For those that make and sell things

mckayleesmom wrote: I didn't write this, just copied and pasted. A girl I know from another website wrote it and told us about it because she makes alot of her childrens clothes and sells some also.
This is really important. No, this is not a hoax; I have researched the dickens out of this, and as you can read in the sources below it is true ... and frightening. New legislation is slated to take effect in February that will dangerously affect all small businesses in this country that make and/or sell handmade toys, children's clothing, blankets, cloth diapers, and more. It will even have an impact on any of you that prefer to buy handmade items and support craftspeople - simply because those items will mostly no longer be available. I heard someone from the ACLU on NPR this morning (talking about a different topic -- homeland security) and he said something like "The biggest threat to Americans is Congress" They like to do things that make it look like they are concerned for our safety, but it's all for show and has disastrous consequences. I am fairly certain that a pig flew by my window because I whole-heartedly agree with him - and there isn't much that comes from the ACLU that doesn't make me want to vomit.


As of February 10, 2009, ALL items (including those made by Sew Cute Babe, Pvt Meadow and other's from AWW) sold in the United States that are meant for children 12 years and younger will be required to have third-party lead testing done by the manufacturer. This sounds great in theory, since we all want to protect our children. This law will only force small businesses to close (or operate illegally), when the problem lies with large companies making cheap items in foreign countries.


DO YOU BUY THESE ITEMS, OR VALUE THE ABILITY TO BUY THEM?
Then you need to e-mail or write your representatives today. If this legislation is not changed to offer some sort of clarification regarding handcrafting businesses in the US, then many if not most of the items I've discussed will no longer be available. No more wood cars crafted by a retired grandpa; no more children's handmade clothing and cloth diapers on Hyena Cart; not to mention Etsy and other sites that encourage us to buy handmade. I don't know if you feel the same way, but if I had to choose between a handmade item made by a work-at-home mom versus a "certified lead-free" item made in China and sold at Target, I'd choose the former.

DO YOU MAKE OR SELL THESE ITEMS?
If you own a small home-based business crafting these items, these requirements fall on YOU. You will be required to test each and every component of your items for sale, and label them with a batch number and date of manufacture. This includes thread, buttons, fabric, etc. If you do not comply, you will be in violation of federal law and could be subject to fines up to $100,000 PER ITEM - and even jail time. Any children's items made before this date that are not tested and certified lead-free are considered banned hazardous waste and cannot be sold after February 10, 2009. Even if you use materials such as fabric that were tested by their manufacturer not to contain lead, you must still have third-party testing done. This is obviously not an option for most artisan businesses!

Please call or write your representatives regarding the new CPSIA legislation *that has already passed* and will be put into effect in February without any thought for the 'little guys'.


We must act soon and get some changes made, or February 10 could mean the end of the "Buy Handmade" movement! Stand up for small businesses everywhere as this legislation affects each and every one of us, our businesses, our children and even our economy. Let your representatives know that as much as we value keeping our children safe by testing items for lead, this is the WRONG way to accomplish that.


I encourage you to read over the links below.

Contact your local representative via this link:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

You can read more about the CPSIA legislation at:

http://www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/cpsia.html
http://nationalbankruptcyday.com/
http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/

http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/c...must-be-tested/

http://www.toyassociation.org/AM/Template....&ContentID=6275
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mckayleesmom replied: So..not only do they want the manufacturers to test, but they want you to pay to retest them if you are planning to sell them.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: ridiculous.

MommyToAshley replied: I don't know, I may be in the minority here but I don't think this is such a bad idea. With all the recalls, I would feel safer knowing that things I give to my child are tested. It may actually level the playing field as long as they require imports to be tested as well. If China has to adhere to stricter standards (which I think should include labor laws) then they won't be able to sell their goods so cheaply and American businesses won't be so eager to send the work overseas.

However, with that said, I don't think the burden for testing products should be on these companies or the small businesses... it should be something that is subsidized by the gov't. I'd rather see my tax dollars go to this than all these bailouts.

mckayleesmom replied:
I wouldn't have a problem with it if it wasn't already tested before put in the store...The stuff you buy from Walmart, Kmart..etc...Is suppose to have already been tested. They want you to have i tested again.

MommyToAshley replied:
I see the reason for this... if you alter it in any way such as add glue, add some paint, etc then it is changing the product.

mckayleesmom replied:
True, but most of the stuff you would buy to make your product should have already been tested.

I think the problem here is that they are not being more strict on the testing in the first place. How many times do we find out that something got recalled because of something? This should never happen in the first place and now small business owners are going to pay the price for it.

webby replied: it would make a lot more sense if all the fabrics/materials were tested before being sold to be made.

MommyToAshley replied:
But, then there could always be that person that makes the dye themselves. I think they are just trying to be thorough and make sure all products are tested before they go to market. This should have been in practice a long time ago, and I think they need to start with ALL imports.

Our Lil' Family replied: How do they determine who has to test it? If you have a tax ID #? If you sell on Ebay or Etsy? I have a few friends who sew or make bows and bracelets and sell to parents in our area. How will the government know that they do that to mandate that they test? I think it's rather sad because my area has tons of boutique stores who buy dresses from local seamstresses (one is my friend) and these businesses will have to close if that's the case. What about thrift stores and resale shops??

Hillbilly Housewife replied:
Exactly. I wouldn't use something deemed unsafe. Actually, most of the materials I use to make the things I sell are previously certified organic materials.. locally spun wool, no artificial dyes, etc... if the simple task of using my bamboo needles to crochet or knit it into something needs I have to get it retested, puh-lease.

jem0622 replied: I do agree with Dee Dee.

However....I cannot imagine that they can test everything. About darn near impossible. Seriously.