame retardant mattress Gimme the Good Stuff

It can be difficult to meet safety standards without adding chemical flame retardants, but it’s not impossible, and some manufacturers have been able to meet these requirements without the use of toxic materials or chemicals. You’ll learn more about these brands, below.

I’m excited to see so many car seat manufacturers now offering merino wool car seats. Wool is a naturally flame retardant fabric because it is difficult to ignite, and flames are often extinguished in the fibers. Furthermore, wool does not melt, drip, or stick to the skin when it burns.

2) Stain-Resistant Fabric Treatments (PFCs/PFOAs)

Stain-repelling PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) is both massively detrimental to the environment and also linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and immune system dysfunction.

Scotchguard has phased-out PFOS and has replaced it with PFBS (perfluorobutanesulfonic acid). So far, PFBS seems safer, mostly due to a shorter half-life, but studies are still lacking.

Your best bet is to avoid any fabrics treated with stain- or water-repellents.

3) Shock-Absorbing Foams

The foam used in cars seats serves an important function: it absorbs impact when a car accident occurs. The foam used is in almost all seats is one of the following:

  • EPS (Expanded Polystyrene, AKA Styrofoam)
    EPS is typically treated with halogenated flame retardant and breaks off more easily, and thus car seats made with EPS should usually be avoided.
  • EPP (Expanded Polypropylene)GtGS-badge-good
    EPP foam is environmentally friendly, apparently non-toxic, and offers impact absorption and high strength properties. Also, EPP foam does not require the use of additional flame retardants.
  • EPO (Expanded Polyolefin)
    Like EPP, EPO is naturally flame resistant.

You might have heard about other concerning toxins in car seats, including phthalates, PVCs, heavy metals, and more. Fortunately, you can look for certifications on car seats that will ensure that these have been tested for, such as JPMA, Oeko-Tex, and GreenGuard.  

The Four Best Brands for a Non-Toxic Car Seat

Clek: All Clek brand car seats are third-party tested for volatile chemicals/components and all seat covers can be removed and washed. Clek is also the first and only car seat manufacturer with a recycling program so I give them extra props for that. You can see which fabrics/models are Best, Good, and Okay below. 

Nuna Baby: Nuna is a Dutch company, and as of 2019 all Nuna car seats are free of flame retardants. Nuna changed the foam used in all of their car seats (except for the Aace booster) from EPS to EPO (expanded polyolefin), which is naturally flame resistant. Nuna private labels non-toxic car seats for Bugaboo and Stokke, as you’ll see below.

Orbit: Orbit baby is moving towards using merino wool for their future car seat launches. These will be offered at a higher price point. Currently, Orbit’s infant car seat is Good Stuff,  and once they transition to merino wool, they’ll likely be upgraded to Best Stuff. Orbit will be launching a toddler car seat in 2020. 

Uppa Baby: Uppa makes one car seat, called the Mesa. Depending on the fabric, and Mesa might be Best Stuff, Good Stuff, or Okay Stuff. You can read more about these, below.

A Note on Cybex: They are not included below because we have not heard back from them. We will add them into the appropriate category when they get back to us.


The Best Stuff

Best Stuff Badge

Uppa Baby: Henry and Jordan fabricsUppaBaby Car Seat 

Cost: $350

These fabric options are made of 65% and 35% polyester and are naturally flame retardant, meaning they’ve passed federal safety standards without the use of fire retardant chemicals. This is the most affordable of all the Best Stuff, and therefore our top pick!

Amazon


Clek: Mammoth fabricClek Car Seat – Mammoth

Cost: $480

Any Clek model that comes in the Mammoth fabric is made using 100% Australian Merino Wool, with no added flame retardants. Mammoth is a body-temperature regulating, naturally hypoallergenic, breathable fabric. The infant seat is the Liing. Here’s what else love about the Clek in Mammoth:

  • EPP foam is used for impact.
  • The seat’s harness/foam/plastics are all free of flame retardants of any kind.
  • This model is Oeko-Tex certified.

Amazon


Nuna: Pipa Lite lx7132925a3f89b0d99326d1a673f475e3cc71f15f6df69ed4911565dd25e0a38b.png

Cost: $400

This model requires no flame retardants, as the fabric is a merino wool/polyester blend. The foam is EPO.


The Good Stuff

Good Stuff Badge

Britax (all models)

Starting in 2013, Britax required all of its suppliers to eliminate the use of all halogenated flame retardants from all components used in its car seats and all other products. Britax continues to use non-halogenated flame retardants on all of their seats, making them Good Stuff but not Best Stuff.

The infant car seat model that contains non-halogenated flame retardants is the B-Safe 35 (priced at $200-$230). 8161NGjha0L._SL1500_

Amazon

Some Britax car seats (both infant and convertible) use a nanotechnology called Nanotex. This changes the fiber on a molecular level, so that it permanently resists spills, stains, and flame. Nanotex does not contain or emit harmful substances. 

