Disclaimer

This site is intended for peer-to-peer educational purposes only and is neither legal advice nor an official government site. If you have questions about how to comply with the CPSIA please consult a lawyer.

Questions?

If you have a CPSIA question you'd like us to answer please send it to info [at] whatisthecpsia [dot] com and we'll do our best to include it on the site.

Are cloth diapers affected by CPSIA? (UPDATED)

Yes, any maker (small or large) of cloth diapers must comply with CPSIA. The required testing under the law, however, will depend both on the type of diapers you make as well as the CPSC’s final definition of a “child care article.”
Natural or synthetic textiles are now exempt from lead testing, therefore the parts of [...]

I ship products from Canada, how am I affected by CPSIA?

You have to comply. Period.

Can I export my products to other countries and just not sell them in the U.S.?

Products exported from the U.S. all have to comply with CPSIA before they will be allowed out of the country.  Some shippers are now requiring certificates of compliance, also known as general conformity certificates (GCCs), before accepting commercial shipments.
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Aren’t things made out of yarn exempt from CPSIA?

Yes, with a couple of caveats.

Who thought we needed the CPSIA and Why?

In 2007, a string of recalls of children’s toys for lead in paint hit the news.  Lead paint had been illegal since 1978, so these toys violated existing laws.  Although no children were poisoned by the lead in these toys, many people thought that action was needed to prevent recalls like these from ever happening.
In [...]

Why are some small businesses closing because of CPSIA while others seem to be just fine?

In the absence of clear guidance from CPSC on many important issues, each business will have to decide for itself how to deal with CPSIA.