Alternatives and the Great Swarovski Debate

[Former_Member]

I've been a casual beader for quite some time now, specializing in jewelry for my daughter and friends (specifically, those crafted with swarovski crystals). I recently decided to start my own business, but upon my research I discovered that no more than 1 gram can be used in jewelry for children under 6. (Please correct me if I understood this wrong).

Armed and ready to resize or repurpose the jewelry I already have on hand, I am at a loss as to any alternative that may be used in place of the swarovski crystals. Does anyone know of any products that are considered a safe replacement? I love the look and sparkle, so I am interested in something that looks the same (a girl needs her bling ;)). Are Czech glass beads ok?

Lasty, on to the debate. :D I've recently admired several listings for children's jewelry crafted with swarovski crystals. In these I have noticed that there are no warnings or disclosure about possible lead in the products. Is there are requirement to disclose this? Is it safe to assume that these products have been tested and are safe for wear by children? What does CPSIA mean for those who are selling children's jewelry? What is Etsy's stance on this?

My apologies for the novel and the million questions. Not only do I want to be a responsible seller, but I'd like to be a better informed consumer as well.

Your thoughts and responses are greatly appreciated. :D

[Former_Member]

Right now all children's jewelry must go through third party testing. It is not part of the stay of enforcement or exempt in any way. Now, does that mean that people are actually testing? While not knowing about a law is not an excuse under the law, there are many, many, many crafters who have never heard of CPSIA - and they will continue to sell what they have always been selling unaware that there will be a problem should someone investigate what they are selling.

Has Etsy gone through all of its listings to check for compliance? No. Will they? Probably not.

As to the crystal - yes, it tests for lead. It is lead crystal. People have been drinking from lead crystal glasses with no ill effects for hundreds of years. Does the lead leach out of the glass? Answers that I have seen are all no - yet, under this ridiculous law lead crystal is banned. It is just another part of the short and narrow sight of those who rushed to write a law with no idea of what they were doing. You still can't use Swarovski or any lead crystal glass.

[Former_Member]

CRAZY Law! Leaded Crystal is inert!
all crystal is leaded...that is why they call it Crystal
no matter where it is made...

[Former_Member]

Thank you so much for your reply.

I suppose this law will pretty much put me out of business before I've ever officially "opened the doors". I simply cannot afford to have my items tested, but I cannot, in good conscience sell anything that may leave me wide open for fines, lawsuits or whatever.

Do you know of any age restriction or possibly what the law defines (age wise) as children's jewelry?

Thanks again!

[Former_Member]

kaitiebugandme says:
"I recently decided to start my own business, but upon my research I discovered that no more than 1 gram can be used in jewelry for children under 6. (Please correct me if I understood this wrong)."
Your right and wrong at the same time. The law that allows for the 1 gram of crystal is the California Lead in Jewelry law, http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/LeadInJewelry.cfm and http://www.rings-things.com/jewelry-safety.html the CPSIA supercedes that law. Since the CPSIA is a federal law but gives each state's GA power to enforce & prosecute, CA's General Attorney could charge & fine you with violating both.

Nope have not seen a viable replacement for Swarovski leaded crystal though I have heard RUMORS about Swarovski expandining their cut glass, Spectra, from their chandelier line into beads. From what I've seen though on the chandelier when the true leaded crystal is next to the Spectra glass the traditional leaded crystal has a much greater brillance to it.

Unfortunately there are still plenty of businesses out there that do not know that this law applies to their products. TOO many people, businesses & consumers alike, still think that the CPSC is only about toys and baby care, they don't realize that the CPSC can have the power to regulate any product that is not under the direct & explicit regulations of another government agency and then again it can still regulate accessories to the products under another agency's domain.
Also there is a lot of of 1/2 true information being passed around like the old game of 'telephone'. One person hears there are exemptions for wood beads then tells another without passing along the fact that if you add a a finishing agent like stain, pigment, paint, or lacquer then you currently need the manufactures testing info or have it tested yourself to prove the is no lead or phthalates. Then you have the media only giving bits and pieces of the stories involving the law, again without the full backround, stating things like thrift stores and charities are exempt. Again 1/2 true they are exempt from the required 3rd party testing but not from being prosecuted & fined if any of the items they sold are later found to be above the new limits which will again be lowered in Aug 09. I suggest reading this site often to find out any offical updates & changes http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/smbus/cpsiasbguide.html .The House, Congress, & Judiciary (sp) are the only ones that can change the CPSIA, the CPSC can only interpet what is given to them. Unless a site has .gov in it, it's just someone's interpetation of what the government has to say & may or may not be the full truth in regards to the law.

