I'm irritated

Maybe you've heard about the CPSIA act that takes effect Feb 10, 2009, and if you haven't I'll try to have some pertinent links at the bottom of this post. It has me so irritated! Many of you know (though not as many as I'd like... more on this coming) that I have started making and selling woven ribbon headbands. I started making them in September and started selling them around the end of October. They're fun for me to make, relatively inexpensive for me to make (meaning not a lot of overhead) and I can sell them at an appealling price point that still allows me enough profit to make it worth my time and effort and calloused fingers. But now I'm turned off by making any more. All because of this new law that is looming large and coming in fast (Feb 10th... that's less than a month away now!).

I learned about the CPSIA just before christmas from reading other people's concerns about on Charlotte Mommies. Basically this law wants to protect any and all childrens products and ensure that they do not contain lead or pthalates. Sounds good enough right? Problem is they want every manufacturer, no matter your size, to be accountable for all the testing. And you can't just test the finished product, you have to test each component of each finished product. That means for my headbands, since I'm the "manufacturer", I would have to test every spool of ribbon in every color. I'd also have to test the plastic headband itself and the glue I use to hold it all together. At over $200 a part to test I'd have to drop thousands of dollars in testing... all for my headbands which I sell for $5 a piece. It's financially impossible.

I haven't made any headbands since before christmas. Part of me wants to continue and spread the word and get new customers, etc, etc. I even thought about getting an etsy site. But if this law comes down as written, I'd be out of business as of Feb 10th. It would be illegal for me to sell my untested headbands, but financially impossible for me to test them. Nice huh. This affects ALL products made for children 12 and under... bibs, cloth diapers, cute burp clothes, slings, hairbows, wooden toys, cloth sippie inserts, blankies, pillows, homemade crib bedding... the list goes on and on. All these people will be affected by this law. Many of these types of items are made by moms that do the work in their own homes and do the work all by themselves. All of them will have to stop or comply and compliance will be financially unfeasible for most all of them.

It's just so irritating. Think of all the craft fairs with booths of vendors selling cute kids things. This could all disappear. Even many consignment businesses are rethinking things. While they are "allowed" to resell items without certification of compliance, they can still get in serious trouble if they are found to sell something that has lead in it. I'm sure some consigners will find it easier to shut their doors than face the risk of reselling something that potentially has lead in it. The fine for non-complaince is $100,000 and jail time. Too steep for me, and too steep for most small crafting businesses.

I feel bad for myself, and I had barely gotten started. I really feel bad for moms who have had successful crafting businesses for years, and who rely on the extra income it brings in. it really just sucks.

Please read and vote here... Change.org: Save Handmade Toys from the CPSIA If this topic continues to get lots of votes it will be presented to Obama in his first days in office. To vote you click on the little blue box at the beginning of the article where it says "8700-something votes" You'll have to register, then go back to the article and click it to actually cast your vote.

Also, click on the Save Handmade button I have at the top sidebar of my blog. It will link you to another article where there are numerous other links for more information.

If you've ever bought something handmade for your child than this law effects you. Please consider calling or writing your representatives about this law.