West Elm sofas and couches
2 reports to CPSC, the latest made May 10, 2012. A report isn’t a recall.
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At a glance
From SaferProducts.gov, released Oct 25, 2026.
- 2reports to CPSC
- May 10, 2012the latest report was made
- Oct 28, 2011the earliest
- 0with the company’s comments
- Brand
- West Elm
- Maker
- WILLIAMS-SONOMA, INC.Makers, importers or sellers, as the reports name them
- Product
- Sofas and couchesCPSC’s product type: Sofas, Couches, Davenports, Divans or Studio Couches (code 679), in Furniture, Furnishings & Decorations: Furniture
By month
The numbers, as a table
| Month | Reports |
|---|---|
| May 2012 | 1 |
| October 2011 | 1 |
How badly anyone was hurt
- Seen by a doctor or nurse 2 CPSC: Injury, Seen by Medical Professional
As each report says it, in short words; CPSC’s own words are under each.
The reports, as CPSC published them
Reports people made to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC publishes each one after sending it to the company named, and doesn’t guarantee they’re accurate. A report isn’t a recall.
Each report is the words of the person who made it, as CPSC published them. The company’s comments, where CPSC published any, are set apart as the company’s own.
CPSC, SaferProducts.gov public database export. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.
-
Seen by a doctor or nurse Made May 10, 2012, sent to the company May 18, 2012, published by CPSC Jun 11, 2012
The product, in the report: West Elm Baxter sofa an chaise combination. The fabric is “cotton basket weave” and the color is brown.
I purchased a couch from west elm (http://www.westelm.com/products/blake-sofa-f983) approximately 3 months ago. I started having severe skin allergies and after 2 months of constant visits to various doctors, diet/lifestyle alterations, and ineffective treatments, I realized that it is the couch what is causing me, and most recently, my daughter severe hives. This couch is imported and most likely dimethyl fumarate or a similar anti-mold chemical was used. Please be aware that this chemical is so strong that it seeps through clothing and cannot be cleaned off once it is applied to a surface. The extent of my skin damage is so that the skin pigmentation in the areas affected has changed, most likely permanently.
- Model
- Baxter Sofa
- Bought from
- west elm website
- Where
- Virginia: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Female
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand West Elm, made or sold by WILLIAMS-SONOMA, INC.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Injury, Seen by Medical Professional
-
Seen by a doctor or nurse Made Oct 28, 2011, sent to the company Nov 4, 2011, published by CPSC Nov 21, 2011
The product, in the report: West Elm couch. Model: Blake Sofa: http://www.westelm.com/products/blake-sofa-f983/
I purchased a sofa from West Elm. Within days of its delivery, I developed an intense itch on the backs of my thighs, backs of my knees, and lower back and waist -- the precise area of contact with the new couch. A few days later, I started breaking out with red sores in those areas. I went to see a dermatologist who said it was an allergic reaction to an irritant or allergen. When I mentioned the new sofa, thinking that perhaps I was allergic to the material, she said that many furniture manufacturers that ship from China currently use a chemical called dimethyl fumerate in the shipping process. It is an anti-mold chemical, and it affects some people very strongly. Indeed, the EU banned the use of this chemical many years ago, but it remains unregulated in the U.S. The chemical is so potent, it was named “Allergen of the Year” by the American Contact Dermatitis Society in 2011. My dermatologist gave me topical prescription creams and antihistimes to treat my reaction, but the condition did not get better. In fact, it worsened. So we did a biopsy, and the lab results showed conclusively that what I had was “contact dermatitis,” a reaction to an irritant or allergen. I got rid of the couch immediately, and am now trying to get some answers from West Elm about their use of this chemical, but as of the date of writing this complaint, they have not been able to provide me with a single answer, despite knowing about my issue for 3 weeks now. I am now nearly 4 weeks after the delivery of the couch (and 2 weeks since the couch has been removed from my home), and my situation is getting progressively worse. My itch is very intense, and the sores are continually spreading on my body. I am VERY frustrated and angry by this situation, by the fact that a company can knowingly use such harsh chemicals, by the fact that the FDA and CPSC do not regulate the use of this in the US, and by West Elm’s failure to treat this issue with any urgency or concern.
- Model
- http:/
/ www.westelm.com/ products/ blake-sofa-f983/ - Bought from
- West Elm
- Bought
- Sep 24, 2011, about then
- Where
- New York, New York: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Age 39, Female
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand West Elm, made or sold by WILLIAMS-SONOMA, INC.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Injury, Seen by Medical Professional
CPSC’s disclaimer
Disclaimer: CPSC does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of the Publicly Available Consumer Product Safety Information Database on SaferProducts.gov, particularly with respect to information submitted by people outside of CPSC.
Word for word, from the disclaimer in CPSC’s export.
Sources
Sources
-
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, SaferProducts.gov public database export.
Released Oct 25, 2026 and checked Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work). CPSC asks to be credited, and that no endorsement be implied.
Reports of harm are from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), on SaferProducts.gov. CPSC does not endorse Hearth Record.