Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation: An Overview

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The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) is a new Regulation that will replace the existing Ecodesign Directive. It aims to set eco-design requirements for products to be sold in the EU. Unlike the existing Ecodesign Directive, which only covers certain energy-related products, the new Regulation applies to virtually all physical products.

Additionally, the Regulation introduces new requirements concerning the digital product passport, the destruction of unsold consumer products, and more.

In this guide, we help you better understand the requirements of the new Regulation and address common questions concerning its application.
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Mattress Regulations in the United States: An Overview

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Mattress

Mattresses sold in the United States are subject to various regulations and standards concerning flammability and chemicals. These also set requirements concerning documentation, labelling, and safety testing.

This guide covers various compliance requirements related to mattresses, including the Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA), Law Labels, and ASTM F1566.

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EU Cyber Resilience Act: An Essential Guide

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EU Cyber Resilience Act: An Essential Guide

The EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) intends to establish security principles, features, and measures that encompass hardware, software, and maintenance for certain products sold in the European Union. This guide, written by Iris Desbrousses from i46, explains what manufacturers and importers must know about the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), and how it will likely impact product development and updates.
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Mattress Regulations in the European Union: An Overview

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Mattress

Mattresses imported and manufactured in the European Union are subject to various regulations that concern flammability, chemicals, biocides, and other aspects.

In this guide, we explain how regulations such as the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), REACH, and the EU Ecolabel Regulation relate to mattresses for sale in the EU. In addition, the guide also covers standards and testing requirements.
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Board Game Regulations in the United States: An Overview

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Board Game Regulations in the United States

Board games imported to or manufactured in the United States are subject to various safety standards, bans, substance restrictions, certification, labelling, and testing requirements. The applicable requirements also depend to a large extent on whether the board game is intended for children or not.

In this guide, we explain what you must know about the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), the Lacey Act, ASTM standards, and other requirements relevant to board games sold in the United States.

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Board Game Regulations in the European Union: An Overview

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Board Game Regulations in the European Union

Board games sold in the European Union are subject various regulations, standards, labelling, documentation, and testing requirements. However, the requirements differ depending on whether the board game is considered a toy, suitable for 0 to 14 year olds, or other age groups.

The former is generally speaking subject to stricter requirements, concerning small parts and other safety aspects. Having said that, there are safety requirements also for adults board games – substance restrictions, for example.

It is not always easy to assess if a given board game is intended for children, adults, or both. For this reason, the European Union sets guidelines to help companies decide whether their board game, or other product, is appropriate for adults or children.

In this guide, we explain how the Toy Safety Directive, the General Product Safety Regulation, and other requirements apply to board games meant for children, and adults.
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EU Ecolabel For Importers & Manufacturers: A Complete Guide

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EU Ecolabel

The EU ecolabel is a voluntary marking scheme used to signal that a product meet certain environmental standards. In order to use the EU Ecolabel, it is mandatory to comply with the requirements outlined under the EU Ecolabel Regulation.

That being said, the specific requirements differ depending on the product type, which is further explored in this guide.

In this guide, we explain what the EU Ecolabel is, what product groups it covers, and its various criteria. We also explain how you can apply for the EU Ecolabel.
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List of Restricted Products on Amazon: An Essential Guide

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Cosmetics

Certain products are subject to restrictions on Amazon. In many cases, Amazon only reflects the regulatory requirements, in the sense that certain products must comply with mandatory standards of substance restrictions. However, some products are subject to standards that are otherwise voluntary, or outright banned – due to Amazon policy.

In this guide, we only focus on products that Amazon either prohibits or restricts for sale on its US marketplace.

Methodology: We used the list of products listed on the Amazon Seller Central page titled “Restricted products” as the reference point. We have expanded on requirements that this page does not cover in detail. Notice that we do not cover all restricted products in this guide.

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Formaldehyde Regulations in the United States: An Overview

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Products and materials containing formaldehyde are subject to various regulations in the United States. Selling products that contain this substance above the set limits can result in a recall, or trigger other requirements. This limit depends on the product, materials, or the US state you sell in.

This guide serves as an introduction to formaldehyde requirements in the United States for various products and materials. We also explain what formaldehyde is, and which products and materials are more likely to contain this substance.

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Formaldehyde Regulations in the European Union: An Overview

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Formaldehyde can be found by various products, including wooden products, plastics, and cosmetics. Due to its toxicity, there are regulations in the European Union that restrict the content or release of formaldehyde.

As such, importers and manufacturers of products that contain or can contain formaldehyde must ensure that their products comply with the applicable regulations, directives, and standards that limit its the use. This can generally be assessed by performing the necessary testing.

In this guide, we explain what formaldehyde is, and which regulations restrict its usage, release, or emission. We also provide examples of relevant standards, and explain why lab testing is necessary.
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