In case you haven't heard, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) has been created by the Consumer Products Safety Commission to regulate children's products, including toys. While what they are doing is very needed in light of all the recent lead paint items from China the plans unfortunately will put most small, handmade toymakers out of business.
Every toy sold in the US will need to be tested by a 3rd party to be certified lead & phthalate free. Unfortunately it costs anywhere from $1000 to several thousands of dollars PER toy to be tested. I personally have hundreds of designs that I've sold in the last 12 months - and each one comes in several colors. Say I just want to pick ONE toy. Cell phones. I make them in about 12 different colors. Getting my cell phones "legal" so I could continue selling them would cost at least $12,000. This is more than I made selling toys last year.
I'm not sure how this will all pan out. I'm hoping some sort of made in USA loop hole will be written in. Virtually ALL of the recalls were from other countries - mostly China. None were from the United States. Where the heck do you even get lead paint if you wanted it? Sale of lead paint has been illegal in the US since the 1970's. Unless I happened upon a garage with some old paint cans and was crazy enough to put them on my toys I just don't think US made toys could have lead paint on them. Seriously.
If these regulations pass "as is" then perhaps people will go on selling illegally and label their items as "decor items" and keep their fingers crossed. I really don't know. I'm very concerned for makers who do this for a living is their primary source of income.
Whether you buy handmade toys (I say toys but this includes clothing, diapers, baby carriers, all baby/kids items) or make them, this will affect you.
Please go to Handmade Toy Alliance to learn more and use their sample letter to write to your Congress person or Senator.
