"The Color Conspiracy" A Colorless Protest to the CPSIA

[Former_Member]

Maybe what we all need to do is EXACTLY what we are told.

There are so many ways to protest, some are effective and some are not. We need to reach a broad audience, not just a few individuals, without violating the CPSIA.

Here is an idea. I would like all opinions, good and bad, any other ideas or problems we may encounter. I want to hear from everyone.

Maybe we should start a group and call it "The Color Conspiracy" A Colorless Protest to the CPSIA. Each shop on etsy that has items for children 12 and under, can still carry the same items they have always had, but, in all organic natural undyed fabrics. No dyes. Attached to each item will be a card stating information regarding the CPSIA and how it effects the handmade business world. It could also include a website to go to for more information and an email to send in protest to you local congressman. We could state something to the effect that if you would like to add color to your children's life, etc., etc, etc. What better gift for an expecting mother or a child. In doing this, we are protecting handmade and our freedom to make choices. I really feel this could catch on.

There are so many talented people on etsy. If we all ban together and help come up with a website, wording for the tags, more ideas and ways to promote this, I feel we can really make a difference.

When thinking about this, a song that I heard when I was a child kept popping into my head. I thought I would share it with you..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbsDQL5Ym6Y

[Former_Member]

Wonderful song!!!!! I love it!!!!

[Former_Member]

i actually thought about an organic all natural line, not colorless... but, it was on my list of things to tackle.

with this, i want to do exactly what you're saying, colorless... i think they might actually be cute... but, still.


what's been a bit of a problem, for me, is actually finding undyed, untreated 100% organic hemp, cotton or bamboo socks.

maybe i'm searching incorrectly, but today, it's on my list of things to tackle for the supplier blog.

[Former_Member]

This is exactly where I'm headed. I'm using beautiful organic colorgrown fabric, and it's going to make gorgeous giraffes. Not as colorful, but still beautiful. And I think there is a big market for people who want all natural products.

It stinks that I won't be able to offer any of the funkier/bold stuff like I really like, but I'm happy I can still stay in business.

It's a great idea to have special tags on them though! :)

[Former_Member]

LOVE that song!!!! I'm an elementary art teacher. I can't tell you how often kids fight over the green crayon for the grass or the brown crayon for the trees. I'll tell them, "Color it purple!"

Many times I'll give them an assignment. Then, I pass out the supplies. They look at me like I'm nuts! I simply say, "Use what you have and make it work." They do. :)

I like your idea, too!

[Former_Member]

oh, i just found this... for you knitters/crocheters...

Bone, Sage, Nut, and Sand are not dyed - these colors are natural cotton colors. Incredibly soft color grown cotton - worsted weight.


http://www.jimmybeanswool.com/knitting/yarn/BlueSkyAlpacas/OrganicCotton.asp

[Former_Member]

better yet... here's the actual supplier: http://www.blueskyalpacas.com

[Former_Member]

Thanks for all of the responses. I am searching for places to purchase more natural organic cottons that I will share with everyone. If you know of a supplier, please let me know.

I would like to come up with a tag that is printed on recycled paper that would included the message we would like to attach to our products. Maybe we could find a shop that would produce these for us, and we could purchase a number of them from their shop.
.
There have been a lot of great products mentioned here already. They would all look wonderful in the natural fabrics we have mentioned.

Any other ideas?

[Former_Member]

i'm looking for both organic and undyed... but here's what i found so far, for undyed:

http://cpsia-compliance.blogspot.com/search/label/undyed

[Former_Member]

Thanks stacey! Excellent site! I have found an organic knit that my work for you, but have not found any socks yet.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19988261

[GardenofDaisies]

But won't even these items have to be tested to prove they don't contain lead according to the law as written?

[Former_Member]

i found fabric... it's gray!

http://www.greenfibres.com/Product/90/810345/linenorganicundyedunbleached.html


gardenofdaisies, if we get back our exemptions, anything made from raw materials that are not dyed, and are all natural will be exempted.

so, if you made wood toys, you'd not paint or stain them.

[Former_Member]

Thanks for the question, gardendaisies,

Under the proposed rules of the CPSIA, it states certain items that do not go through the process that results in addition of lead into the product. (see section B, the last paragraph on the first page to the beginning of the second page.)

http://cpsc.gov/businfo/frnotices/fr09/leadlimits.pdf

After reading this, I do not feel that Natural fibers such as cotton, silk, wool, hemp, flax or linen should have to go through testing if they are in their natural form and have not been dyed or treated.

I would love to hear if anyone has heard or seen anything different. It can all be very confusing. I want to make sure this can be done within the guidelines of the act.

stacey! I love the gray. beautiful.

[Former_Member]

Well I was going to open a Hawaiian shop so I quess I will have to sit this one out. Hawaii is all about flowers and bright colors.

