BIFMA Updates Occasional Use Seating Standard in Response to Larger People

BIFMA has released an updated version of its occasional use seating standard – ANSI/BIFMA X6.4 – to account for the increasing size of seating users.

Occasional- seating is used in a variety if indoor spaces, including:

  • Medical centers – waiting rooms, reception areas and for visitors in patient rooms
  • Hospitality – restaurants, dining, cafeterias
  • Office environments
  • Home environments

The updated standard – ANSI/BIFMA X6.4-2021 – is consistent with the previous version (2018) but is adjusted to address the continued rise in the weight of the average American. The test loads are now increased to reflect the current 95th percentile male weight of 275 lbs. The standard is based upon halving the durability cycles of its related standard ANSI/BIFMA X5.4-2020(Public and Lounge Seating). 

ANSI/BIFMA X6.4 – 2021 helps manufacturers by defining the specific tests, laboratory equipment, test conditions, and recommended minimum limits that should be used when evaluating occasional-use seating units.

SGS Furniture Services

SGS helps you deliver well-designed, functional, durable and safe products to your customers. We have the furniture industry, regulatory and technical expertise to check your products’ compliance against relevant standards and/or your own specifications. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested. Learn more about SGS’s Furniture Services: 

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full Updated Standard for Occasional Use Seating: ANSI/BIFMA X6.4-2021 SafeGuardS. 

Subscribe here to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.

For further information contact:

Matthew McGarrity

Senior Technical Manager - Hardlines

Tel: +1 973 461 1505

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: www.sgs.com/hardlines

LinkedIn: sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail

About SGS

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 89,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world.​

Family Firms Move Means Great News for West Palm Beach Homeowners

West Palm Beach, FL: February 9, 2020 - Having set the industry-standard in the West Palm Beach region, R C Windows & Doors is continuing to offer premium services from its newly opened location.

With more than 25 years experience, the company is delighted to announce that it has switched to a new warehouse location at 197 65th Terrace N #6, in West Palm Beach. R C Windows & Doors works by appointment only. You can (561) 966-1102 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

This means they will still be able to offer the best in windows and doors services, including sales, service installation, and repairs, to residents in West Palm BeachLake Worth, and surrounding areas.

 

"We offer free estimates on quality window and door repairs and replacements, which are done by real professionals," commented founder Ron Conklin. "We care about our clients, their properties, and in getting the job done right and always on time."

They also have decades of experience in dealing with revamping windows and doors that are prone to sticking, or that lose their ability to roll easily over time.

 "If you have windows or sliding glass doors that need repair or replacement because they no longer slide or lock easily, we have the solutions and experience," he added.

They can also solve the most challenging of problems, whether its doors or windows that don't work properly anymore due to use or rust through to missing or broken parts. He advised: "Sometimes it's more cost-effective to fix the parts that are broken. That's where we can help. We're the local window and door repair specialists."

Not only are they experts at repairs, but they can replace old worn-out windows and doors with the best new energy-efficient doors and windows that will look great, beautify your home and increase its value. 

Mr Conklin said: "We carry the best quality, well-known brands of doors and windows, at very reasonable prices. And the brands we carry are made to last."

Clients deal direct with Mr Conklin and are guaranteed the personal touch rather than having to see commissioned salespeople whose only goal is to sell lots of products and services you may or may not need. "It's our goal to build a relationship with you, and have you think of us whenever you need a window or door repair or replacement in the future."

R C Windows & Doors works by appointment only. Call Mr Conklin on (561) 966-1102 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Visit their website  http://www.rcwindowsdoors.com for more details.

Entrepreneur Magazine Names Lapels Dry Cleaning to Franchise 500

Hanover, MA -- In a year that’s redefined normal, Lapels Dry Cleaning, an innovative, environmentally friendly dry cleaning company headquartered in Hanover, Massachusetts, took what’s become its normal place on Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500. For 2021, Lapels Dry Cleaning ranked 397 out of nearly 4,000 Franchise Concepts now available within the country.

“We strive to be the best franchise out there every single year. That requires continuous improvement, even during a pandemic,” said Kevin Dubois, CEO of Lapels and co-author of Entrepreneurial Insanity in the Dry Cleaning Business. “This past year, we developed new offerings, such as our new flat rate laundry program, converting existing laundromats and building new, partnered with Target to host lockers in select locations, as well as increased our free delivery routes to accommodate contactless services and stay at home orders. We also sought out independent dry cleaners for conversion to provide our new franchise owners the opportunity to hit the ground running with built-in market garment care services”

Added Dubois, “As always, we have continued to run our stores in an environmentally friendly way.”