If you want the Nanotex version, that’s the B-Safe Ultra (priced from $230-$600).Britax B-Safe Ultra Infant Car Seat

Amazon

Britax recently introduced its SafeWash Fabric in Otto which is the only fabric that is machine washable (up to 30 washes) and does not contain any flame retardants. This fabric is naturally flame resistant due to the way the fabric is woven together.

That model is the Endeavour (it costs $290-$310).Britax B-Safe SafeWash Fabric Otto

Amazon


BugabooBugaboo Turtle Car Seat

Cost: $349

The Bugaboo car seat is manufactured by Nuna (it’s the Nuna Pipa model). Their infant car seat is called the Turtle. They use merino wool for this particular car seat so that’s an added bonus!  The turtle also has built-in adaptors to fit their base/strollers.

Amazon


Clek: Thunder or Slate fabricsClek Infant Car Seat – Thunder 

Cost: $420

While these fabrics are Good Stuff, we cannot call them Best Stuff. Thunder and Slate fabrics:

  • Use a polyester-based fabric.
  • Include a cryptonized treatement, which creates a built-in moisture barrier for stain resistance. 
  • Are GreenGuard certified, which means they meet stringent chemical emissions requirements, such as being screened for various volatile organic compounds.
  • Is treated with non-halogenated flame retardants. 

Amazon


Clek: Carbon or Chrome fabricsClek Car Seat Chrome 

Cost: $400

If you choose a Clek in Carbon or Chrome, you’ll be getting a jersey knit fabric that is treated with non-halogenated flame retardants but no stain-repelling treatments. It does not have any additional certifications.

Amazon


Nuna: Pipapipa-lite-infant-car-seat—caviar2_1

Cost: $300

The Pipa car seat is the only one that can be used with or without a base and therefore is great for airplane travel.


Nuna: Rava nuna-2019-rava-convertible-car-seat-granite-26

Cost: $450

The fabric on the Rava is a bamboo/polyester blend, and the foam is EPO, which means no flame retardant chemicals are necessary.


Orbit Baby: G5G5_Car_Seat_Melange_Navy_01_1800x1800

Cost: $480

The G5 comes in fabric from mills that are certified by the Oeko-Tex Standard 100.  This seat also:

  • Is Prop-65 compliant and meets California’s AB1108 material standards.
  • 100% polyester. 
  • Is not treated with any stain-repellent chemicals or sprays. 
  • They use EPP foam and non-halogenated flame retardants (phosphorus-based).

StokkeStokke Pipa by Nuna Car Seat

Cost: $349

Stokke sells one car seat and it manufactured by Nuna. It’s the same as the Pipa. The only difference with this car seat is that it contains built-in adaptors to fit their base/strollers.


The Okay Stuff

Okay Stuff Badge

Uppa Baby: Bryce and Jake fabricsUppaBaby Bryce Car Seat 

Cost: $300

These models are made of 100% polyester and treated with a phosphate-based flame retardant.

Amazon


Uppa Baby: Denny and Taylor fabrics UppaBaby RumbleSeat Taylor

Cost: $240

Like the Bryce and Jake, these two fabrics are made of 100% polyester and treated with a phosphate-based flame retardant.

Amazon


The Bad Stuff

Bad Stuff Badge

Graco (all models)graco-extendfit-car-seat-min-300×300

Graco has several car seats at various price points. Generally, the fabric and filling materials utilized on Graco’s car seats are treated with halogenated and/or phosphorus based flame retardant chemicals in order to meet federal regulations. Graco did not provide any accreditations for chemical safety.


Safety 1st, Maxi-Cosi, Cosco, and Disney Baby car seats are all manufactured by a Dorel Juvenile Group. We were unable to get very much information from Disney Baby Car Seatthem. It seems that they do prohibit halogenated flame retardants, but they do use other types of flame retardants.

There are two Maxi-Cosi brands that claim to be free of flame retardants—these are the Mico Max, which retails for $350 and the convertible Magellan model, which retails for $450.

They state that they’ve designed these car seats with a wool-free fabric called Pure Cosi, but we don’t understand how they achieve this without chemicals. We need more information before we can call these Good Stuff. 

 

Stay sane,

Maia_signature

 

 

 


Best Car Seats

If you liked this post, sign up for our newsletter to be alerted when we publish new content like this!

Filed Under: Safer Baby Supplies, Non-Toxic Toys, Clothes & Gear, Safe Product Guides, Posts Tagged With: car seats, babies

Reader Interactions


Share this:

Share the post "Safe Car Seat Guide"

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Email

Comments

  1. Ashley says

    August 6, 2020 at 5:03 PM

    Incorrect info on Britax. Their Safewash fabric is flame retardant free.

    Reply
    • johnlockegoss says

      August 10, 2020 at 11:02 AM

      While Britax’s Safewash fabric is free of flame retardants, it is unclear if the rest of the car seat is likewise free of flame retardants. Britain makes no such claim.

      Reply
  2. Anne says

    October 4, 2020 at 3:25 AM

    Hi,

    why is the Pipa Lite best stuff and the Pipa just good stuff? There is no difference between the two highlighted her.

    Reply
    • Jen says

      November 6, 2020 at 3:16 PM

      I would also like to know this. Thanks!

