Fake Christmas Tree Facts

What You Might Not Know About Fake Christmas Trees

* Where do they come from?

Most fake trees (85%) in the U.S. are imported from China. Almost 10 Million fake trees were sold worldwide in 2003. The U.S. Commerce Dept. tracks the Import of Fake Trees
Most fake trees are made of metals and plastic. * What are the factories like where they’re made?

As noted in the Washington Post, “On the concrete floors of Zhang’s Shuitou Company factory, migrant workers, most earning about $100 a month, squat in front of hissing machinery as they melt chips into moildable plastic…”

Read the full article.

* What are fake trees made of?

Most artificial Christmas trees are made of metals and plastics. The plastic material, typically PVC, can be a potential source of hazardous lead. Read a warning about them from the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition.
Lead can sometimes be found in artificial trees. * Why do some artificial trees carry a warning label?

The potential for lead poisoning is great enough that fake trees made in China are required by California Prop 65 to have a warning label.

Read more about the effects of lead poisoning.

Learn more about lead in artificial trees.

View a 2007 report from CNN on the dangers of lead in holiday decorations, such as fake trees and wreaths: