CPSIA votes to exempt certain materials...

[#1]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a0Xr2Iw1Vi_8&refer=us

It looks like they've exempted wool, cotton, pearls, silk and gemstones...I'm off to find the CPSC memo

[Former_Member]

That's great! I feel all the folks who make kids stuff will be okay. Just need to stay on top of it.

[Former_Member]

RuthiesGirlDesigns says:
I posted this in another thread concerning this, and I think it bears repeating:

The one thing I don't understand about this testing thing, is why don't they just require sellers to carry MSDS sheets of the MATERIALS they use, and leave it up to the manufacturers of those materials the burden of testing? I mean, if you use clay that's been tested (front end) and you get an MSDS sheet from them at the time of purchase and kept it on file, I think all this crap could be avoided.

These items are already being tested! What is the need to test something that's already been tested? I don't get it.

Agreed, there should be a list of approved material- I'm sure the manufactures of materials we use don't want to lose business from us sellers so they'll comply. We buy too much for them not to.

[ChopShopBitch]

I handle the MSDS sheets here at the hospital for our dept and its very easy to acquire them, and the companys have to do it anyway - so that would make much more sense.

[Former_Member]

This is a good start but we have a long way to go before any of us can actually "legally" make our kids stuff after Feb. 10. Like others have said, how many of us use undyed cotton, silk, gemstones or pearls in our creations?

Although....

Yes, it just might work!

Blinged out crayon wallets!! What do ya'll think? Is there a market??

[Former_Member]

oh, and i believe that cotton is bleached white. natural cotton is off white.

[ByNanasHands]

Ruthiesgirl, that's what is called "component" testing and that's what we're going after right now. It doesn't make sense to have a finished product tested if all the components of that item have already passed the criteria.....if anyone here makes toys, specifically, join the Handmade Toy Alliance, we're fighting this tooth and nail.....

[woolies]

Wool - commercially dyed wool?

[Former_Member]

Keeping cotton out of the law would be GREAT!!!

[Former_Member]

Thank you for all of this info! Blynkenandnod, I like your covert descriptions idea. hilarious.

[woolies]

Cotton - oh wow I could keep making my fabric dolls.....

need to stuff everything with wool. dare I order some???

[EMPollart]

Heh, woolies, you can keep making your fabric dolls as long as they have no color on them whatsoever and you use emeralds, rubies or pearls for the eyes, nose and mouth.

[Former_Member]

what about natural and organic dye? like walnut ink and other organic dyes... they are as natural as emeralds, rubies etc. Although, not as colorful.

[littlegirlPearl]

blynkenandnod says:
we need to come up with a system of listing codes to do black market children's sales through our etsy shops.

hmm..

"totally grown up object of amusement" = toy
"XXXXXXXS 80's retro bodysuit style shirt" = onesie
"strap for object for oral use by teenager at raves, only" = binky strap
"endangered species soft fiber sculpture" = teddy bear
"dietary aid- artificial (and fat free!) food. excellentsource of fiber!" = felt food

****************

LOL!

Well, looks like I can make natural colored clothes then! I'll market it as the muslin line...

[MomNMiaDesigns]

We knew they'd come to their senses!

[littlegirlPearl]

MomNMia, they haven't come to their senses quite yet. Dyed/Pigmented fibers are still on the chopping block.

[Former_Member]

Jumping in to thank all of you for keeping us all updated on this ridiculous legislation..

[M2MBoutique]

The article on the first page exempted natural products like gemstones and cotton nothing about non-organic. It is so still unclear. They mostly talk about toys as well.

[Former_Member]

It's good to see that they are open to considering changes, but I don't see how this change will help many of us. At least they are becoming more aware of the mess they have created.

[Former_Member]

WHAT? Pearls and gemstones are choking hazards. I am outraged!



(kidding, kidding...)

[RuthiesGirlDesigns]

Ozarknana says:
Ruthiesgirl, that's what is called "component" testing and that's what we're going after right now. It doesn't make sense to have a finished product tested if all the components of that item have already passed the criteria.....if anyone here makes toys, specifically, join the Handmade Toy Alliance, we're fighting this tooth and nail.....
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

That is basically the same thing they do at machine shops. They buy the materials get a MSDS sheet, along with a COC (Certificate of Compliance) then keep it on file. If the item that was made from the original product has an issue, (say, an airplane part)is faulty, they can run a "dna" test on the material based on the information on the COC.

You would think that this process was already in place on the manufacturing level, be it metal, plastic, fabric, wood, whatever.

[Former_Member]

that was my first thought electricboogaloo :-) hee hee hee

[Former_Member]

Whew! That was a lot to read. Thanks for posting this. I need to read the Bloomberg article now. I have to say, what about food-grade dyes? So silly that those would not automatically be exempt.

I'm going to send the article and some questions/comments to my Rep's office. I agree with whoever said maybe the CPSC is narrowly interpreting this to keep the fire going and force Congress to deal with it. There is definitely some non-partisan infighting going on here and I think we are all caught in the cross-fire.

[RuthiesGirlDesigns]

And I had to add...

If memory serves me correct, the machine shop I worked at kept samples of every material they purchased. I think anyone who makes items from scratch or repurposed wouldn't have an issue keeping a small swatch of things if it meant keeping them in business. Resold clothing, since it's already a finished product shouldn't require it since the original maker of the product (the original maker of the article) would have the sample with the MSDS/COC on site.

Why are they making such an easy thing so damn difficult? This doesn't even affect my business but I do still care what happens to all these folks.

[Former_Member]

RuthieGirlDesigns, that's so sweet of you!

[Former_Member]

For the record, plain white bleached cotton is one of the most-highly-processed of all cash crops. It's not a food crop, so pesticides can be legally applied to it far above and beyond the legal pesticide selections and limits for food crops, AND the processing does involve bleaching as well.

Unbleached cotton, which organic cotton is, has not been bleached and is slightly off-white.