Category: United States

STURDY Act – Safety Requirements for Clothing Storage Units

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STURDY Act
The STURDY Act mandates the CPSC to establish a mandatory safety standard protecting young children from potential injury or death resulting from clothing or storage units tipping over. The act also requires the standard to contain stability tests and product warning label requirements.

In this guide, we explain when and why the STURDY Act was signed into law, and its requirements concerning testing and warnings. We also cover the ASTM F2057 requirements, which was adopted as mandatory safety standard by the CPSC, as a result of the STURDY Act.
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Phthalate Regulations in the United States: An Overview

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Phthalates are a group of chemicals used to improve certain material characteristics in plastics. However, phthalates may cause infertility, obesity, and cancer. It’s therefore not surprising that these substances are subject to increasingly strict regulations – especially when it comes to infant and children’s products.

That said, phthalates regulations also cover food packaging, kitchen utensils, and other products. Keep reading, and learn what importers and manufacturers must know about US phthalates restrictions and lab testing.
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FCC Unintentional Radiators: A Practical Guide

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An unintentional radiator is defined by the FCC as a device that uses electrical radio frequency signals within the product or sends these signals to associated equipment via connecting wiring.

For instance, a wired mouse would fall under the previous description. This is in contrast to wireless devices, which are generally considered to be intentional radiators.

Both unintentional and intentional radiators are regulated under 47 CFR Part 15, even though the requirements are different.

This guide covers the requirements of 47 CFR Part 15 for unintentional radiators, including product scope, exemptions, authorization procedure, labeling, documentation, and testing.
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California Proposition 65 Guide for US Importers & Amazon Sellers

Posted on by Yvette Shen — 2 Comments

California Proposition 65 restricts heavy metals, phthalates, and other substances in consumer products sold in California. it also sets warning label requirements.

In this guide, we explain what importers, manufacturers, and Amazon sellers must know about restricted substances, warning labeling, lab testing, and compliance risks.
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Heavy Metals Regulations in the United States: An Overview

Posted on by Yvette Shen — 1 Comment

Children’s products, cosmetics, food contact materials, and many other consumer products are subject to heavy metal restrictions. Examples of restricted heavy metals include lead, cadmium, and mercury.

In this article, we cover several regulations that restrict or ban heavy metals, including the CPSIA, the FHSA, and the TSCA.
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Country of Origin Requirements in the United States: An Overview

Posted on by Yvette Shen — 12 Comments

Country of origin marking is mandatory for consumer products imported and sold in the United States. It is often as straightforward as printing “Made in China” or “Made in Mexico” on the product and its packaging. That being said, there are exceptions for some products, and it’s sometimes not that simple to determine the actual country of origin.

In this guide, we explain what importers and manufacturers must know about the country of origin marking rules in the United States, including product exceptions, origin rules, and placement.
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FCC 47 CFR Part 15: Electronics Regulations in the United States

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Bluetooth speaker

47 CFR Part 15 covers electronic and electrical devices sold, imported, or manufactured in the United States. In this guide, we explain what you must know about device types, labeling requirements, documentation, testing, and more.

We also compare how the requirements and processes differ for intentional and unintentional radiators.

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Heavy Metals Lab Testing: A Complete Guide

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 2 Comments

PCB Factory

Lead, cadmium, mercury and other heavy metals are either restricted or banned for use in consumer products in most developed countries. This includes the EU, US, UK and many others.

Verifying that a product or material does not contain restricted heavy metals often requires third-party lab testing.

In this guide, we explain what all brands must know about heavy metals testing costs, materials, substance limitations, risks, and how to handle failed test results. Continue reading Heavy Metals Lab Testing: A Complete Guide

Model Toxics in Packaging Legislation: An Overview

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Model Toxics in Packaging Legislation

The Model Toxics in Packaging Legislation has been adopted in 19 US states. The purpose of the regulation is to restrict the usage of heavy metals and chemicals in product packaging materials. In this guide, we explain what you should know about these restrictions, and the steps you can take to ensure compliance.

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Resin Identification Codes in the United States: A Practical Guide

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Resin Identification Codes

Resin Identification Codes indicate the type of plastic a bottle or container is made of, to facilitate waste collection. Using Resin Identification Codes is mandatory in most US states. However, the requirements differ between states in terms of the actual codes being used, and the types of containers that must be labeled with one.

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