A Letter From Etsy

So I missed the blog day for the CPSIA, but better late than never.

As parents and concerned citizens I’m sure most of us at one time or another have been confronted with the question of lead poisoning. But have you asked yourself what your government is doing to protect your children from lead contained in toys? The answer? They're banning toys, taking books from schools and libraries, hurting low income families, killing entrepreneurial spirit and risking putting the economy in an even greater depression than we've seen in decades. I'd like to introduce you to their solution: the CPSIA.

Do you know about the CPSIA? No? Then I ask you to take a few minutes to find out about it.

The CPSIA stands for Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a new set of laws that will come into effect on 10 February, 2009 and will impact many, many people in a negative way. Make no mistake, this is very real. View it for yourself. If Forbes, the American Library Association and numerous other media are paying attention, perhaps you should too.

How will these new laws affect you? Well, here are a few examples:

To the Parents of Young Students:
Due to the new law, expect to see the cost of school supplies sky rocket. While those paper clips weren't originally intended for your student to use, they will need to be tested now that your 11-year-old needs them for his school project. This law applies to any and all school supplies (textbooks, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.) being used by children under 12.

To the Avid Reader:
Due to the new law, all children's books will be pulled from library and school shelves, as there is no exemption for them. That’s okay though, there's always television. Our children don’t need to learn the love of reading after all.
Article from the American Library Association http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1322

To the Lover of All Things Handmade:
Due to the new law, you will now be given a cotton ball and an instruction manual so you can make it yourself since that blanket you originally had your eye on for $50 will now cost you around $1,000 after it's passed testing. It won't even be the one-of-a-kind blanket you were hoping for. Items are destroyed in the testing process making one-of-a-kind items virtually impossible. So that gorgeous hand-knit hat you bought your child this past winter won’t be available next winter.

To the Environmentalist:
Due to the new law, all items in non-compliance will now be dumped into our already overflowing landfills. Imagine not just products from the small business owners, but the Big Box Stores as well. You can't sell it so you must toss it. Or be potentially sued for selling it. You can't even give them away. If you are caught, it is still a violation.

To the Second-Hand Shopper:
Due to the new law, you will now need to spend $20 for that brand new pair of jeans for your 2-year old, rather than shop at the Goodwill for second hand. Many resale shops are eliminating children's items all together to avoid future lawsuits.

To the Entrepreneur:
Due to this new law, you will be forced to adhere to strict testing of your unique products or discontinue to make and/or sell them. Small businesses will be likely to be unable to afford the cost of testing and be forced to close up shop. Due to the current economic state, you'll have to hope for the best when it comes to finding a new job in Corporate America.

To the Antique Toy Collector:
Due to the new law, you'd better start buying now because it's all going to private collection and will no longer be available to purchase. “Because the new rules apply retroactively, toys and clothes already on the shelf will have to be thrown out if they aren't certified as safe.” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123189645948879745.html

To the American Economy:
Already struggling under an economy that hasn’t been this weak in decades, the American economy will be hit harder with the inevitable loss of jobs and revenues from suppliers, small businesses and consumers. The required testing is far too costly and restrictive for small businesses or individuals to undertake.

To the Worldwide Economy:
Due to this new law, many foreign manufacturers have already pulled out of the US market. You can imagine the impact of this on their businesses.

If you think this is exaggerating, here is a recent article from Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/16/cpsia-safety-toys-oped-cx_wo_0116olson.html

And for those of you prepared to be stupefied and boggled, The New Law
http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html

Did you know? If this upsets you, please react.

Head spinning and other maladies

Ok, I thought I knew what was going on with the new CPSC law, but if you blink right now, you'll miss something for sure. Oops, I blinked, but thanks to Kathleen Fasanella over on Fashion-Incubator.com I am getting back up to speed. She's a great source of all things fashion/business related and has been interpreting the latest breaking developments on the new law in a way that is very understandable. But now it's causing me angst of what this new law will require me to do in addition to all the other things I'm doing. I never thought this was going to be an easy thing, but now am wondering if it's going to even be possible. Ugh, I knew I should have started this years ago. At least at this point I would be dealing with all the outside factors(i.e. tanking economy, new testing requirements) with a base of knowledge if my product would be viable or not, by it's own right, and not because of things I can't control. Women's wear is always an option, hmmmm

Lead Testing for Children's Products

Well it looks like the CPSC is looking at the negative effect the proposed ban on lead content and required testing would have on certain businesses and the smaller maker of children's products. Thankfully they are listening to the industry leaders and may be changing their requirements. This is good news for the smaller craft, home based or just smaller manufacturer, that would have been devastated by the testing cost originally put forth by the CPSC. 

And while no one is suggesting that we overlook the need to reduce/eliminate lead and other toxins from products children come in contact with, certain materials inherently don't contain these types of toxins and should be excluded from costly testing. This is link to a recent posting that explains what the CSPC is looking into now, if I'm reading it correctly, this is a good thing.

www.cpsc.gov/cpsia/leadlimitsfr.pdf

Felted Wool Projects

Here are a couple of the latest projects I completed using recycled/reclaimed, whatever you want to call it, wool sweaters that were felted and given new life. The sweater was made for my husbands cousin in Holland, and was personalized for her son "S is for Sigur". 

The booties were a result of extra little pieces of sweater I had from other projects that were too small to use, but too big to just throw away. I am a notorious pack rat when it come to scraps and stuff, so I need to find more small things to make to use it all up, you know, when I'm not working on a website, this blog or, oh yeah, starting a clothing line. 

Anyway, they were fun to do and will hopefully do more.

One Step Closer

With much thanks to Patchwork Pottery for the tutorial on how to make these lables. To actually see how easy they were made me pull out all my available materials and give it a go. I think I need to experiment more but they are just what I'm looking for and saves a heck of a lot of money on custom tags for when you are starting out. Every little bit helps!!

A HAPPY NEW YEAR

So it's a brand new year and time for all those new ideas to get realized. First one, starting this blog. A place to record the ups, downs and in-betweens of starting an organic clothing business. Named after my daughter, and reluctant muse, I felt it was time to launch into this before it was 10 years down the road and feeling that I coulda, shoulda....