What is etsy doing about this

[#1]

Ok this is sad! I just found about the extent of this and can not believe that etsy has not notified me or any other shops about the affect this is going to have on them and us!!! Most people do not go in the form. I work two jobs and do my wood working on the side to make extra money for my family.

I would have thought that. (1) etsy would have sent out an email telling us to call or write our congressmen. (2) Started a petition among the etsy community and there customers. Do they not realize that they may also lose money because crafters like me do not have the moneys too pay for the test. So I will stop selling my products on etsy!!!!!

Esty you need to get in the fight or at least let us know that there is a fight that needs to be fought!!!!

[LaurieRyan]

I love the pens in your shop moonsky

[Former_Member]

It is our own responsibility to ensure that all of our listings are in compliance with local, state and federal laws.

Etsy has provided a large amount of information and resources to the community. Here is a link to several Storque articles relating to CPSIA...
http://www.etsy.com/storque/search/title/cpsia/

[Former_Member]

Thank you Laurie for you nice comment!

Thank you for the link LizardQueen. I will read it all.

[Former_Member]

Happy to help! Good luck to you, moonsky!

[Former_Member]

As etsy is an international site I think each seller has to find out about laws that apply to their products in their country themselves. As a seller from a country where stricter children's product laws have been in place for many years I would never expect a site to keep up to date for me...I would do that. Etsy may be based in the USA but it does not mean that every seller is, in fact 40% of etsians are from other countries with different laws.

[mouchette]

It seems to me that Etsy has done quite a lot.

This is a big site with a lot going on, so there is only so much time they can devote to each concern.

Creating a forum specifically for the discussion of this topic is a huge step towards informing the public and the sellers. I don't even sell toys and I've gotten quite an education from this site when I haven't heard a peep about it anywhere else.

[Former_Member]

Moonsky, the Consumer Product Safety Act of 2008 addresses items made for and marketed to children 12 and under. Nothing in your shop appears to fit this category.

As for what Etsy has done, this forum category was created by Etsy. They have blogged about this law in the Storque, and held workshops in the Etsy virtual labs.

Citycountryhome, No one wants to allow items to be manufactured and sold that can harm our children. That's how this law got passed to begin with. But the law is poorly written and will be very difficult and expensive for handcrafters to comply with. All most of are asking for is reasonable testing processes and procedures, and clearly written requirements. While it IS our responsibility to under any laws that affect our business, it helps if they are clear, concise, and not open to interpretation by verious state and federals agencies.

[Former_Member]

moonskywoodworks says:
True I can not rely on others to keep me in the loop. But this is huge in the craft world! Half the people on etsy are affected by this. Every jewelry maker all wood works and anything that can be touched by kids.
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Sorry that you are just now learning about this law that we have been shouting about since fall 2008

It is aimed at items intended for children. The way it is determined if it is a children's item is if it would appeal to children.

Most wood pens and art bowls are not priced so that people would purchase them for children. They are products that appeal to a broad variety of people of all ages. You are most likely safe from this law on pens and art bowls.

Now if you start making toys, then you will need to comply and do lots of homework.

Laws change all the time. Just because you did your homework in the begining (and it sould like you did) you need to stay alert to changes and new laws. Sorry but that is the way it is.

[FayeMaloneDesigns]

Moonsky, You say there is much misinformation on this forum, yet you say you don't know much about it except that it affects anything that a child will touch. Well, that is a big bunch of misinformation. If that was truly the case then most houses and buildings in the USA would have to be demolished by hazmat, because of old lead paint on the walls, and old pipe.

What you may think is misinformation is really old information from when this law first came out. Much has changed over the year that many, many, many people selling on Etsy have fought for. There is much more clarity than what was originally in the law.

If you really want to know how this may affect toys that you make, please ask a specific question, and we can probably point you in the right direction to get the correct information concerning your products.

To start I would go to the CPSC website, type in CPSIA, and sign up for the alerts that they send out. Then start reading first the actual law, and keep going from there. I think you will find if you read it all, you will see what the latest determination on lead content, lead in paint, and phthalates really are, now, not a year ago.

[Former_Member]

moonskywoodworks said:
I am sorry but I just read an article by a lawyer in American Woodturner that talks about the unintended effects of this law. I am not trying to say that it is etsy job to notify use about new laws but I pay them money and they are part of the craft community. They are affected to and should be more involved. I love the etsy web sight is has been good to my family. I have met lots of great people here. I hope to continue this relationship with etsy. I just can't understand why it has only made it to the forums! The intention of the string is to get people to understand that the whole of the esty community is on the chopping block.
__________

With all do respect- if you look back in this forum section alone you will see the outcry and concern regarding the legislation.

If you search back in storque articles you will see that there was a LOT of press, chatter, etc on this legislation over the last year or so.

It is because of the efforts of people here on etsy, the Handmade Toy Alliance, the bloggers over at fashion incubator, and many many many other sewists and artists and craftpersons, that people have been able to go this long without complying with each and every little thing in the law.

Just because YOU are just now aware of it doesn't mean that ETSY hasn't said anything and that it's been quiet.

And with all due respect- it really isn't ETSY's job to police the regulations for every country.

It definitely benefits them when they help mobilize the campaign to stop some of the more ridiculous parts of the law, because doing so preserves their customer base.

But it's not their responsibility.

It's yours.

[Former_Member]

Actually the OP has the right to be concerned about his products. The paint portion of the law does possible effect his products that contain paint, stain, or varnish, this portion of the CPSIA law effects more items than just children's products. Under section 101 of the CSPIA many consumer products, including items commonly held as an adult item, that are painted or stained are being held to adhere to the same resistrictions on "hazardous substance" levels in the paint as a children's item without requiring the the 3rd party testing or the tracking label. They are still burdened with having to fillout a a COC showing that they have made a "good faith " effort to insure that their products are below the 90 PPMs for lead and at acceptable levels for, I think, 12 other restricted elements and compounds in the paint. They are not required to go as far as 3rd party CPSIA approved testing but they do need to know what goes into the manufacturing of the paints, stains, or varnishes that they use on their items and to track what paint products are used on which of their final items. Not quite as difficult as the children's portion of the CPSIA but enough of a headache for many crafters of adult items here in the USA.
Here's some reading that the OP might be interested in:
A letter from the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association
http://www.cpsc.gov/library/foia/foia09/petition/wima.pdf
It deals primarily with the lead content of the pen's tip, but the Association may have some insight into what testing and certifications he may need for his stained wooden barreled pens.
The CSPIA acceptable testing method used for paints
http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/CPSC-CH-E1003-09.pdf

It may turn out in the end that his pens are not specifically required to have the paints and stains tested but with how mutable this law is you never know. The OP may have to have a lawyer periodically review the law and the CPSC's interpetations to make sure his items are compliant under all sections that may effect what he produces.

[Former_Member]

marking

[Former_Member]

Over a year and a half ago when the law was passed, Etsy came out and said that they would arrange to have a representative from the Small Business Administration come to Etsy to do a chat and that Etsy would support having the law amended. Nothing ever came of that - with the exception of this forum (as the CPSIA posts were showing up in every forum area). Etsy has since gone quite, no doubt on the recommendation of their attorneys.

At this point it is up to you to "do something about this" and as I said the only thing now that will have any effect in Washington is to vote all those who oppose amending CPSIA out in November - and let them know that will be happening now.

[Former_Member]

that should be "quiet" - not "quite" :)