A Few Initials To Wake You Up.....

C-P-S-I-A.

What do those initials mean to me?

More importantly...what do they mean to YOU? All of you. Shoppers, consumers, collectors, estate sale shoppers, store owners.

As of 34 hours ago...I had never heard of these letters all together. Now, they are turning my little world topsy turvy and quite frankly upsetting me to the high heavens.

Right now I will have to excuse myself and say this...I only know & understand about 1/4 of this law. I would hate it if I passed on incorrect information, so I will provide you links, sites, information that I have found both helpful and chilling.

So there is this little law. It says that we are to protect the children from lead based products and everybody knows that protecting children is very, very important. But this law oversteps boundaries, works beyond conventional wisdom, puts small business designers of children's clothing in peril AND bankruptcy, it places families in need & volunteer services in a precarious position, you could possibly even see your local library have to remove children books from the shelves. You will see small businesses focused on toys & clothing close and lock their doors.

I wish I were kidding, I wish I knew more, I wish I could sit and chat with the people who passed this law. This debilitating law.

If the law is to go as written...every Goodwill/thrift store/vintage shop would toss all children's books, clothing and toys in a landfill on February 10th. No passing it on to the poor, no donating it to other countries, it would just be gone. Children's clothing, books and toys would be considered harmful and dangerous. Nothing designed for a person 12 years and under could be sold without first passing lead testing and THAT carries a price tag of UNIMAGINABLE proportions. It would make a $10 t-shirt cost $40-80, if not more. Believe me......every consumer of children's clothing will feel the passing of this law. 

Garage sales sellers, eBay, Etsy sellers selling children's clothing, toys and books could face charges.  

What is the price one would pay for selling some of these *dangerous* goods????  $100,000 dollars and/or jail time. Do you think I am kidding? Check this out.......

http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml09/09086.html.

I don't believe this mentions the COST of lead testing here. The cost is astronomical. I do not care to pass on false information...but I have heard prices all over the board. Prices that the CONSUMER WILL PAY FOR.

Businesses selling children's clothing have already closed, fired employees or suspended sales until they hear more.

Local designers have stopped production on their spring lines...they do not know if people will buy it, if they will get fined, if the law will be strictly enforced, if THEIR suppliers will be able to provide the goods they need to move forward.....some have chosen to sell all their goods on-line at 50-75% off and have gotten jobs elsewhere in the meantime.

This law will fine people making 4500.00 a year sewing bibs and clothing at their kitchen tables late at night to face the possibility of being fined $100,000 or serving time in jail.

What does this mean for me? I could get fined for selling potato guns, lunch boxes, old children's books, highchairs and 1930's potty chairs if I were to understand what I am reading. I have no problem selling it at 50% off just to be safe...but I am more concerned about misreading this secretive law and that I might continue selling things on the"unsafe list" even thought there is no posted LIST per se....this sounds like a pretty "touch and go", "choose as we please" law as far as stores like minego! Is my Dick and Jane oil cloth bag a children's object? Or is an adult item? And.....can I list something like a vintage highchair that I SELL as a plant holder be sold as that? NO.....not even if I list it as "decorative use only" because it's orginal purpose was to be a highchair.  

What does that mean for you? Do you love estate sales?  You will no longer see Barbie clothes, vintage doll clothing, old children's books, children's aprons....and if you DO see them...it's illegal for them to be selling it. And WHY are they selling it? Because very few people know about this law!!!!! And despite that fact....those sellers could get fined all the same if the LAW WORKS AS WRITTEN.

I will provide links from here. Read them. Study them. Drop your jaw as we did. PASS them ON! Wonder what just happened and how we stop it. It will take many voices to halt this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87UduX5S6E0&feature=related

http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/cpsia-denial-and-retailers-liability/

http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MBI3lGdUoE

 

 

Comments

[Joanna {sweet finds}]

I've heard about this. My hubby says not to worry. But who knows. I love buying all the old vintage things... I sold a ton of kids stuff this Christmas in my booth. Not to mention, all the old kid books I buy to use for art. If this law is passed, it will definitely effect me. xoxo, Joanna