Spencer Roll-Arm Sofa Blue/Brown/Coral vs Banks Sleeper Sofa Foam: which is safer?
Banks Sleeper Sofa Foam is the clear pick. Ethan Allen Spencer Roll-Arm Sofa Blue/Brown/Coral carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.
Ethan Allen
Spencer Roll-Arm Sofa Blue/Brown/Coral
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
LikelyFlame retardants in foam and batting
PossibleVolatile organic compounds (VOCs) from adhesives and coatings
ReportedStain-resistant finish degradation and leaching
Our pick
Joybird
Banks Sleeper Sofa Foam
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
LikelyVolatile Organic Compound (VOC) Off-Gassing
PossibleFlame Retardant Chemical Content
PossibleFormaldehyde in Adhesives and Binders
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Flame retardants in foam and batting, Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from adhesives and coatings, Stain-resistant finish degradation and leaching and Azo dyes in colored fabrics on the Ethan Allen and not on the Joybird.
- We flag Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Off-Gassing, Flame Retardant Chemical Content, Formaldehyde in Adhesives and Binders and Foam Degradation Over Time on the Joybird and not on the Ethan Allen.
- The Ethan Allen is upholstered fabric, likely polyester blend with stain-resistant finish where the Joybird is polyurethane foam, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 30 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Joybird is the one to buy.
- We are less certain about the Ethan Allen grade, at 45% confidence against 72%, because it discloses less.
Both products run through the same public rubric, which covers materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
More upholstered furniture, see the full ranking