Over two decades, Lapels has pioneered an eco-friendly dry-cleaning experience. That experience features a partnership agreement with GreenEarth®, the dry cleaning industry’s only non-toxic cleaning alternative for its newer locations. Using these kinds of solutions and the latest technology in equipment, Lapels uses the world’s ONLY 100 percent environmentally non-toxic dry cleaning process along with 100 percent wet cleaning that offers a sustainable and hypo allergenic process.

This business model has been very well received from not only retail customers looking for a better cleaning experience but also from some of the world’s largest hotel operators and employers looking to offer a sustainable solution to their customers and employees. Lapels Dry Cleaning’s environmentally-friendly cleaning process has no odor and is gentler on clothes, thus lengthening the life of clothes.

In addition to green business practices, Lapels Dry Cleaning remains an active member of the communities each location serves. That’s continued during the pandemic as individual Lapels locations have offered discounted and free cleaning services to health care professionals.

Lapels Dry Cleaning also sets itself apart with its customer service. Lapels customers are greeted to a warm and inviting reception area, with friendly customer service representatives, and alteration services.

In terms of its services, Lapels offers its customers Automatic Rewards earning them credit towards free dry cleaning for every dollar they spend, Loyalty Programs, a VIP Program which eliminates the need to wait in line, the use of a 24 Hour Drop Off Service and FREE Home Delivery to all its customers. During the COVID 19 pandemic Lapels also offers a “car hop” service where customers can drop off and pick up their clothing without ever leaving their cars.

For complete information on Lapels Dry Cleaning, please visit https://lapelsfranchise.com/.

Lapels Dry Cleaning – Environmentally Friendly Cleaners
Each Lapels Dry Cleaning store offers a full slate of services, including same-day dry cleaning; shirt service; tailoring; wedding gown preservation; suede and leather processing; box storage and fur storage. Lapels Dry Cleaning has stores in Arizona (Buckeye, Gilbert, Chandler, Phoenix, Scottsdale and Yuma), California (Gilroy, Hollister), Colorado (Littleton), Connecticut (Cromwell), Florida (Fleming Island, Tampa); Illinois (Wilmette); Massachusetts (Abington, Allston, Bedford, Boston, Boston Seaport, South Boston, Brighton, Burlington, Cohasset, Concord, Dedham, Dover, Easton, Hanover, Hingham, Kingston, North Andover, Malden, Marshfield, Martha’s Vineyard, Newtonville, Norton, Stoughton, Waltham, Wakefield, Wellesley, Westwood, W Roxbury and Wilmington), Mississippi (New Albany, Olive Branch, Tupelo, Oxford, Pontotoc), New Jersey (Brick, Somerville), New York (Latham), North Carolina (Charlotte), Oklahoma (Edmond, Oklahoma City), Pennsylvania (Bloomsburg), South Carolina (Fort Mill, Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Island, Carolina Forest), Tennessee (Arlington, Brentwood, Franklin, Germantown, Nashville), Texas (Brownsville, Little Elm, Prosper, Spring). Additional locations are coming soon to Bloomsburg, PA, Scottsdale, AZ and Brooklyn, NY.

Lapels Dry Cleaning has received a number of accolades in the franchise world. That includes being ranked again on the 2020 Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list for the country’s top Franchise Systems. Entrepreneur's “Franchise 500” is the best and most comprehensive rating of franchises in the world and is based on objective, quantifiable measures of a franchise operation. Lapels Dry Cleaning has also been named to Franchise Times Top 200+.

Lapels has also achieved acclaim in the dry cleaning industry. Lapels Dry Cleaning CEO Kevin Dubois is the co-author of Entrepreneurial Insanity in the Dry Cleaning Business, sold on Amazon.com.

Lapels Dry Cleaning corporate offices are located at 962 Washington Street, Hanover, MA 02339. 

