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Window Coverings Officially Going Cordless

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New Requirements for Corded Window Coverings – What You Need to Know

As we covered last year, cordless window coverings are here to stay and will become the only option for personalizing and beautifying your windows and doors.

As of May 1 of 2022, the Government of Canada will not allow any blinds, draperies, or shades with an exposed cord of any kind to be sold in Canada. 

The reason? Safety. Child safety and pet safety are of utmost importance. In this article, we’ll cover what these new regulations for corded window coverings mean and how manufacturers and retailers like Ruffell & Brown will adapt to these changes. We’ll also cover which products are changing and which are being officially retired.

New Corded Window Coverings Regulations in Canada

With window covering regulations changing on May 1, 2022,  many products will be affected. 

The rules regarding cords and small parts on corded windows will have to be modified to meet these new standards. This means that many products will have to be replaced or adjusted, and a select few will have to be discontinued completely. 

Our most popular manufacturer, Hunter Douglas, will stop accepting orders for discontinued products by April 15, 2022.

Starting on April 16, they will not be accepting orders for products that do not meet these new window covering standards. 

For a business to successfully grow, it needs to change with modern times. This is why the safety of consumer products needs to be taken seriously. 

That can be a challenge in any industry, but finding the right solution is what separates an industry leader from the rest. At Ruffell & Brown, we’ve been preparing for these changes for many months and are confident that these new regulations for window coverings will not affect our business or the satisfaction of our consumers.

What Window Coverings Are Changing?

The following products will be replaced with more innovative designs. These intelligently designed products meet new window covering standards while retaining all the beauty and convenience that you’d expect from us.

PRODUCT:

Duette® & Applause® Top-Down/Bottom-Up
REPLACEMENT NOTES:

Duette & Applause Duolite® is now available in larger sizes. For improved view-through, Duette will offer a brand new ClearView® sheer for Canada only.

 

PRODUCT:

UltraGlide® with Cord Operation for:

  • Designer Screen Shades
  • Designer Roller Shades
  • Designer Banded Shades
  • Provenance® Woven Wood Shades
  • Design Studio™ Roman Shades
  • Solera® Shades
  • Alustra® Woven Textures® Roller & Roman Shades
  • Silhouette® Window Shadings
  • Nantucket™ Window Shadings
  • Pirouette® Window Shadings
  • Vignette®
REPLACEMENT NOTE:

Cord Operation will be replaced by UltraGlide with Wand Operation.

 

PRODUCT:

Luminette® SofTrak™ Hardware System
REPLACEMENT NOTES:

The new Luminette® hardware system has been completely redesigned for each of the three operating systems: Combination Wand/Cord, Traveling Wand, and PowerView®.The Combination Wand/Cord will have a Concealed Control when in a static position.

 

PRODUCT:

Designer Roller Shades, Designer Screen Shades, and Alustra Woven Textures Roller Shades with Custom Clutch and Clutch Operation
REPLACEMENT NOTE:

Custom Clutch and Clutch Operated shades will have a Concealed Control when in a static position.

 

PRODUCT:

Parkland® Wood Blinds, EverWood® Alternative Wood Blinds, and 2″ Modern Precious Metals® Aluminum Blinds:

  • Cordlock
  • LiteRise®
  • SimpleLift™
  • PowerView Automation
  • SimpleLift with PowerView Automation
REPLACEMENT NOTES:

An entirely new operating system, SpringRise™, has been designed for horizontals. This system keeps the bottom rail under constant tension and is held down at the bottom of the window with hold-down brackets.

Tilt will be controlled by a wand only. To raise the blind, simply release the bottom rail from the bracket and guide the blind upward as it automatically raises to the fully lifted position.

While these changes may seem overwhelming, our team of professionals at Ruffell & Brown will guide you every step of the way. 

What Window Coverings Are Discontinued?

These window coverings may be missed, but it’s important to know when to retire products that can’t be replaced or meet new safety standards.

The following products will be discontinued as of April 15, 2022. 

