Product Information

Care Guides

Each of our products requires a little TLC to keep it looking its best over time. Click below to read specific care instructions for our product styles and materials, and learn more about what to expect in terms of appearance, function, and how the product will age.

Our Manufacturers

We look for the finest craftsmen for each of our products. As a result, we work with manufacturers all over the world, including those in Vietnam, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, and India.

Before establishing a relationship with a new manufacturing partner, we carefully vet them against our stringent criteria for ethical business practices and quality control. We ensure that every manufacturer meets our strict standards for quality control, working conditions, and environmental impact.

Kid-Friendly Products

We understand the need for style and durability. Below we’ve listed a few of our favorite options for families with young children.

Our Ceni Sofa is a low-maintenance, durable, springy model that can stand up to family use. Darker colors can camouflage fingerprints well, and it’s built with an easily-accessed low-profile silhouette (so even the smallest member of the family can grab a seat).

Perfect for family movie night, the Burrard Sectional has deep cushions with enough room for everyone. The only thing you’ll have to worry about sharing is the popcorn.

Pet-Friendly Products

To dogs, your sofa may actually be an expensive dog bed. We recommend leather for pet owners because it’s durable and lends itself nicely to a lived-in look. For a hardier leather that has a more consistent finish, our Oxford leather (as seen on our Sven sofa) is a great option.

In general, leather is a more durable option than fabric, but certain types of leather have different characteristics that will age and react differently to the inevitable like drool, claws, and dirty paws.

To cats, fabric upholstery is simply another place to sharpen the old claws. If your kitty companion is a scratcher, we suggest tough semi-aniline leather or velvet.

Accuracy of Our Photos

The photos on our website are taken by professional photographers under lighting conditions that are typical in a residential home.

We strive to accurately show the finish, color, and texture of our products as best we can. Depending on the display of your monitor or printer, the images can vary based on the different settings. Please note that there are naturally occuring differences in some of the materials we use, including marble, leather, and solid wood. The product you receive may not be an exact match to the photo displayed due to natural variability in these raw materials.

We will often feature customer photos on our website to give you a sense of how our products look in the real world, and will indicate them as such. These environments, however, are not controlled and are subject to variations in color based on lighting in the space, the camera used, and any filters the customer has applied to their image. The best reference photo for any of our products is our studio photography that you see on our product description pages.

If we can be of assistance in selecting the right furniture for your situation (style, dimensions, color, fabric swatches, etc.) get in touch and we would be happy to help.

Weight Capacity

Article engages in standardized weight-capacity testing with our vendors. Where possible, our team has included maximum weight capacity to our products in the "Specifications" section of individual product pages. All Article furniture is built to withstand standard residential use — if you have a question about a specific product's weight capacity and don't see a one listed, please get in touch with our customer care team.

Martindale Rating

All of our upholstered products have a Martindale Score listed under “Construction” on the product description page. This test measures the suitability of the upholstery fabric for a variety of uses. It’s measured in rubs to test the resistance to abrasion — so the higher the score, the more suitable it is for constant/heavy use. Typical fabrics intended for household use generally have scores of around 20,000 (which translate to the number of rubs before it will begin showing wear).

Stain Resistance

In an effort to not add harsh chemicals to our products, the majority of our materials aren’t treated to be stain-resistant. As such, we cannot guarantee the results or efficacy of products such as Scotchgard on our furniture. Please note that the application of any stain-resistant product will void the warranty on the material.

Leather

Aniline Leather

Our aniline leathers are full-grain leathers, which means that they haven't been sanded or buffed, so they retain the natural characteristics of the hides — such as bug bites, stretch marks, wrinkles, scars, and other color and texture variations. Wrinkles, scars, creases and color variations are an inevitable part of full grain, full aniline leather and represent its unique character and appeal.

Semi-Aniline Leather

Our semi-aniline leathers are colored with a combination of dyes and pigments for a uniform color and slightly more protection. Each hide is rubbed with wax protectants, which may appear as a gray, waxy film on the surface when you first receive your product. This will absorb into the leather with age and use. The result? This leather won’t scratch as easily as full-aniline versions.

Floating Legs

Many of our sofas have an uncapped leg located in the middle of the sofa frame; this is intentional, and meant to provide extra support if additional weight is added. It will hover just above the ground when not in use.

Regulatory Compliance

The health and safety of our customers is always our priority. To address and manage such important responsibilities, we adhere to the following standards:

All Article products undergo rigorous testing for safety and durability. We conduct in-house tests and work with third-party testing labs to make sure that our products are safe for your home and family.
We are always working to reduce the presence of hazardous materials in our products, and do so by following directives such as California's Proposition 65. You can find more information here.
Any of the composite wood products used in our sofas, together with the fabric(s), are tested for formaldehyde emissions and we require that our products meet the regulatory standards.
Wood composites like MDF and plywood may have small traces of formaldehyde in them, however, our products are tested to comply with the laws and regulations in place for consumer safety standards.
Imported products may be treated at the US Port, however, the use of pesticides for imported products is regulated by various customs laws in the U.S.
Foam is not a natural product and is created using a combination of non-harmful chemicals. Because of this, there can still be trace amounts of fire retardant chemicals inherent to the foam which cannot be removed, but are well within consumer safety standards and regulatory requirements.
Only a few of our items require Prop 65 labels at this time. We conduct testing of new products to confirm compliance and assess the need for these warning labels on a case-by-case basis.
As a general principle, we are careful not to add unnecessary chemicals to our products during manufacturing.

Anti-Tip Information

To help ensure your safety, we’ll include a restraint bracket and installation instructions with your order if the item poses a tip-over risk. Contact us if you believe your order is missing one, or you have misplaced the bracket.

Safety Considerations

When it comes to storage units, balance is key. To reduce the risk of tipping, never open more than one drawer at a time. We also strongly recommend that you keep the heaviest items (think dumbbells, hiking boots, heavy sweaters, rock collections, etc.) in the lowest drawers to ground the piece, and store lighter items (feather pillows, fancy underwear, etc.) in the top drawers.

Due to the weight distribution of televisions, not all storage or shelving units are intended to be used as TV stands — please ensure you’re purchasing an item that is designated as a media unit. If you’re looking for a safe (and stylish) one, check out our options here.

Children and Safety

Due to the risk of tipping, never allow children to stand, climb, or hang on drawers, doors, or shelves.

More Information

If you’d like more information on safety and anti-tip measures, please feel free to get in touch with us by phone or chat.

For more general safety information and standards, please see the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s anti-tip resource page here.