Labelling & Safety Laws for the Handmade Business

by Christina Dennis

In this post, I’ll be focusing on another set of legal issues that DIY mommies selling their creations should know – labelling & safety laws for childrens toys & textiles.

These areas still bewilder me a bit, so this post will mostly be links to government sites in Canada and the USA so that you can read the information yourself. If you have information on these topics from your own country or want to add to the links I’m posting, please comment below! Like most crafters, I am constantly learning new things every day. I hope this post will be a helpful resource for others like me.

LABELLING LAWS

Even if you handcraft your items, you are required by law to put a label on them when you sell them. The neccessary information that needs to go on your label will depend on the laws in your country.

• CANADA – Textile labels are required to have the company name, where the item is made, the textile content in french and english and your company’s CA number OR your address. This is just an overview; please read the details here: http://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/h_01436.html
• USA – Textile labels are required to have fiber content, country of origin, ID of manufacturer (RN if you have one) and the manufacturer must keep a record of the labels & products they have made. This is just an overview; please read all of the details here: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/business/textile/bus21.shtm

PRODUCT SAFETY

Products, ESPECIALLY childrens products, are required by law to be safe for consumers. The manufactuer (whether you are a massive corporation or a DIY mommy) is required to ensure the safety of products they sell as well as making buyers aware of possible safety hazards associated with their product (ie. small parts warnings, choking hazard etc.). From what I’ve researched to this point, the USA’s safety requirements for children’s products are a lot stricter than Canada’s with the introduction of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) in 2008. According to the latest news, though, Canada will soon be making stricter changes to its product safety laws.

At this time, here is an overview of what is required saftey-wise for products sold in Canada & USA:

• CANADA – Childrens clothing cannot have drawstrings, small parts on clothing & accessories (like buttons) are unsafe, and childrens clothing & toys must meet strict flammability requirements (ESPECIALLY sleepwear). This is just a brief overview; please read all of the details here: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/child-enfant/access/index-eng.php
• USA – Every part of childrens clothing and toys needs to be tested & passed for toxicity and other elements according to the new CPSIA laws. These laws are quite in depth, so please read about them here: http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/smbus/cpsiasbguide.html

More helpful links in CANADA:

• Childrens Jewellery Legislation: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/legislation/acts-lois/jewlery-bijoux-eng.php
• Childrens Sleepwear Requirements: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/indust/sleepwear-vetements_nuit/index-eng.php