Now I'm confused about wool

[#1]

Ok...so I thought that Wool was exempt...so I just plunked down a huge chunk of change and got 100% wool felt.

Is this not true? is it not exempt?


I'm sooo lost in the sea of CPSIA crapola.

[PuppetPieShop]

I'm back!

I'll get the link to the labeling thread & return with more info!

*swooshes cape around her face & runs into the distance*

[PuppetPieShop]

Ok...there's a thread called "what's all this about labeling?" in the CPSIA section.... you can either do a search, or just look--it's still on the first page of the section...

pastperfect said that you need to include:

Your name
Your address
Product's name
Product's lot number
Product's style number
and state that it meets the standards set forth by the CPSIA and has been tested for lead.


Barkingdog, tell me more!er...nevermind, that I can probably google & get a straightforward answer. :)

I'll also make space on my label for my website & really I'll want my name somewhere on it anyway. :)

[Former_Member]

so we should sell labels with a product on the side huh?

[Former_Member]

BTW love the superhero cape thingy!

[Former_Member]

From CPSC -
"Could hangtags and adhesive labels be used as tracking labels for textile-type items?

No. The law requires that markings with the specified information be permanent. Hangtags and adhesive labels are not permanent."

"What information needs to be provided on the product to meet the tracking label requirements of section 103? Does section 103 of the CPSIA require that a manufacturer’s name be present on a tracking label?

Section 103 of the CPSIA provides that the tracking label must contain information that will enable the manufacturer to ascertain the location and date of production of the product and cohort information (including the batch, run number, or other identifying characteristic) and any other information determined by the manufacturer to facilitate ascertaining the specific source of the product by reference to those marks.

Section 103 of the CPSIA further provides that the tracking label must contain information that will enable the ultimate purchaser to ascertain the manufacturer or private labeler, location and date of production of the product, and cohort information (including the batch, run number, or other identifying characteristic.) Thus, section 103 of the CPSIA does require that the tracking label contain information sufficient for the purchaser to ascertain the manufacturer of the product."

"Section 103 of the CPSIA requires that the tracking label provide, “to the extent practicable,” marks that will enable the ultimate purchaser to ascertain the manufacturer or private labeler, the location and date of production of the product and cohort information. A label stating only the date of distribution, a production date and trademark information would not satisfy the requirements of section 103. Such a label would lack information identifying the manufacturer or private labeler, the place of production and cohort information."

Note to the clause - "to the extent practicable" - there is no official definition of this yet. This is not a loophole for you - it is more likely a way for the commission to decide what is practicable and not the manufacturer. In other words, you could decide that the label for your item was not practicable - and they will decide it was as they bring action against you.

There have been other places on the CPSC site where it was said that the label also needed to indicate the safety of the item and the testing results.

As to the OPs original question about wool. All is well FOR NOW - none of the exemptions are permanent - the law is still written to be enforced as is. Three new members are being appointed to the Commission who intend to do exactly that - enforce the law as written - and they will have the majority voice.

[PuppetPieShop]

well way to be a spigot of sunshine & good news there, pastperfect ;)

So what is there to do? do we sit tight to figure out what we're supposed to do? I mean...I can't put a 3" tag on a 2" product...that's....stupid.

UNLESS....did they say that the tag has to be -visible- to the consumer *rubbing hands maniacally* MUAHAHAHAHA-HA.

This is where I say "and why did I decide that I'd make my products available to children?"

[Former_Member]

oy and double oy!

[BarkingDogDesigns]

vilatesniftynook says:
what do I need to put on them? what info do they have to have and what is the RN # and who is the FTC?

staceyrebecca says:
Barkingdog, tell me more!

----------------
FTC = Federal Trade Commission

"A registered identification number or RN is a number issued by the Federal Trade Commission, upon request, to a business residing in the U.S. that is engaged in the manufacture, importing, distribution, or sale of textile, wool, or fur products. Such businesses are not required to have RNs. They may, however, use the RN in place of a name on the label or tag that is required to be affixed to these products."

See http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/rn/index.shtml for more info.

[FeltOnTheFly]

Hey staceyrebecca - slightly off-topic, but I just wanted to say that most likely, no money was wasted on the wool felt. It has a wonderful texture, and I'm sure you'll notice a difference when you stitch your items. I hope you'll like working with it.

[FeltOnTheFly]

Oops, sorry - I forgot to say I really like your shop!

