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New parents were shocked when Moonlight Slumber, LLC was sued by the FTC in the name of protecting our nation’s tiniest and most vulnerable consumers: babies. Parents looking to remove harmful compounds and inorganic ingredients to protect their babies turned to Moonlight Slumber, LLC to purchase what they believed to be “organic” mattresses for cribs and baby beds. Specifically, the “organic” mattresses came from the company’s Starlight Simplicity and Little Star lines. Yet, the FTC argued that hardly anything within those mattresses were truly organic.

Synthetic Materials + Manipulated Test Results = Deceptive Advertising

While Little Star mattresses were advertised as having a natural latex core, the FTC alleged that the majority of the latex wasn’t organic…it was synthetic. Additionally, Moonlight Slumber, LLC advertised that their products had been tested and that they gave off no volatile organic compounds (VOCs). To explain what a VOC is, consider carbon monoxide. While it’s not considered a VOC by the EPA, it still makes the concept easy to understand. Carbon monoxide is naturally occurring, but that doesn’t make it good for you. In fact, we make carbon monoxide detectors for homes to keep it from killing people. Ammonia is another example. Although not considered a VOC by the EPA, we all know that smelling ammonia will make us sick. Yet, Moonlight Slumber, LLC wasn’t able to prove that their VOC-free campaign was true despite the fact that they marketed at least one line of their products to the public under that assumption. And people likely depended upon it when choosing a mattress for their baby. Moonlight Slumber, LLC also advertised that their products received the “Green Safety Shield.” It sounds good, but what they didn’t tell the public is that they made that certification up. No other baby mattresses get that designation because they’re not made by Moonlight Slumber.

What Does the Future Hold for Moonlight Slumber?

While Moonlight Slumber’s various lines of baby mattresses will remain on the market, the FTC has barred them through federal court from claiming that their mattresses are organic and VOC-free unless they can get competent third-party professionals to perform the proper studies to support their claims. The company is also barred from reporting anymore of their manipulated-to-their-benefit “test” or “study” results and to cease using their made-up certification.