Alustra Woven Textures Roman Shades:

  • Top-Down/Bottom-Up
  • Cordlock Operating System
  • EasyRise™ Operating System

Alustra Woven Textures Roller Shades: 

Cadence® Soft Vertical Blinds 

  • Cord and Wand Control
  • Cord and Chain Control

Design Studio

  • Roman Shades with EasyRise Operating System
  • Drapery with PowerView Automation
  • Drapery with Cord Control
  • Roller Shades with Custom Clutch

Designer Banded Shades

  • Custom Clutch Operating System

Designer Roller & Designer Screen Shades

  • Hardwired Somfy Motorization
  • Designer Screen Patio Shades
  • Blockout System with Custom Clutch

Duette & Applause Honeycomb Shades

  • Top-Down Design Option
  • Top-Down/Bottom-Up Design Option
  • All ⅜” pleat fabrics
  • EasyRise Lift System
  • SkyLift™
  • Operable Sidelights
  • Simplicity™
  • EasyView® Arch (*stationary specialty shapes remain available)
  • TrackGlide™ Standard ¼” Track (*Extended track remains available)
  • Cut-Outs

EverWood Alternative Wood Blinds

  • Cord tilt
  • Cut-outs
  • Decorative tapes
  • de-Light™ light and privacy feature
  • Multiple blinds on one headrail

Modern Precious Metals Aluminum Blinds

  • ½″ slat size
  • 1″ slat size (.006 and .008 gauges)
  • 2″ Reveal® with MagnaView®
  • Cord tilt
  • Cut-outs
  • Decorative tapes
  • de-Light light and privacy feature
  • MagnaView tilt feature
  • Multi-color blinds
  • Multiple blinds on one headrail

Parkland Wood Blinds

  •  Cord tilt
  •  Cut-outs
  •  Decorative tapes
  •  de-Light light and privacy feature
  •  Multiple blinds on one headrail
  •  Operable specialty shapes

Pirouette Window Shadings

  • EasyRise Lift System

Provenance Woven Wood Shades

  • Cordlock Operating System
  • EasyRise Operating System
  • Top-Down/Bottom-Up
  • Vertical Drapery with Cord Control

Silhouette & Nantucket Window Shadings

  • EasyRise Lift System

Skyline® Gliding Window Panels & Alustra Woven Textures Skyline Panels

  • Cord Control
  • Returns on Sleek Metal Valance 
  • Box Valance
  • Room Divider Kit

Solera Soft Shades 

  • EasyRise Operating System
  • Top-Down/Bottom-Up

Somner® Custom Vertical Blinds & Vertical Solutions® Vertical Blinds

  • Cord and Wand Control
  • Cord and Chain Control
  • Fabric Vanes with Bottom Chains
  • Motorized Tilt Only
  • Vertical Specialty All Systems

Vignette Modern Roman Shades

  • Stacking Style – All Operating Systems
  • Rolling Style with EasyRise Lift System
  • Rolling Style UltraGlide and EasyRise Two-On-One Headrail

Child Safety Tips For Window Coverings

If you haven’t made the switch to cordless window coverings yet, it may be time to do so. After all, keeping your children safe is a top priority. 

In the meantime, if you do have corded window coverings in your home, here are some helpful safety tips:

  • Make sure all cribs, beds, furniture, and toys are moved away from windows and window cords
  • Keep window cords well out of reach of children
  • Install a tie-down device or cord cleats up high on the wall
  • Remove any dangling cords by making pull cords as short as possible
  • Permanently anchor continuous-looped bead chains and cords
  • Ensure that cord stops are installed properly
  • Adjust the limit in the movement of inner lift cords

Adapting to Safer Window Treatments

Keeping your children and pets safe in your home gives you ultimate peace of mind. At the same time, our vast selection of custom window and door coverings offer the best of convenience and style.

At Ruffell & Brown Window Covering Centre, our team of design experts will help you find the best window coverings for your interior space that also comply with the new Health Canada corded window covering regulations. Explore our incredible selection of stylish products, and inquire about professional installation. 

For more information about cordless window coverings and so much more, come visit our Victoria showroom or book a free consultation today!

Child Safety for Window Coverings

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Child Safe Window Blinds, Shutters & Curtains

If you have young children living in or visiting your home, you know how curious they can be and how much work goes into making sure they’re completely safe. When a new baby arrives or starts to toddle around, you automatically set about baby proofing your home, anchoring furniture, locking cupboards, covering outlets and putting up baby gates in an effort to prevent any mishaps.

Did you know you also need to look to your windows when child proofing? Your windows and the blinds, curtains and shades that add a beautiful accent to your home, are a crucial and often overlooked area when it comes to child safety.

At the same time that you’re anchoring furniture to the walls and plugging in those little plastic outlet covers, your blinds, curtains and shades also need to be properly child-proofed or ideally upgraded to cordless options—particularly in children’s rooms and play areas. At Ruffell and Brown, we offer a wide variety of innovative and stylish window coverings designed with child safety at top of mind.

Why Child Proof Window Coverings?

The cords and chains used with older style window treatments pose a real threat to little ones who just cannot resist the temptation of trying to reach them. Children under the age of three are particularly at risk for injury and strangulation, since they might lose their balance while climbing furniture, looking out a window, or even just playing with a cord that’s puddled on the living room floor. Children can easily become entangled in these cords and disaster can happen in seconds.