To learn more about franchise opportunities with Lapels Dry Cleaning, call toll free (866) 695-2735 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Additional information and up-to-date company news can also be found on the company’s Web site, www.lapelsfranchise.com and www.mylapels.com

Media Contact:
Steven Dubin, PR Works
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
781-582-1061

dry cleaning, franchise 500, entrepreneur, business

Entrepreneur Magazine Names Lapels Dry Cleaning to Franchise 500

Hanover, MA, February 02, 2021 -- In a year that’s redefined normal, Lapels Dry Cleaning, an innovative, environmentally friendly dry cleaning company headquartered in Hanover, Massachusetts, took what’s become its normal place on Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500. For 2021, Lapels Dry Cleaning ranked 397 out of nearly 4,000 Franchise Concepts now available within the country.

“We strive to be the best franchise out there every single year. That requires continuous improvement, even during a pandemic,” said Kevin Dubois, CEO of Lapels and co-author of Entrepreneurial Insanity in the Dry Cleaning Business. “This past year, we developed new offerings, such as our new flat rate laundry program, converting existing laundromats and building new, partnered with Target to host lockers in select locations, as well as increased our free delivery routes to accommodate contactless services and stay at home orders. We also sought out independent dry cleaners for conversion to provide our new franchise owners the opportunity to hit the ground running with built-in market garment care services”

Added Dubois, “As always, we have continued to run our stores in an environmentally friendly way.”

Over two decades, Lapels has pioneered an eco-friendly dry-cleaning experience. That experience features a partnership agreement with GreenEarth®, the dry cleaning industry’s only non-toxic cleaning alternative for its newer locations. Using these kinds of solutions and the latest technology in equipment, Lapels uses the world’s ONLY 100 percent environmentally non-toxic dry cleaning process along with 100 percent wet cleaning that offers a sustainable and hypo allergenic process.

This business model has been very well received from not only retail customers looking for a better cleaning experience but also from some of the world’s largest hotel operators and employers looking to offer a sustainable solution to their customers and employees. Lapels Dry Cleaning’s environmentally-friendly cleaning process has no odor and is gentler on clothes, thus lengthening the life of clothes.

In addition to green business practices, Lapels Dry Cleaning remains an active member of the communities each location serves. That’s continued during the pandemic as individual Lapels locations have offered discounted and free cleaning services to health care professionals.

Lapels Dry Cleaning also sets itself apart with its customer service. Lapels customers are greeted to a warm and inviting reception area, with friendly customer service representatives, and alteration services.

In terms of its services, Lapels offers its customers Automatic Rewards earning them credit towards free dry cleaning for every dollar they spend, Loyalty Programs, a VIP Program which eliminates the need to wait in line, the use of a 24 Hour Drop Off Service and FREE Home Delivery to all its customers. During the COVID 19 pandemic Lapels also offers a “car hop” service where customers can drop off and pick up their clothing without ever leaving their cars.

For complete information on Lapels Dry Cleaning, please visit https://lapelsfranchise.com/.

Lapels Dry Cleaning – Environmentally Friendly Cleaners
Each Lapels Dry Cleaning store offers a full slate of services, including same-day dry cleaning; shirt service; tailoring; wedding gown preservation; suede and leather processing; box storage and fur storage. Lapels Dry Cleaning has stores in Arizona (Buckeye, Gilbert, Chandler, Phoenix, Scottsdale and Yuma), California (Gilroy, Hollister), Colorado (Littleton), Connecticut (Cromwell), Florida (Fleming Island, Tampa); Illinois (Wilmette); Massachusetts (Abington, Allston, Bedford, Boston, Boston Seaport, South Boston, Brighton, Burlington, Cohasset, Concord, Dedham, Dover, Easton, Hanover, Hingham, Kingston, North Andover, Malden, Marshfield, Martha’s Vineyard, Newtonville, Norton, Stoughton, Waltham, Wakefield, Wellesley, Westwood, W Roxbury and Wilmington), Mississippi (New Albany, Olive Branch, Tupelo, Oxford, Pontotoc), New Jersey (Brick, Somerville), New York (Latham), North Carolina (Charlotte), Oklahoma (Edmond, Oklahoma City), Pennsylvania (Bloomsburg), South Carolina (Fort Mill, Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Island, Carolina Forest), Tennessee (Arlington, Brentwood, Franklin, Germantown, Nashville), Texas (Brownsville, Little Elm, Prosper, Spring). Additional locations are coming soon to Bloomsburg, PA, Scottsdale, AZ and Brooklyn, NY.