All designers that make jewelry that the government feels is primarily for children 12 & UNDER should be aware mandatory 3rd PARTY TESTING under the CPSIA for children's jewelry started MARCH 20th, 2009.
There have been updates and proposed exemptions, but they are not final, I suggest that you check Table B here fequently http://cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/smbus/manufacturers.html#q8 since it may change suddenly if Nord steps down as acting chairperson of the CPSC.
As of right now if your items are made exclusively of materials currently exempt you will not need to retest the finished jewelry for lead, though you might need the small parts testing or warnings dependant on what age the government feels the jewelry is considered for. See TABLE A here, http://cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/smbus/manufacturers.html#q4 for what needs testing now & what you can still sell using the raw material manufacturer's testing certifications until Feb 2010 or the appointment of a new chairperson. But once you add a single component that is not on the government approved list then the entire piece will have to be tested by a CPSC approved lab. So Sterling Silver clasp + SS crimps + silk threading + natural freshwater pearls are OK to skip the lead testing but not the small parts testing (if needed), but Sterling Silver clasp + SS crimps + silk threading + natural freshwater pearls + E6000 glue would need testing for lead as well as the small parts testing (if needed), & the only thing that changed is a drop here & there of glue was added to reinforce the knots on the silk. Again there is no clarification if any enchanced form of a natural bead will fall into the exempt item list at all, at least until there is a final ruling that has more details.

There are 34 labs listed as being here in the USA out of the 133 total, but not all of the labs can test jewelry, and all of those that can test jewelry may not be accredited to do the small parts testing if needed. Also the only approved testing method for jewelry is destructive digestive acid testing, in which they pull apart the final creative piece and bath each component in acid to see how much lead is there in each component by weight. All you get back is a report, and a bill for testing at around $75 -$100 per component, so using the example above w/ glue your testing bill would be $375 -$500 for lead testing alone. See the list of accredited labs here http://www.cpsc.gov/cgi-bin/labapplist.aspx .

[Former_Member]

Wow! Thank you so much! What's very interesting about this is that I have seen zero warnings or disclosures in bead or craft stores. It's no wonder that until now I've been completely out of the loop until now.

At this stage, I think my best option is to avoid the 12 and under group all together. Of course this lends itself to many questions as well such as the level of liability that reside with the seller and the consumer. For instance, if I sell a bracelet that was disclosed as being intended for 13+ and it was given to a 6 year old, what liability would I have under the law since it was disclosed? Perhaps this isn't the right forum for this, but I am curious.

[KGarnerDesigns]

You should try to google "lead free crystal" ans see what you find. Fire Mountain Gems carries a line of lead "safe" "crystal". I don't think it holds a candle to Swarovski as far as appearance & quality, but as far as the CPSIA is concerned, that doesn't matter. I've only tried the briolettes though; maybe the beads will suit your jewelry?
http://www.firemountaingems.com/celestialcrystal.asp?navsrc=2

[excely]

I think fire polished Czech glass is a lovely alternative. No, it's not quite the same, but it's still lovely and is generally more affordable.

[Former_Member]

Thank you.

I have noticed that some have replaced swarovski with Jablonex (sp...) Czech fire polished glass. I suppose no matter what replacement is used, you are still liable for lead testing of other components. Given the associated cost, it seems as if we're left with no real viable solutions.

This is a sad day for me, I can't even begin to describe how much money and time I have invested in preparing to get a business off the ground. What a blow to find that I cannot sell to the market I had intended to be my customer base. I'm left to either tear every piece of the jewelry down and sell the beads and components as supplies or resize everything to fit teens or adults. With either option, I'm not sure I can even come close to recouping the cost. :(

[KGarnerDesigns]

It is sad =(

I had a whole line of flower girl jewelry planned and the CPSIA has put a stop to that.

If you really love what you do, which I'm sure you do =) , then take your jewelry in another direct for now, while doing everything you can to bring attention to the CPSIA.

[Former_Member]

Yes, I'll continue to make for my daughter. I believe in the products I use and think they are okay for her. I think much of what I have already made can be resized for the teen crowd, I just need to determine what the liability would be should one of my customers decide to purchase something for a younger child before I pursue any further.

I've been less than inspired by adult jewelry, even I wear jewelry that seems a bit over the top for my age. Haha.

Good luck to you!

[Former_Member]

I have a friend that worked at Jablnec, in the Czech Republic, I will try to give her a call soon, and I will be visiting there in a couple of months as well.

[Former_Member]

katiebugandme,

I understand how you feel. I've been embroidering for sometime, but just ventured into the children's market this past year. I love to make baby items! I am sad that I will have to go into another line of items just because of a misguided law. Much of what I had planned for this year has gone up in smoke. I am just trying to sell off all the children's products that I still can sell. I have a stash of material that I must use before the labeling law goes into effect.

[Former_Member]

anickascottage says:
I have a friend that worked at Jablnec, in the Czech Republic, I will try to give her a call soon, and I will be visiting there in a couple of months as well.
__________________________________________________________

Awesome! Be sure to share your goodies when you get back. Hehe.