In fact, there have been 39 reported strangulation deaths since 1989, according to Health Canada. Roughly one child will die each year from accidents related to unsafe or improperly installed window treatments.

Thankfully, these accidents are easily preventable with child proofing and updated window coverings, including cordless blinds, motorized shades and everything in between.

Health Canada recommends that corded window coverings are replaced with cordless for maximum safety and as of May 1, 2021, the Government of Canada will restrict the lengths of cords and sizes of loops allowed on all new window coverings sold in Canada. This greater emphasis on safety will make it easier than ever to extend child proofing to windows and doors.

child blind safety - hunter douglas honeycomb shades

Cordless Window Coverings are Safest

When it’s time to upgrade your window treatments, you can trust that Ruffell and Brown takes child safety seriously and offers many innovative cordless systems designed with safety, beauty and convenience in mind. Hunter Douglas is a wonderful example of a leading window covering designer that we carry that understands the importance of child safety features.

This wide range of fashionable and child proof blinds, curtains, shades and shutters is the perfect complement to the aesthetic of your home. The Hunter Douglas line of blinds, curtains, shades and shutters are also available in several ultra-convenient operating systems:

LiteRise touch system

With the LiteRise system, a touch of the handle will lower or raise the blinds or shades. The hidden control system keeps the blinds or shades balanced without the need of awkward cords or rods. The LiteRise system combines ease of use with a streamlined look and is an ideal solution for child proofing.

LiteRise is available on the following products:

  • Country Woods Wooden Blinds
  • Decor Mini Blinds
  • Brilliance Pleated Shades
  • Duette Honeycomb Shades

SimpleLift

A more cost-effective alternative to LiteRise, the SimpleLift system provides the same sleek appearance with no clumsy wands or cords. Just raise and lower the blinds or shades by pushing the button on the bottom rail.

SimpleLift is available on the following products:

PowerView Motorization

PowerView Motorization is available with the majority of Hunter Douglas window coverings and at Ruffell and Brown, we are leading experts on motorizing everything from shades to skylight covers. Motorization is a great option for keeping your window coverings hands-free, especially for hard to reach spaces and taller windows.

Using the PowerView App on the device of your choice, you can program your window coverings on a set schedule. If you’re away from home, you can close your blinds at the touch of a button for added security. You can also use the stylish Pebble remote control to reposition your window treatments while staying comfortably seated.

PowerView Motorization is available on most of the products offered including roller shades, banded shades, vertical blinds, horizontal blinds, side panels and draperies and more.

Vertiglide

The Vertiglide system for vertical window treatments eliminates cords, chains and wands and provides a sleek covering option for sliding glass doors or wherever a side-to-side window covering is needed.

Vertiglide is available on the following products:

Wand Control

Wand Control is another convenient way to adjust vertical blinds without any dangling cords or chains. This all-in-one cordless system allows you to open, close and adjust vertical window coverings quickly and easily.

Wand Control is available on the following products: child blind safety - hunter douglas heritage hardwood shutters

Custom Shutters

Cordless by design, shutters are ideal for homes with small children. They are incredibly versatile and can match any decor beautifully, whether you prefer a rustic look, sleek and modern look, or anything in between.

UltraGlide

Especially for the very popular Duette Honeycomb line, the UltraGlide system uses a retractable cord or an ergonomic wand to adjust the shades. A constant cord length is maintained, providing exceptional child safety and ease of use.

UltraGlide is available on a wide variety of products, including most roller shades, banded shades, vertical blinds and horizontal blinds.

Combination Wand/Cord

This easy to use combination lets you lift, lower, and tilt the blinds and shades while the cord stays completely secure and out of the reach of small hands.

Combination Wand/Cord Control is available on Luminette Privacy Sheers

Child Proofing Existing Window Treatments

Older window treatments can be modified with the use of cord tensioners, anchors, or winding devices. While you decide on the ideal window coverings for your home, you can keep your little ones safe with these child proofing measures:

 

  • Move cords up high and out of reach, or remove corded window coverings from children’s bedrooms and play areas. Never let cords or chains hang on the window sill or floor
  • Avoid placing playpens, chairs, cribs, beds, or other furniture near windows
  • Untie any cords that have been knotted and attach them to the wall using tension devices
  • In a pinch, use a clothespin, twist tie, or a bag clip to keep the cord high and out of reach
  • Review the child safety brochure from Hunter Douglas

With so many options to choose from, visit our Victoria, BC showroom to see our full range of child safe and beautiful cordless window treatments at Ruffell and Brown. Phone 250-384-1230 to book an appointment for a free consultation with our window treatment experts.