Smith and Noble Roman Shades Recall Issued After Child Nearly Strangles

About 1.3 million Smith and Noble Roman shades and roller shades have been recalled after a child nearly strangled to death as a result of the design. 

The Smith and Noble shades recall was announced on Thursday by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The company is the latest in a string of large retailers and manufacturers who have agreed to stop selling shade designs with loose, looping cords that can get entangled around a child’s neck.

The Smith and Noble recall came after the company and the CPSC received a report that a 5-year-old boy in Tacoma, Washington became entangled and nearly strangled in May 2009. The boy recovered without the need for any medical treatment.

About 1,160,000 Roman shades and 115,000 roller shades sold under the Smith+Noble, Christopher Lowell, Jessitt Gold, Shop Blinds and Window Elements labels are impacted by the recall. It also includes all custom, made-to-order Roman shades sold by the company as well.

The shades were sold exclusively through www.smithandnoble.com and through catalog sales from 1998 through April 2010 for between $100 and $1,600.

Late last year, the CPSC requested that all companies voluntarily recall all Roman shades and roller shade designs that do not have a tension device attached to the continuous loop cord. About 50 million shades were recalled at that time. The decision came after a number of deaths and near-strangulations were reported.

The CPSC recommends that anyone who has these shades and blinds, and who have children or regular child visitors in the same home, contact the Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) immediately for a free repair kit at www.windowcoverings.org.