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Grey honeycomb cellular blind half down on French doors with a toddler at the window, by Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings

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Child Safety and Blinds

A dangling cord looks like a toy. It takes seconds. It is entirely preventable with the right product.

Safety guideNationwide delivery
Subject
Child-safe blinds
Reviewed by
The Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings team
Updated
7 September 2026
Reading time
3 minutes

How do you make blinds safe for children?

  1. Choose cordless blinds with no chain, cord or loop: spring-operated rollers and cordless honeycomb, available across the Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings online range
  2. Motorised blinds on Somfy or Eve MotionBlinds remove every manual mechanism; remote, app or schedule
  3. If existing blinds have cords, fit cleats at adult height and keep furniture away from the window
  4. The European standard EN 13120 requires blinds to minimise strangulation risk; the Hunter Douglas and Coulisse products supplied meet it
  5. Nurseries and children’s rooms: cordless blockout rollers or cordless honeycomb, for safety and sleep
  6. No-drill blinds are the exception: they run on a chain or cord, so in a child’s room choose a drilled cordless or motorised blind, or cleat the cord
0Cords in a child-safe room
EN 13120The internal blind safety standard
1.6mMinimum cleat height
“Every blind we sell online is available cordless. It is not an upgrade or an add-on. It is the standard. If a blind has a cord and it is going near a child, it needs replacing.”
Duncan Kane Founder, Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings
01

Why blind cords are dangerous for children

A looped cord or chain can form a noose during play or climbing. A small child’s weight tightens it. There is no warning and no noise. EN 13120 exists because it has happened, and South African homes are no exception.

02

The child-safe blind options

Nothing to reach, pull or tangle.

03

If your blinds have cords now

Temporary measures until you replace them. Replacement is the only way to remove the hazard.

  1. Fit cord cleatsScrewed to the wall at adult height, at least 1.6m from the floor, with the cord wrapped tight in every blind position
  2. Move furnitureCots, beds, chairs and shelving away from windows where cords hang; children climb
  3. Cut the loopA continuous loop chain can be cut into two separate cords with individual pulls; it may affect operation on some blinds
  4. Replace as budget allowsCordless or motorised, room by room, starting where children sleep

04   The standard

EN 13120, and three questions.

The European standard for internal blind safety requires manufacturers to design out cord strangulation risk. The Hunter Douglas and Coulisse products supplied by Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings comply. Ask any supplier: is it cordless, or can it be? Does the manufacturer comply with EN 13120? Are there any external cords, chains or loops in any operating position? A yes to the last question is a no for a child’s room.

PetsThe same cord risk applies to a kitten as to a toddler. The cat-proof blinds guide covers it.

Buy online:

Nursery blinds·Honeycomb blinds·Blockout rollers
05

Questions buyers ask about child-safe blinds

What is the safest blind for a nursery?

A cordless blockout roller or cordless honeycomb: the darkest blinds you can fit, insulating, with no cord or chain. Motorised adds scheduled nap times. Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings makes both to measure with free delivery nationwide.

Are all blinds from Custom Blinds child safe?

Every blind in the online range is available cordless, and motorised options remove all manual cords. On the Garden Route, Duncan specifies child-safe options for every room with children.

Do cordless blinds cost more?

Cordless operation is available across the online range as a standard specification; honeycomb blinds are cordless by design.

What safety standard should blinds meet?

EN 13120, the European standard for internal blind safety. The Hunter Douglas and Coulisse products supplied comply with it.

Can I retrofit existing blinds to make them child safe?

Cleats and cord shorteners reduce the risk temporarily, and cutting a looped chain removes the loop. Only cordless or motorised replacement removes the hazard entirely.

06

Further reading on child-safe blinds

Content reviewed by the Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings team. Visit the online shop for current pricing.

Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings | South Africa’s trusted blinds, shutters and awnings specialists since 2010.

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