Polyurethane Foam for Sofa

When you are buying furniture in China, there’s a widespread myth online and among furniture sellers about polyurethane foam for sofa that sofas must use foam with a “45D” density. You’ll see this claim for sofas at all price points, from $500 to $3,000, but it’s misleading.

Let’s break down what this really means. The foam used in sofas is actually polyurethane foam, and “45D” means it has a density of 45 kg per cubic meter. According to Chinese industry standards (QB/T1952.1-2023), sofa seat cushions only need a density of 25 kg/m³ or higher, while other parts need 20 kg/m³ or higher.

What really matters are three key features:

– How well the foam bounces back (resilience)

– How well it keeps its shape (compression deformation)

– The actual density

High-end Italian brands like Minotti don’t fixate on using 45D foam everywhere. Instead, they use different densities in different parts of the sofa to get the best comfort and shape. BMS Sofa follows this rule as well. The Polyurethane Foam for each Sofa is unique to achieve different seating comfort.

Want to check if your sofa meets standards? Ask for the quality inspection report. It should follow certain standards and show details about the foam, fabric, frame, and other materials used.

But what if you want to check the foam yourself? Here’s a simple test:

1. Take a piece of the cushion foam

2. Remove its cover

3. Measure its size to find the volume

4. Weigh it

5. Divide the weight by volume to get the density

When you do this, you’ll often find that sellers are overstating their foam density.

Here’s another tip: Some manufacturers add fillers like calcium carbonate (basically talcum powder) to make the foam heavier. Good foam should feel both heavy and bouncy. If it feels heavy but hard, it might contain fillers. When salespeople tell you a hard sofa is due to “high-density foam,” they’re often hiding the fact that it’s full of fillers. Remember: density alone doesn’t determine how bouncy or comfortable foam will be – that comes down to how it’s made.

Want to learn more about buying furniture from China? Give me a ring.