August 26, 2009: Vertical Land Horizontal and Vertical Blinds and Shades Recall

Recall Reason

Several styles of shades and blinds were included in this recall. Image here represents just one.

According to the US Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), Vertical Land Inc. is voluntarily recalling about 15,400 horizontal blinds, 16,400 vertical blinds, and 800 cellular shades.

• The horizontal blinds do not have inner cord stop devices to prevent the accessible inner cords from being pulled out. If an inner cord is pulled out, a child can become entangled in the loop and strangle.
• Strangulations can occur with the vertical blinds if a child's neck becomes entangled on the free-standing loop formed by the bead chain or by the cord with a weighted device.
• Strangulations can occur with the cellular shades if a child's neck becomes entangled on the shade's free-standing looped cord.

Do You Own These Blinds or Shades?

Click here to read the official release.

This recall involves all Vertical Land custom-made vertical and cellular window coverings that do not have a cord tensioning device and horizontal blinds that do not have inner cord stop devices. A sticker identification label can be found on the head rail of some of the window coverings which lists the company's name, address and telephone number.

Manufactured in the United States, the blinds and shades were sold at Vertical Land stores in Panama City and Pensacola, Fla. from January 1992 through December 2006 for between $60 and $200 (depending on the size of the blind).

Whom to Contact

Consumers should immediately stop using the window coverings and contact Vertical Land to receive a free retrofit kit. Call Vertical Land at (800) 423-8653 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday.