If you haven't heard about these upsetting new laws, that, if put into action on February 10, 2009, will have devastating repercussions to both large and small businesses and basically end the handmade goods industry, please read!!!
In summary, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) "bans lead and phthalates in toys {obviously a good thing} but it mandates enormously expensive third-party testing and certification for all products intended for children under the age of 12. It's the ridiculous expense of the third-party testing and certification that will close businesses and make it illegal for work-at-home moms and dads to sell their handmade goods." {excerpt from 5 Minutes for Mom}
I urge you to take a few minutes to read the excerpt below from Cool Mom Picks, this Etsy open letter, to send out emails, letters to congress, post on your blogs, please sign this petition, visit Change.org and log your support- if it gets enough votes, it will be shown to President Obama in January.
Please do your part to insure that this law is amended so that the hundreds of creative businesses out there are not forced to shut down, surrounding our kids only with what is mass-produced by big companies!
From Cool Mom Picks:
We're all for strengthening the safety standards of mass-produced toys, clothes, and accessories made in China, and banning toxins like phthalates and lead. But this year, congress passed the ill-conceived Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act, a law which goes into effect in two months and will absolutely decimate the small toy manufacturers, independent artisans, and crafters who have already earned the public trust. The very same ones that we often feature here and in our yearly special edition gift guides.
With this act going into effect February 10 2009 so many people we love will be affected: Moms who sew beautiful handmade waldorf dolls out of home, artists who have spent decades hand-carving trucks and cars out of natural woods, that guy at the craft show who sold you the cute handmade puzzle–even larger US companies who employ local workers and have not once had any sort of safety issue will no longer be able to sell their goods. Not without investing tens of thousands of dollars into third-party testing and labeling, just to prove that toys that never had a single toxic chemical in them still don't have a single toxic chemical in them.
How to Get Involved — it only takes 5 minutes of your time!
-Find your congress person and senators and write a letter like the sample here.
Particularly if they serve on the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection or theHouse Committee on Small Business.
-Send an email directly to the CPSC or contact chairperson Nancy Nord at 301-504-7923
-Vote for amending the law on Change.org, digg style: With enough votes it will be presented to President Obama in January!
-Place the Save Handmade! button on your blog or website to help spread the word to everyone you know who cares about protecting the little guy and preserving beautiful items made with love for our children.
THANKS!!