MyMotherMary says:
katiebugandme,

I understand how you feel. I've been embroidering for sometime, but just ventured into the children's market this past year. I love to make baby items! I am sad that I will have to go into another line of items just because of a misguided law. Much of what I had planned for this year has gone up in smoke. I am just trying to sell off all the children's products that I still can sell. I have a stash of material that I must use before the labeling law goes into effect.
________________________________________________________

I wonder if there is any alternative course of action for folks like us? You'd think the manufacturers would stand up and prove that their products are safe!

[Former_Member]

oh no !!!! I had no idea, I have also listed a Flower Girl item, so will take it off tonight and re size it to fit an adult. However I am based in Australia so maybe this would only apply to me if I was shipping to the USA, does anyone know!

[Former_Member]

BeadBubble ... yes the CPSIA applies only to items being sold or shipped to the USA and for Us sellers wanting to ship out of the States. Not sure what the Australian regulations are if any concerning children's jewelry.

[Former_Member]

BeadBubble, you should be fine to ship the item anywhere but the USA.

[Former_Member]

Thanks so much guys thats really helps, I will definately check it out though in more details just to make sure. I dont want to do the wrong thing. I will just have to put a note on for US customers for my Flower Girl stuff saying I cant sell it to them.
Thanks heaps!

[Former_Member]

Fire Mountain carries Celestial Crystal, which is lead free. dThey look beautiful to me and could be a substitute.

[Former_Member]

"CRAZY Law! Leaded Crystal is inert!"

No. It isn't, in fact far from it. For beads, sure who cares, but for drinking and storage of alcohol and foods, it is far from inert just like lead in glaze (a glass formation) is not inert. Quoting from Wikipedia...

In a study performed at North Carolina State University[12], the amount of lead migration was measured for port wine stored in lead crystal decanters. After two days, lead levels were 89 µg/L (micrograms per liter). After four months, lead levels were between 2,000 and 5,000 µg/L. White wine doubled its lead content within an hour of storage and tripled it within four hours. Some brandy stored in lead crystal for over five years had lead levels around 20,000 µg/L.[13][14] To put this into perspective, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's lead standard for drinking water is 15 µg/L = 15ppb.[15]

[urbanprairiegirl]

I just can't help it. I have to tell you, while I think Swarovskis are completely beautiful, I will not wear it.
I have a beautiful cranberry Swarovski beaded necklace that I bought from a friend.
The first time I wore it I got a headache. Same thing happened the second time. I have never worn it again. There you have it.

But I seem to be a little oversensitive about jewelry. This year in Goa, I bought a lovely gold plated nose pin, and as soon as I put it on, my sinuses began to ache. My face got all tingly. I took it out! I am not allergic to gold, but the metal underneath, apparently.

As for lead in crystal goblets, I have read absolutely the opposite that other commenters have said, and YES, according to what I have read, it leaches into your wine or water or whatever it is you are drinking out of that glass. I have read that if you use lead crystal for just a drink, you're pretty ok, but you should never store food or drinkables in a lead crystal container.

So, I feel really torn because while I think almost nothing looks as lovely, sparkles as bright, I do not trust Swarovski crystals or crystal glasswear of any kind.

Just saying. Not trying to be a trouble maker, but I have noticed this post and I had to say something.

[urbanprairiegirl]

Word, MossBeach.

[Former_Member]

"I have read that if you use lead crystal for just a drink, you're pretty ok, but you should never store food or drinkables in a lead crystal container."

Just so. Lead is about the most reactive metal there is to leaching. While "glass" is very stable, it is not really one thing, it is more an amalgam of things mixed together (not exactly true either) but there are particles mixed together that hold one another. When it is exposed to acids or bases, they can pull atoms off the surface of the glass and move them into the liquid. In the case of lead, that is really a bad thing. No one is going to suck beads for hours on end, but orange juice in a leaded carafe overnight is a real problem.

[rpfeikgraphics]

If anyone can prove to me that a leaded crystal or decanter has lost any weight from exposure to normal food/drink/mouth acids, I'll eat my hat. (The leaded hat.)
While I believe in product safety, I doubt this one has any substance to it.
If lead was coming out of glass, you would see a hazy, non-polished mark left behind.
(However, if I'm wrong, don't hold me liable; just PROVE me wrong.)

[Former_Member]

I have no idea why anyone would store food or drink in crystal containers or really why they would be used frequently. Growing up, that was the "special occasion" stuff....perhaps it's my background. Reminds me of people who open a can of corn, eat out of it, then stick it in the fridge (I have a coworker who has done this). :D

Either way, I'm not convinced that crystal jewelry is going to make anyone die of lead poisoning...even children. Seems to me that someone would have to ingest quite a bit, but what do I really know? What I do know is that I've spent nearly the whole day resizing all of the jewelry I'd intended to sell for children. What a pain! lol