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Near Strangulation Prompts Recall to Repair Roman and Roller Shades Sold at Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, and PBTeens: Expands previous recall of Roman shades sold at Pottery Barn Kids

Reported: December 15, 2009 Initiated: December 15, 2009 #10071 About 305,000 Roman shades and 45,000 roller shades (This recall was first announced in Aug. 2009) units

CPSC recall on December 15, 2009. Classified as Moderate severity. Approximately About 305,000 Roman shades and 45,000 roller shades (This recall was first announced in Aug. 2009) units are affected. The recall was issued because: Roman Shades: Strangulation can occur when a child places his/her neck between the exposed inner cord and the fabric on…. This recall notice is sourced from official CPSC enforcement records. Below you will find the complete product description, hazard information, remedy instructions, and related recalls from the same manufacturer or product category.

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #10071) was formally reported on December 15, 2009. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. The recalling firm is not specified in the federal record. Federal records indicate About 305,000 Roman shades and 45,000 roller shades (This recall was first announced in Aug. 2009) units are affected, placing this recall in the million-unit bracket that typically triggers nationwide consumer alerts and retailer sweeps.

The documented reason for this recall is: Roman Shades: Strangulation can occur when a child places his/her neck between the exposed inner cord and the fabric on the backside of the shade or when a child pulls the cord out and wraps it around his/her neck. Roll… Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details. The remedy documented by the agency is: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Roman shades and contact Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, or PBteen to receive a free repair kit for these products. Consumers should immediately … — consumers holding this product should act on that instruction rather than relying on general guidance.

To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 17 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.

Recall Distribution by Severity Class

Severity1Class I (Critical)Class II (Moderate)Class III (Low)
Recall Distribution by Severity Class

Severity

Moderate

Units Affected

About 305,000 Roman shades and 45,000 roller shades (This recall was first announced in Aug. 2009)

Related Recalls

6

0 from same agency

Product Description

This recall involves all sizes and colors of Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, and PBteen Roman shades with and without fabric backing and the Paxton roller shades. The Roman shades have two labels; "Pottery Barn", "potterybarnkids" or "PBteen" is printed on the smaller label and the larger orange, black and white label warns that "Cords and bead chains can loop around child's neck and STRANGLE." The Paxton roller shades are made of solid fabric and have a metal rod at the bottom and a nylon operating cord.

Reason for Recall

Roman Shades: Strangulation can occur when a child places his/her neck between the exposed inner cord and the fabric on the backside of the shade or when a child pulls the cord out and wraps it around his/her neck. Roller Shades: Strangulation can occur if the shade's looped cord is not attached to the wall with the tension device provided and a child's neck becomes entangled in the free-standing loop.

Remedy

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Roman shades and contact Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, or PBteen to receive a free repair kit for these products. Consumers should immediately check the recalled roller shades to make sure the tension device provided is attached to the looped cord and installed into the wall. If not attached, consumers should immediately attach the tension device securely to the wall. If they no longer have the tension device, consumers should immediately stop using the roller shades and contact Pottery Barn to receive a replacement tension device.

Details

Units Affected
About 305,000 Roman shades and 45,000 roller shades (This recall was first announced in Aug. 2009)

Recall Profile

Structured summary of the CPSC recall record
Attribute Value
Agency U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Severity class Moderate
Status Active
Recall number 10071
Date reported December 15, 2009
Date initiated December 15, 2009
Recalling firm Not disclosed
Units affected About 305,000 Roman shades and 45,000 roller shades (This recall was first announced in Aug. 2009)
Distribution Not disclosed

Profile values are sourced directly from the official CPSC enforcement record. Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Scale of Impact

About 305,000 Roman shades and 45,000 roller shades (This recall was first announced in Aug. 2009) units affected — million-unit bracket.

Regional (<10K units)
Multi-state (10K – 100K units)
Large-scale (100K – 1M units)
Massive (≥1M units) ✓ This recall

Bracket cutoffs follow federal recall-disclosure conventions; bar widths scale linearly within each bracket. Source: PlainRecalls analysis of U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission filings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What product was recalled?
This recall involves all sizes and colors of Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, and PBteen Roman shades with and without fabric backing and the Paxton roller shades. The Roman shades have two labels; "Pottery Barn", "potterybarnkids" or "PBteen" is printed on the smaller label and the larger orange, black and white label warns that "Cords and bead chains can loop around child's neck and STRANGLE." The Paxton roller shades are made of solid fabric and have a metal rod at the bottom and a nylon operating cord.. Units affected: About 305,000 Roman shades and 45,000 roller shades (This recall was first announced in Aug. 2009).
Why was this product recalled?
Roman Shades: Strangulation can occur when a child places his/her neck between the exposed inner cord and the fabric on the backside of the shade or when a child pulls the cord out and wraps it around his/her neck. Roller Shades: Strangulation can occur if the shade's looped cord is not attached to the wall with the tension device provided and a child's neck becomes entangled in the free-standing loop.
What should consumers do?
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Roman shades and contact Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, or PBteen to receive a free repair kit for these products. Consumers should immediately check the recalled roller shades to make sure the tension device provided is attached to the looped cord and installed into the wall. If not attached, consumers should immediately attach the tension device securely to the wall. If they no longer have the tension device, consumers should immediately stop using the roller shades and contact Pottery Barn to receive a replacement tension device.
Which agency issued this recall?
This recall was issued by the CPSC on December 15, 2009. Severity: Moderate. Recall number: 10071.
How do I check if my product is affected by a recall?
Check the product description and recall number (10071) against your product. Visit the official CPSC website for the most current information. You can also use our Recall Checker tool to search by product name or brand.
How do I report an injury from a recalled product?
Report injuries to the issuing agency: CPSC at SaferProducts.gov, NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem, or FDA via MedWatch. Document the product (photos, model/serial numbers, purchase receipts) and seek medical attention. Injury reports help agencies track hazard patterns and may strengthen enforcement actions.

Recall Context

Product recalls are issued when a manufacturer, distributor, or federal agency determines that a product poses a safety risk to consumers. This recall is classified as moderate severity, indicating the product may cause temporary or medically reversible health consequences. Across PlainRecalls, we track 83,000+ recalls from FDA, CPSC, and NHTSA to help consumers stay informed and act quickly when safety issues arise.

Nearby Recalls in This Category

Other recalls in the same product category — useful for spotting patterns across the same defect class or manufacturer.

Compare this recall with Endo-Model Replacement Plateau; Item Number: 15-0027/11; →

Data Sources

Data as of 2025. Source: FDA, CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS federal recall databases.

  • Source: FDA — Food and Drug Administration, openFDA Enforcement API (food, drug, and medical device recalls)
  • Source: CPSC — Consumer Product Safety Commission Recalls API (consumer product recalls and hazards)
  • Source: NHTSA — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Recalls API (vehicle safety recalls)
  • Source: USDA FSIS — Food Safety and Inspection Service (meat, poultry, and egg product recalls)

Recall information is sourced from official federal agency databases. Always verify recall details with the issuing agency for the most current status. This information is for research and awareness purposes only.

All federal data sources used on this page

Source: Federal recall agencies (FDA, CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS) Aggregated multi-agency recall feeds · 2024 Recall data normalized across federal agency feeds; severity classifications follow each agency's own taxonomy (FDA Class I/II/III; CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS).