compliance?!

[Former_Member]

I sell a bunch of baby hats/accessories

I am new to etsy, so i asked for a critique, and the said to make sure i include CPSIA compliance. what does this even mean!?

[AlexAndRiaGifts]

Hi, I am still trying to understand everything myself. If you have time to read thru some of the CPSIA threads, maybe some of your questions will be answered. Also www.cpsc.gov has the government information.

[Former_Member]

The long and the short of it is that, as a manufacturer of items for children under 13, you need to make sure you conform to certain government regulations. They are designed to make sure that children are exposed no more than certain set levels of toxins, such as lead and other items in plastics. There are also regulations for choking hazards.

Anyways, to do this, you need to do a few things:
1. Register as a small batch manufacturer with the cpsc
2. Get tags for your items
3. If you use things such as buttons, clips, snaps, plastic headbands, etc, get a GCC (general certificate of conformity) from the manufacturer.

That's it in brief. It can be much more detailed...And anyone else, if I have made a mistake/omitted something, please correct me!

[Former_Member]

Wow. I didn't know all that! Thank you!

[AlexAndRiaGifts]

Just to let you know, it did not take long at all for me to be approved as a small batch manufacturer. I requested a Small Business Portal last Wednesday (4/4/12), received an e-mail the next day, sent the requested information on Friday and received my approval today. I went ahead and registered as a small batch manufacturer and received my registration number within 20 minutes.

[Former_Member]

How do I do about doing that?

[AlexAndRiaGifts]

Go to www.saferproducts.gov and click the Business tab. You can then register for a business portal.

[Former_Member]

Thank you so so much!

[woolies]

What are the benefits of registering as a small batch manufacturer? What does that do for you?

[AlexAndRiaGifts]

If you register as a small batch manufacturer, your business is exempt from third party testing of materials that you use. Ex: You can contact the manufacturer of the snaps that you use and ask them for a copy of their documentation of testing. You then keep that on file for reference. If you are not registered, then you are responsible for testing the materials that you use to make sure they are compliant. It could be quite expensive.
Someone correct me if I am wrong.

[woolies]

Thanks Kat!