Toy Testing?

I found this article at Cool Mom Picks about how the Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) is trying to pass a law to make all toys pass tests.

Yes, this probably isn't a big deal for all those big companies, but what about the little people? Handmade things are great options. This new law is there to protect the kids from harmful things, like lead paint and such, but shouldn't that be something for the toy maker should just do anyway?

If you can't sell a toy that isn't harmful to kids, what are you doing making toys? I think that selling healthy toys that aren't going to hurt a little person should just be something assumed. A parent shouldn't have to worry about whether or not a toy is safe for their child's mouth. When someone sells a product marketed for a certain demographic, it is my opinion that they should be positive it is safe for that demographic. Marketing roller skates to the elderly may not be the best plan. It's just not smart.

If China can’t handle producing something safe, then why did we send our product there to be made? It’s a simple concept really. If what you’re buying isn’t working for you, go elsewhere. If the big companies can’t get their act together to figure out how to make toys, go to Etsy and buy something that the lady down the street made. Chances are high that it’s better for your kid. If you went to a bad restaurant, you would probably go elsewhere next time. I don’t see why the government needs to step in and make it so much harder for small business owners to survive. Just think of all the other alternatives there are and what this law could do to them.

This new law could really put a damper on things for me. What if it does happen and I can't afford to sell baby things I made? If I have to pay $4000 for each toy I sell, that would put me out of business before I even start. My husband and I have been working towards financial freedom and an alternative lifestyle. Quitting my day job to stay home and make things that I enjoy is a major part of our plan. What happens when this law passes and I would now have to pay somebody else a lot of money to test my products for harmful things that won’t exist?

I'm all for keeping kids safe, but this doesn't seem fair. What if we alter this proposed law so that the large toy makers are the ones who have to have their toys tested? People who make one toy at a time are probably going to be able to focus on the quality of it a bit more than a company making thousands at once. I think we need to stand behind our small businesses and put our trust in them.


Click on the button below to go to the article I mentioned above and see what you can do to help.
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