When shopping for baby gear, it’s easy to assume that anything on a big site with good reviews must be safe.

Unfortunately, that’s not always true.

In the last couple of years, regulators have issued a wave of warnings and recalls on baby products sold online. 

This post isn’t about fear-mongering. It’s about shining a light on the real issues so you can make informed choices for your family.

1. Marketplaces and Recalls

Online marketplaces make it easy for thousands of baby products to appear overnight—but not all are built to meet strict children’s safety standards. In recent years, regulators have recalled baby loungers, playpens, cribs, and toys for suffocation, entrapment, and excessive chemicals like lead and phthalates. 

And that’s just what gets caught and formally recalled. 

2. Playpens and Enclosures Are Part of the Problem

Playpens and gated enclosures are supposed to be safe zones. But multiple recent recalls have shown how badly things can go when design and quality aren’t up to par.

Some of the issues regulators have flagged include:

• Entrapment risks where a child’s head or body could become stuck between parts of the playpen

• Suffocation hazards from soft, ill-fitting, or poorly attached mattresses

• Structural failures like panels that can crack, break, or detach

• Hazardous materials such as excessive levels of lead or certain phthalates in surfaces that babies touch and mouth

When a playpen fails, it’s not just a quality issue. It can directly impact a child’s safety.

3. Compromised Quality = Real Safety Risks

A lot of these issues come down to one thing: quality.

Cracked panels, wobbly frames, weak connections, and thin wood that can splinter or break aren’t just cosmetic issues—they change how a playpen behaves when a real toddler leans and shakes it. 

When something is built to keep costs down, “good enough” can quietly slip below the level of “actually safe.”

4. Dangerous Designs Persist Because Safety Isn’t Fully Understood

You might wonder: if these hazards are known, why do these products keep appearing?

A few reasons: 

• Safety rules are complex. Not every vendor truly understands children’s product standards.

• Products launch fast. Cross-border sellers can list items online with limited safety vetting.

• Pretty + low cost wins too often. Some playpens are designed for photos and price— not for how a real toddler pulls and pushes.

Result: risky designs stay on the market until something goes wrong.

How Matty’s Room Thinks About Safety

We created Matty’s Room because we were frustrated by how many baby products hide real risks. Our Playroom is designed to be both beautiful and safely engineered.

• Thoughtful design: Gap-conscious panels, rounded edges, and a matching Pen + Mat set that’s made to work together as one safe, unified play space.

• Stays put during play: Safety Stoppies™ on the Pen and a non-slip backing on the Mat help keep the Playroom stable during active play.

• Safer materials: Food-grade HDPE panels and non-toxic polyethylene foam, made without harsh glues using an air-bonding process to reduce off-gassing (VoC's).

• Quality that supports safety: Furniture-inspired look & construction with sturdy, durable components.

In short, we built the Playroom we wanted for our own kids: one safe, beautiful home base you can feel good about every day.

What Parents Can Do to Be More Informed About Product Safety

You can’t personally lab-test every product, but you can shop with a safety-first mindset:

• Check for recalls on the CPSC website before and after you buy. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

• Look beyond star ratings. Read the low-star reviews for mentions of cracking, tipping, strong odors, or “feels flimsy.”

• Favor brands that talk clearly about materials and standards, not just “non-toxic” buzzwords.

• Prioritize design and build quality, especially at load-bearing joints, doors, and panels.

And if something feels off - strong chemical smell, unstable structure, pieces that break or warp - trust your instincts and stop using it.