Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA)

[cottonmather0]

Anyone here have an opinion? This is a federal law that was passed last year as a reaction to cheap Chinese toys but was written so poorly and broadly (and interpreted by the CPSC as such) that it's going to drive many domestic manufacturers of high-quality children's products - products that have never had a problem with hazardous materials in the first place - out of business and leave the companies that can afford to import cheap chinese crap as the only companies that can also afford to comply with the law. Talk about irony!

Here is a summary of what the problem is:

Heres an example... if a bib maker makes 10 different styles of bib, with two fabrics on each bib, velcro, and heavy weight sew in.. she must have all 10 of those bibs tested, at the $100 a pop (or more) and if she sews a different style, even using the same fabrics, THAT must be tested. EVERY time she makes a new batch, they must be tested.. even if they use the same supplies. She must also PERMANENTLY label her items with the batch number, so consumers can know when it was made and what batch it came from.

If a dress maker who makes children's dresses sews 20 different dresses, in 3 sizes each, she must have ALL sizes of all 20 dresses tested, even if they are made of the same fabric. Thats 60 tests. And dont think this doesnt affect ADULT apparel makers too, because it does... how many of you have 12 year olds who wear "adult" clothing? Not all 12 year olds shop in the junior section.. so adult clothing manufacturers will have to take extra precaution to ensure their products are never marketed to anyone under the age of 12, it goes so far as to say they cannot APPEAL to children under the age of 12. The law STATES that.. how can a dress maker ensure their product doesnt appeal to a child under the age of 12?

Small businesses CANNOT absorb the costs of this, they will either close their doors or raise their prices.. or stop selling items for children under the age of 12. We all buy our products (materials) from retailers here in the US... surely if those products (materials) were tested that would be good enough, right? No. The finished product must be tested, regardless of the materials being safe.

And one more.

My wife and I are having to shut down one of our businesses (that sells handmade swaddling blankets) because we cannot afford to comply with the law as written - our suppliers already test and certify that the fabric that they ship to us is lead and phthalate free, but this law won't let us rely on their tests and would require us to retest our products all over again after manufacture.

Don't get me wrong, I think keeping children's products free of hazardous materials is good and necessary, and I would be very happy to do a bit more paperwork to keep track of my suppliers' safety documentation and the like, but this law is a stinker.

[LTAWACS]

We need to take back our county from the stinking lawyers who have ruined it! NOW!