Lapels Dry Cleaning has received a number of accolades in the franchise world. That includes being ranked again on the 2020 Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list for the country’s top Franchise Systems. Entrepreneur's “Franchise 500” is the best and most comprehensive rating of franchises in the world and is based on objective, quantifiable measures of a franchise operation. Lapels Dry Cleaning has also been named to Franchise Times Top 200+.

Lapels has also achieved acclaim in the dry cleaning industry. Lapels Dry Cleaning CEO Kevin Dubois is the co-author of Entrepreneurial Insanity in the Dry Cleaning Business, sold on Amazon.com.

Lapels Dry Cleaning corporate offices are located at 962 Washington Street, Hanover, MA 02339. 

To learn more about franchise opportunities with Lapels Dry Cleaning, call toll free (866) 695-2735 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Additional information and up-to-date company news can also be found on the company’s Web site, www.lapelsfranchise.com and www.mylapels.com

New EU Standard for Experimental Toy Chemistry Sets

The European Committee for Standardization (Comité Européen de Normalisation, CEN) has published a new standard covering experimental toy sets for chemistry and related activities.

Published in December 2020, EN 71-4:2020 ‘Experimental sets for chemistry and related activities’ includes several updates. It defines the requirements for the maximum quantity or concentration of certain substances and mixtures that are included in this popular toy product. Examples of these types of toy set include crystal growing sets and carbon dioxide generating experiments. 

Among the changes brought in by EN 71-4:2020 are:

  • Clarification on scope
  • Permissible inclusion of non-hazardous food additives, starches, etc.
  • Maximum amounts and concentrations for defined substances
  • Requirement for eye protection

For a comprehensive review of the changes being brought in by EN 71-4:2020, view SGS SafeGuard 010/21.

Stakeholders should be aware of the following dates:

  • Standard will be given status of national standard by June 2021
  • Conflicting national standards must be withdrawn by December 2021

EN 71-4:2020 is expected to be harmonized under Directive 2009/48/EC, the so-called Toy Safety Directive (TSD), once it has been accepted by the European Commission and published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU).

SGS EU Toy Directive Services

SGS offers a wide range of services to ensure that products comply with the EU Toy Safety Directive. They offer training, safety/risk assessment, technical documentation check, labelling review, testing according to harmonized standards, SVHC screening, inspections and audits. They have the world’s largest network of toy experts and testing facilities, including around 20 toy laboratories and three 3 EU Notified Bodies (France, Germany and Netherlands). Learn more about SGS’s EU Toy Directive Services. 

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full CEN Publishes EN 71-4:2020 ‘Experimental Sets For Chemistry And Related Activities’ SafeGuardS. 

Subscribe here to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.

For further information contact:

Hingwo Tsang

Global Information and Innovation Manager

Tel: (+852) 2774 7420

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: www.sgs.com/hardlines

LinkedIn: sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail

About SGS

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 89,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world.​

New Way to Ensure Absorbent Hygiene Products are Free from Trace Chemicals

SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company, is helping manufacturers of absorbent hygiene products (AHPs) prove to wary customers that their products are safe and free from trace chemicals.

Studies have shown that baby diapers and intimate hygiene products can contain a wide variety of toxic substance residues. The nature of these products means this news is of great concern to both regulators and consumers.

Until recently, the only two testing methodologies available to manufacturers were inefficient. The situation has changed with the release of the Edana Method NWSP360 Series in November 2020. Linked to the Edana AHP Stewardship program, which focuses on the detection of trace chemicals in AHP, this series was developed by a panel of industry experts seeking to create a realistic, practical, robust, repeatable and reproducible test method.

SGS’s Consumer Compact article looks at the growth in concern over trace elements in AHPs and the development and advantages of utilizing the Edana Method NWSP360 Series. The article is aimed at industry insiders and members of the public who want to gain a better understanding of what is actually in our AHPs.

In addition, SGS has created a webinar for the industry – Safety of Absorbent Hygiene Products – Testing for Trace Chemicals.

SGS Solution

SGS works closely with stakeholders to ensure it has the latest testing solutions in place to help manufacturers supply safe, performant, and regulatorily compliant products to markets all over the world. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested. Learn more about SGS Tissue and Hygiene Services. 

View their webinar: Safety of Absorbent Hygiene Products – Testing for Trace Chemicals 

Subscribe here to receive SGS Consumer Compact direct to your inbox.

For more information, please contact: 

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: www.sgs.com/cpch

LinkedIn: sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail


About SGS

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 89,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world.​