Could someone pls CLEARLY explain tags required for knits?

[Former_Member]

I've seen a few discussions about this and am totally lost.

Why do we need to put tags on?

What do we need to include on this tag?

What items require tags?

Do any of MY knitted items require tags?

Does where you live have anything to do with it? (I'm in Australia, and it's not clear if this is a global or American topic...)

Thanks in advance for your clarification.

[Former_Member]

PLEASE? Anyone? I really need some help understanding!

[Former_Member]

The CPSIA regulations are for children's items being sold or imported into the United States.

So if you are selling children's items or items designed primarily for children, you need to follow the regulations.

It doesn't matter what the materials are, but rather what the target market is.

[knitwit4ever]

There are two kinds of labelling needed.

Products primarily for kids 12 and under need permanent CPSIA tags.

Many fiber product items (but not all) also require FTC tags.

For CPSIA tracking label info: http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/sect103policy.pdf

For FTC labeling requirements: http://business.ftc.gov/documents/bus21-threading-your-way-through-labeling-requirements-under-texti...

Under FTC rules, reversible items (scarves for example) have special rules; hats (non-wool) are exempt; wool products have special rules.

[Former_Member]

marking

[AprilsWhim]

marking

[HolsomHeartsAttic]

So does this men you have to sew a label on even a pair of mittens?

[Former_Member]

craftsbykash says:
So does this men you have to sew a label on even a pair of mittens?

--------------------------------------------------------
Yes.

[Former_Member]

As I understand it, adult mittens only need hang tags, not permanently sewn in ones.

[saburkitty]

This is why I have been putting off selling yarn items.

[saburkitty]

This is why I have been putting off selling yarn items.

[Former_Member]

Thanks for the help... I suspect I will have to stop selling knitted items on Etsy. I don't want to risk getting something wrong.

[knitwit4ever]

RoyalKitness, these labeling rules ONLY apply to items shipped into the U.S. (or made in the U.S.) so you can sell to the rest of the world without a problem. Just make sure you are abiding by the requirements of your own country for labels required.

If you want to ship into the U.S., the rules can be confusing, certainly, and we've all spent time researching what we need to do to be compliant. If you don't sell products for kids, it is easier as only the FTC rules apply.

[Former_Member]

royalkitness, i bought a huge pack of custom printed sew-in tags here on etsy for like $20. it's actually been a blessing to my business. now my knits look super legit, and they all have my website on them, so if someone gets a compliment, they can just take off their hat and tell the person where it came from! feel free to convo me if you have questions, but i promise it's quick and painless.

[JessJess385201]

Is it me or is all this labeling confusing and not worth it most of the time?

i think adult mittens and scarves only need temporary tags, and at many shows I've seen it just pinned on.

This is why I will never market to Children. I have enough trouble following everything, i'm not adding CPSIA

[shazzasknits]

JessJess385201 I am tending to agree with you, I am an Aussie so to me it is sounding far easier to just not sell my kids knitwear to the US. I only use pure wool for *****sake, I don't knit with poison or anything, all sounds a bit bloody silly to me but oh well.

[knitwit4ever]

shazzasknits, sometimes it sounds a bit silly to us as well...but it is the law in the U.S. this is another time that our government passed a law before they figured out specific provisions, how to implement it or what the unintended consequences would be. We're just trying to live with it, as we must.

[shazzasknits]

Oh dear knitwit4ever typical governments, they are the same the world over! I sell very little of my childrens stuff here on Etsy so I am not really that concerned, I just wanted to cover my behind I guess and really had no idea what all this CPSIA was about.

[Former_Member]

does this only apply to hand knit? I'm working on a possible range of loom 'knitted' items ( its only an idea, not fixed at present) does this apply to them also? i.e is it anything made of wool?

[knitwit4ever]

This applies to all items designed for kids (CPSIA) and to items made of fabric/fiber/yarn/thread (FTC). Wool has special FTC rules, too.

[Former_Member]

According to CPSA website mentioned above you do not have to mark it if it is too small or "If the aesthetics of the product would be ruined by a mark and a mark cannot be
placed in an accessible but inconspicuous location."

[knitwit4ever]

True, jecacreations, but then the same required information must be included on the packaging. They indicated originally that this is only an option when necessary, not just when convenient. Don't know how they are interpreting it now, as things like that have changed as the law evolved.

[Former_Member]

Thanks all for your contributions. Seems like I'm not the only one who could use the help :)

[fivesixteenths]

These regulations are so confusing. I am doing the best I can & I hope it is good enough!

[FayeMaloneDesigns]

they can't throw us all in jail!!