do things like this need to be tested...??

[ItzFitz]

and how..??

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=35529151

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=37139807

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30293078



ugh....

[Former_Member]

Cute stuff!!!!

This is what I know (or think!?)

On the trains: You would have to have the wooden trains tested as well as the paint to make sure they do not contain lead.

ON the wall hangings: YOu would have to test the wooden placks, the paint AND the ribbon to make sure there isn't any lead...

I THINK that (for one more year) you can use the test results from the manufacturer of hte paint, wood and ribbon, etc.) and keep copies for your records. In a year we may ALSO be required to test the end product as well...

You also have to label each item. For your trains I think you have to label EACH piece (on the bottom or back) and put one on the back of your signs. Basically, the person who buys it from you has to be able to track you down. And, if questioned, you have to be able to track down where you got ALL of oyur supplies and prove that they are CPSIA compliant....

UGH!

[Former_Member]

Sorry about all the typos in that last post...multi-tasking!

One way to help is to use non-printed ribbon as that is exempt. Any ribbon that is screen-printed with a designs has to be tested b/c there may be lead in the paint used on the ribbon. Also, you can try and find a ribbon manufacturer who has tested their ribbon. I have found a few who have claimed to have done the testing but a letter stating that their products are safe will not work! You have to have the actual valid test results for your own records.

[ItzFitz]

so i have to test every single bottle of paint i have and use, and when i get a new one get that tested as well...
and every ribbon, and every piece or wood or tile...
and every train car, and every piece of paper...
all at $60/each item...??

so how am i going to really invest THOUSANDS in this, who can..?!!!??

but for one more year i dont have to do any of this as long as i keep all those testing results on file..?

i just reallllly dont get this!

and i guess this is why everyone is planning on shutting down..?

[ItzFitz]

i have a bin of like 50 paints !! how am i supposed to get them tested..?!
and every time i buy another one..??

oh my god.. i think im about to flip out here!

[Former_Member]

I feel the same way!!!
The answer is YES, you have to test everything!!

This is what I am doing:

I am ONLY buying supplies from manufacturers that can provde me with test resluts and I am saving those results for my records.

For the supplies that I have purchased in the past I am in the process of tracking down test results on those products. IF I can get a copy of those test results then I am OK to use those older supplies. If not, I am SOL...

Then, I am keeping a record of exactly which supplies went into making each product and then labeling it.

So....
Unless you can provide test results on the supplies you already have, you can't use them! I have tons of stuff I can't use anymore! I guess the solution is to find suppliers that can provide test results and stick with them and keep detailed paperwork of all of your supplies...

So this is how I am doing it for now...in Feb. 2011 we may also be required to have the final product tested. It is my understanding that as of now, component testing is OK....


Every time I feel like I understand all of this madness, I read something els that totaly consues me.

My only advice about all the supplies you may have that you can't provide test results for is that maybe you can make some items that ARE NOT intended for children under age 12. They would have to be made and marketed for adults and you can't use anything in your decriptions OR tags that would imply they could be used for a child.

[ItzFitz]

this is amazing..

so we *dont* have to get things tested right now..??
i didnt know it wasnt until 2011.. not that thats nuch better..!

right now what i need to do its get the testing certs. from the supplies i use now..?

i swear, none of this makes sense to me.. and i have such a hard time figuring out what of my items are involved in all this..
so frustrating..

[Former_Member]

It is my understanding that we can use the test results of our suppliers and that we have until Feb. 2011 and that is when we will find out if we also have to do our own testing on the final products. This is what I understand, but I am also trying to make sense of all of this. Someone, PLEASE correct me if I am wrong!!

But I also heard something changes in Feb. 2010..but not sure what that is??

We DO have to label everything NOW though...that law has been in effect for a while.

The best thing to do is to look at the CPSIA website for more information....

[ItzFitz]

label it how..?

i dont make 'batches' .. i keep reading about batch numbers..

i would love to see what one of these labels looks like..
are any posted anywhere...?

all morning and last night ive been reading all this stuff on their site- its all french to me!
im reading the section for small biz, crafters now..

[Former_Member]

I know....it's exhausting...
It is my understanding that you have to label everything with:

Your business name
Contact information (I think this can be a website address or email address)
City and State of manufacture
Batch number

With regards to batch numbers:
LEt's say that you make a train with 3 different paints. All 3 paints and the wood have to be tested (you can use test results from the mfg.) You then have to put a label on the bottom of each part of the train or if the train pieces are two small you can out it on the packaging).