[Former_Member]

Thanks Stacey. I can buy this yarn from my usual suppliers!

[Former_Member]

No HulaMoon, that is the point.

This is to help protest the lack of color while using natural fabrics. The message on each tag will have a statement asking if you would like to bring color back to your child's world. The handmade community has a strong sense of what is good. We alll take pride in using the best quality fabrics and materials for our families. Although our children do need to be protected, we also need to come up with a way to protect the handmade market. We should be able to choose what is right for our children. Then it will list a website with more info about the CPSIA and a way to contact your local congressman. Maybe we could list what our items would cost if we used colorful fabric under the CPSIA. You would be amazed how much it would cost for each item.

Wouldn't colorless Hawaiian products with a tag stating these things, make a big impact?

What does everyone think? Any other ideas on info to include on the tag?

[Former_Member]

What about the COSTS? Organic is expensive and a lot of organic is in limited supply AND,

there is too having to consider the natural resources it takes to make organic. Those are, many of them, threatened. [I see this in the herbs and there is some resistance now to the over exploitation of the herbs because some are becoming endangered from mass production].

But costs more than anything, when you start talking buying only organic you're talking some big costs AND the thing is,

only those who can Afford to buy organic do so. It will go great in the green market [and why Reconstructing/recycling fabrics is being done away with is I feel just putting more stress on the environment as we will be filling up landfills and where do They go, to all over the world to the poorest of poor countries polluting Their waters/land].

anyway, with organics too there are a lot of Other laws to comply with if you want to label Organic, and its a lot of red tape. I don't know all the ins and outs of it but I know when I was looking once into organic herbs/seeds, there is a LOT that has to go into that before you can even list as strictly organic to sell, it has to be registered and laws complied with and so forth.

How that works I don't know but I DO know it isn't cheap. Why organic products cost more than others, and in our economy they are hurting, sales are down.

Keep that in mind,

janedoethreads
Home Sewers & Needle Worker's Union--HSNWU

[Former_Member]

thanks for the post, jamedoe,

I do agree with you, it is extremely expensive. I understand your concerns completely. I do not know how this will effect our businesses. I feel that we may sell to a completely different customer base, someone who believes in our cause and is willing to pay more to support it. But what if someone comes into etsy to shop and does a search on children's toys or baby bibs and everything is colorless. Wouldn't that make a huge impact? I am curious to see if anyone agrees with me.

I feel that this is way to protest because if you do give a gift with this tag attached, it will make people aware of the situation they may not know exists. I do not think that our items must be listed as organic (please, let me know if anyone feels differently) but must be made of untreated (undyed) materials.

[Former_Member]

I love this whole concept! great idea Gina!!

I have Organic Cottons/Hemp undyed at http://www.greendepot.etsy.com

[Former_Member]

This is a great concept! I have a very small line of undyed organic toys in my shop. They are more expensive for me to make, and they are no where near my best sellers. But, at this point, that's about all that I'll be able to sell after Feb 10.
Here's where I get my fabric
http://ocpstore.com/category.sc?categoryId=9

[Former_Member]

love it....thanks for posting

[Former_Member]

Sorry, having one of those moments where I didn't read very well. lol

So I could put this vs this in pictures. Like a dress in front of a nice ocean scene like I planned.

I have it now. :)

[Former_Member]

Thanks for the fabric info. You have wonderful fabrics to choose from GreenDepot!

Zadyball, it is great to hear you are already doing this. I wonder how the organic fabrics will do after everyone removes their prints.

HulaMoon, it was a little hard for me to explain what I was trying to accomplish. I think it was good I put a little more info below. That sounds like a great idea. I hadn't thought about listing in this way.

I do think we should have some type of info or logo that we can put at the top of our shop to explain. I also need to set up a blog with the information. Does anyone have a lot of experience with this and would like to help? I would even be happy to pay for the service.

[Former_Member]

Organic is great, but it is expensive. And it is not durable. This is a consideration when you make a product that is trod upon, like slippers. I haven't figured out the cost of a pair of slippers made from natural wool, but it would be quite expensive. And then can you imagine trying to keep the things clean? A nightmare! Most moms prefer to be able to toss their kids slippers in the washer and dryer. My niece wears her slippers out of doors and they still last more than 2 years. Not so if I had to make them out of natural wool in the color of a sheep. :-(

[NotMyTreeStore]

You know what this whole CPSIA thing reminds me of? The movie Pleasantville. People who displayed any sort of *color* - lips, clothing, etc. - were considered to be deviant and breaking the law. Now we're at that point with this law. I love the whole movie, but I especially love that scene where chaos breaks out, and while a group of kids is hiding out, someone plays a song (a banned song) on the jukebox. A girl gets upset and says, "Shut it off! We're not allowed to play that!" And Tobey McGuire says, "It's OK. It's fine." And it was.

I believe that it will be fine.