Will There Be More?

I've just started working on a couple of new custom teddy bears. I can't help but think how the new CPSIA law will change what I do, though. Many of the bears I make are intended for children under 12, though, so they're included in the items the new law addresses. Most of the bears I make are made from fabric scraps I've cut from discarded clothing...blue jeans, t-shirts, even children's clothing. One would assume such things wouldn't be dangerous to children. But according to what I've read about this law, I would be required to perform a test for each product I sell (since each one is unique) and those tests would generally cost about $400 each.

Granted, I'm not a lawyer, so maybe I'm missing something here. You can read a previous posting in this blog and find links to articles that spell out the details more clearly than I can. But I know enough to know that many crafters who are like me...moms who need to make money selling what they make...will have to shut down their businesses or be in violation of this law if it goes into effect without significant revisions.

I don't pretend to know what the perfect solution will be. Nobody wants children to be at risk from dangerous contaminants. But a law that is hastily written without taking into account unintended consequences doesn't seem to be an acceptable solution either.