[FeltOnTheFly]

At the risk of being annoying for three posts in a row here - but I'm a bit scattered in my thought process this morning - I should say, that depending on what type of wool felt you purchased, it should have a wonderful texture. Not all wool felt is the same. Depends on the manufacturing process whether it is soft and pliable (the type manufactured with craft usage in mind), or it can be thick and stiff and rough-textured (the type manufactured for industrial purposes originally, and then marketed as craft-friendly).

[Former_Member]

ok I think I am lost here about the labeling. I make one of a kind dolls and I can only make like 30-40 a year so the giagentic(spelling?) label should say:

Lara&Me Dolls (business name)
"Maya" (name of the doll)
6/3/2009 (completion date)
batch# 15 (doll number)
style# 1 (style number as in 15 inch doll)
www.laraandme.com (can I use my website instead of adress?)

is this it? what other info i should include?

heh! even with this much info the label will take the entire back of my dolls :)

please advice
thank you :)

[Former_Member]

So I jsut sell my stuff because I want to help out folks that want to put their kids into good cloth! I don't do it for the income cause honestly so far I have just put it all back into it. I enjoy what I do, but with all these stupid "regulations" I am apt not to enjoy it and I'll just stop. That will be sad huh?
It is pure stupidity and I wish I could just shake the idiot that thought it up!

[Former_Member]

laraandmedolls says:
ok I think I am lost here about the labeling. I make one of a kind dolls and I can only make like 30-40 a year so the giagentic(spelling?) label should say:

Lara&Me Dolls (business name)
"Maya" (name of the doll)
6/3/2009 (completion date)
batch# 15 (doll number)
style# 1 (style number as in 15 inch doll)
www.laraandme.com (can I use my website instead of adress?)

is this it? what other info i should include?

heh! even with this much info the label will take the entire back of my dolls :)

please advice
thank you :)

________________________________________________________

I'm wondering exactly the same thing, although I was thinking that I'd just use my address or get a p.o. box for that part. But it is definitely the batch/style stuff that I'm trying to figure out...

This is all quite crazy actually.

[Former_Member]

this whole thing boggles my mind. not sure what i should do now... does anyone know of a good label supplier?

[Former_Member]

SIGH

[PuppetPieShop]

sunfleur, i'm going to get a rubber stamp made & then fill in the rest with a fabric pen.

Especially because i'm in Laraandme's position where I make mostly one-of-a-kind items. I think that's the best way to do it. Then steal another idea from someone & write the batch according to the date like if I made 2 puppets today they would be 649-1 & 649-2. And then I'd name puppets things like "stinky mc bottom snot" to really make them happy.

regarding labels...did I already say "everything is permanent until you cut it off"? because I might have...and its true...so I could connect a label with thread that is permanent (not just wrapped around?)

stupid frikafraken frakerbarrel.

[PuppetPieShop]

OH! and regarding the felt! I got it from a waldorf handwork site. I used to be part of the mothers' handwork group at my son's school (which is a waldorf school) so I know that its really good stuff...i'm only slightly feeling remorseful. :)

[Former_Member]

I think that sounds like a great idea, stacyrebecca. I am looking at stamp sites now, too. This is the one thing I have been avoiding doing, but I really don't want to give up making hats and toys for children.

[PuppetPieShop]

yeah same here :\

actually, if all else fails, I just will say that they're not for kids--the majority of my customers (I'd say 85%) are buying for adults.

[Former_Member]

I like the stamp idea. Are you stamping it on another piece of cloth or how are you planning to do that? Also, I don't know how that would work with my blankets and being washed so many times. I am afraid the ink would evenutally fade off. Then...not to be starting anything...what about the ink used to make the stamp, the ink you use to write on the stamp and the fabric or material you made the label from...does something have to be included on the label about all of those too? I am just still so confused on this whole thing.

[PuppetPieShop]

I haven't formulated everything just yet. I'd imagine the fabric for the label to be a piece of muslin. Fabric ink is what I was thinking about.

Of course it would *eventually* fade away, but honestly, everything else will too. I have commercially made blankets that you can't read their tags anymore.

"does something have to be included on the label about all those too?" (not sure what you're asking there)

[Former_Member]

Marking for later.

This whole labeling thing sucks. :(

Does anyone know if it's going to be retroactive, as in will we need to go back to products already made and find a way to permanently attach labels to them? I hate to think about ripping apart everything I've made. The pessimist in me says that this will probably be the case.

Grrrr.

[Former_Member]

i bought a wool that day not sure how to use..but i like to feel the softness :P

[Former_Member]

If the wool you bought is carded you can try some felt experiment!!! Felt is a wonderful world!:)