GRAND RAPIDS –  BIFMA International, the Business & Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association, has launched the BIFMA Compliant product registry, an industry-wide registry of furniture products conforming to BIFMA safety and durability standards.

The non-profit trade association said BIFMA Compliant, which launched March 1, provides clarity to the market by differentiating products that meet the established industry standards. BIFMA, an ANSI-accredited standards developer, said it worked with members and stakeholders for nearly three years to develop and implement the program, which is open to all furniture manufacturers who elect to participate.

Products in the registry can be viewed at bifma.org.

“BIFMA Compliant was developed in response to a growing market need for greater clarity,” said BIFMA President and CEO Deirdre Jimenez AIA, NCIDQ. “The design community who specifies furniture and the customers who buy furniture have both expressed the need to more readily identify products they trust – products that will be safe and will perform. With the increased need to work remotely, the application of this resource is even more timely. BIFMA Compliant is available to the public, both commercial customers and residential consumers."

“Products in the registry must be tested in an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited test lab with the ANSI/BIFMA standards listed in the test lab’s Scope of Accreditation. In addition, products are subjected to test report audits,” said BIFMA Technical Director of Safety and Performance Dave Panning.

“BIFMA Compliant is a valuable resource providing the necessary information to differentiate product safety and performance,” he added.

The new BIFMA Compliant program complements the existing LEVEL Sustainability program.  Both registries run on an Ecomedes platform designed to optimize product purchasing.

Since 1973, BIFMA has been developing furniture safety, durability, and sustainability standards that establish parameters for product performance. The association works to educate the community on the proper use of these standards; hosts product registries to support customer buying confidence; publishes industry statistics; and advocates for regulatory conditions that enhance value and foster innovation.