That would be train or batch number 1

Now let's say that you want to make another train with two of the same paints but a different 3rd color. You have to label everything again like above. but now this is batch #2 because you didn't use EXACTLY the same supplies as the first train.

Sam ehting goes for everything you make. so everytime oyu change eveon one supply (ribbon, paint color, etc.) it is considered a "new" product and will require a new batch number.

Believe me....I'm just as confused and frustrated as you!!!

I would take a picture every time you make something new so you can document it...

[Former_Member]

oops, I also forgot to say that you also have to have a DOM (date of manufacture) on each of your labels as wel...

[Former_Member]

Read the labeling requirements from BuggaLove...she posted it earleir..it was really helpful!

[ItzFitz]

yes.. this is really amazing.. and thanks for your help!!

so the label is just a homemade sticker..? and lets say for the hair clips, i put the sticker on the bag they go in..?

im just so shocked thisis whats going on..

i read thru the sites guidelines for crafters and small biz. (http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/smbus/cpsiasbguide.pdf) and it was worded pretty plainly, so that was good but i didnt feel it was so informative!

i would think my wall/door hangings arent included in this, as its not a toy or any item like that.. but im not sure..
im having a hard time determining this..

i just cant believe the cost of all this, very unreasonable.. im kind of stunned!

[Former_Member]

I think that if your wall hangings are made to go in a childs room they have to be tested as well. The labels have to be permanently affixed to your product, so if sew something like a bib, blanket, clothing then you have to permanently add the labels. I would think that you can use a "sticky" label for your trains or on anything else that you can't sew onto. I would also put all of that stuff on your packaging to be safe. I got my sew in labels from MissLabel here on Etsy....Good Luck!

[Former_Member]

Just looke at your stuff again (so cute!)
I'm pretty sure that all of your wall hangings and painted letters that would go in a child's room has to be tested (or you need test results on supplies used) and labeled.

[ItzFitz]

ugh.. youre probably right..
thanks again, i really appreciate it!!

for your clips, do you have to get the yarn tested and all that..? all the materials you make the cupcakes from too..??

or for now youre just collecting testing from the supply companies..?

[Former_Member]

at the moment I am just using the test results from my suppliers....who knows what will happen in the future. So frustrating!!

[ItzFitz]

yes.. thats an understatement at this point!
a friend from one of my bnr's just sent me these links-

http://cpsia-central.ning.com/

http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/save_handmade_toys_from_the_cpsia

[Former_Member]

Thanks...
By the way, this will sound dumb, but how do you post your listings in the forums? When you originally posted the listings for us to look at (I think it was the train)...do you just cut and past it from "your etsy"???? I tried to show something in the promotions forum last night and it wouldn't work....thanks!

[ItzFitz]

to post listings you can just go to that item and copy the address of the item in the bar above..(www....)

or you can go to your home page where all yor items are listed and you can right click (as opposed to left click which will bring you to the item page..) and there is an option to 'copy shortcut' which will give you the listing address as well.. i do it this way just cause its faster when posting promos and such..
when you copy one, you can paste it where youd like, and copy another and so on!
i toggle between pages and do this..

let me know if you have any problems!

[Former_Member]

Thanks!

[TheBlingyBobbin]

Wood is exempt. But the paints, etc. you add to it are not.

[ItzFitz]

right... so the 20 paint colors i use and the ribbon to hang it with need to be tested..
grrrreat.

[Former_Member]

Keep in mind paint, stains, and pigments must meet the lower lead level of 90 PPM regardless of what type of product they are on. The lead levels for any consumer product that contains paints must be below this lower limit. This is regardless of the age of the item is marketed to so that applies to adult products as well as childrens products.
It's illegal as of Nov 2008 for paint to be manufactuered, unless it's for an industrial application like on billboards, cargo ship building, bridges, etc., with over 300PPM of lead and was again lower in Aug 2009 to 90PPM but not illegal for a store to sell it as a general use product. So if you have a stash of paint that was manufactuered before Aug 2009 the current test results are useless because they are basically for one of the newer formulation not the old stock you have on hand. You need the test results for the actual batch and lot #'s that you have on hand and if you use custom tinted paints you would need test results for each additive pigment.