      Reply
  3. lbtc says

    October 19, 2020 at 4:06 AM

    Amazing blog it is thankyou for sharing such a wonderful post.

    Reply
  4. Eli says

    January 2, 2021 at 11:58 PM

    About Cybex – I’ve emailed the company and they confirmed that unless you buy their car seat in the US or the UK, there are no flame retardants used in the products sold in their other markets

    Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

🐣 Shop Easter! 🐣
 
CLEARANCE

Shopping Cart

Shop By Category

  •   Air Filters  |
  •   Body & Hair  |
  •   Cleaning  |
  •   Clothing  |
  •   Diapering  |
  •   E-Books  |
  •   Face  |
  •   Feeding Baby  |
  •   Furnishings & Bedding  |
  •   Health  |
  •   Kitchen  |
  •   Pets  |
  •   Pregnancy & Breastfeeding  |
  •   Radiation Protection  |
  •   Teeth  |
  •   Toys  |
  •   Water Filters

Featured Product Guide:

Our Safe Product Guides help conscious parents find safe, non-toxic, natural and organic products for their families and homes. Check out all of our guides find out what's good, what's bad, and what's sneaky.

Featured image

Safe Non-Toxic Hand Sanitizer Guide

So you’re looking for non-toxic hand sanitizer…You’ve come to the right place! But buckle up, my friend, because there is a lot of info in this guide! (That’s what I get every time I hire Dr. Hopkins to provide research!).

Learn More >>

Browse Shopping Guides

Browse Blog by Category

Browse Blog by Tag

about us Activities for Kids Air Filters air fresheners Air Purification Air quality allergies animals anti-aging anti-inflammatories antibiotics aromatherapy asthma attachment parenting autism Ayurveda baby bottles baby food baby food guide Baby Formula bad stuff bath products bathroom renovation beach Beautycounter bedroom birthdays black friday BPA Bread breakfast breastfeeding bug spray candy carpet CBD central america cereal Christmas cleaning cleanse coffee coffee & tea colds & flu cookies Cookware cradle cap dads dairy dental care deodorant dessert diapering diet dinners Dirty Dozen dish dish soap dogs drinks Easter eco-friendly Eczema energy Environmentalism environmental toxins europe European formula face care family time flame retardants flooring food storage formula formula feeding fruit futon gifts gimmethegoodstuff giveaway giveaways gluten-free Goat Milk Formula good deals greens Greenwashing guest posts gut health hair hand sanitizer healthy cereal Healthy Food at Disney Healthy Thanksgiving holiday sales home detox Honest Company Humidifier Immune boosters immunity insomnia interior design junk food just for fun kale kitchen products kitchen renovations laundry lip balm lotion Lumion lunch boxes lunches makeup mattress mattresses meal delivery services meat medications natural birth natural mattresses nature Non-Toxic Area Rugs Non-Toxic Carpets non-toxic coffee non-toxic mattress non-toxic mattresses NonToxic Bath Products nursing nuts nyc oils Olive Oil our team packaged food packed lunches paint Paleo Pesticides phthalates pillows plastics play pollution Poofy Organics pregnancy prenatal nutrition probiotics Project one-eleven Radiation Raw Foods recycling Resolutions Safe Toy Guide Sakara school-aged kids school lunch screens screen time separation anxiety sippy cups skincare smartphones smoothies snacks sneaky stuff soap social-emotional development sofas sofas/couches soup Spring sprouted flour sprouted grains sprouted wheat Staff stress sugar summer sunscreen teething Thanksgiving Ticks tile toddlers toothpaste Toxins toxins in coffee Travel triclosan vegan veggies wallpaper water water bottles water filters wine winter wooden furniture yams yoga

INSTAGRAM

@gimmethegoodstuf

gimmethegoodstuf

View

Feb 26

Open
Here’s where I’ll be this evening—watching The Crown (which I still think is boring 😩) and drinking this amazing organic Beaujolais 🍷. Link in bio for the only wine I drink🥰. #organicwine #beaujolais #fridaynight

Here’s where I’ll be this evening—watching The Crown (which I still think is boring 😩) and drinking this amazing organic Beaujolais 🍷. Link in bio for the only wine I drink🥰. #organicwine #beaujolais #fridaynight ...

Load More >> Follow on Instagram >>

Footer

About Our Founder

Maia James, the founder of Gimme the Good Stuff, has a lifetime of experience in the world of natural living, and has turned this passion into a career, now helping clients easily enjoy greener, cleaner lives, peace of mind, and better health.

Read more about Maia

Gimme the Good Stuff helps busy, conscientious parents easily avoid toxic products in their homes through our in-home consulting service, personalized shopping guides, and online store. We simplify the process of navigating the confusing world of “natural” products, and our readers, customers, and clients enjoy peace of mind and confidence that their home is a safe, healthy place for their families.
As Seen In...

Site Directory:

  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Glossary
  • Product Guides
  • Store
  • Contact
  • Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy

Connect with Gimme the Good Stuff:

approved-good-stuff

Good Stuff Approved:

copyright © 2021 Gimme the Good Stuff. All rights reserved. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2021 · Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in