Protests Against Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act

We’ve been following the CPSIA development, and it’s apparent the groundswell of protest is in full swing.
Petitions are being signed by the thousands, letters are being sent to Congress, and small business owners are mobilizing to take action against what they believe are unreasonable demands being placed on them by a law that will take effect on February 10. The new legislation will mandate that every part of a child’s toy and clothing be tested for lead before it can be sold to the public.
The law was passed in response to high levels of lead being found in toys manufactured in Chinese factories, but does not take into account the thousands of small businesses who make toys and clothes in much smaller numbers, and many of them by hand in their own homes or workshops. If the law goes into effect as it’s currently written, they will have to pay up to thousands of dollars to test just one set of handmade goods.
Here are just a few developments:

• As of Thursday December 18, 3 p.m. PST, 4,417 petitioners had added their names to ipetitions.
• Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont sent a note to Cecilia Leibovitz, founder of Craftsbury Kids, stating his intent to work with the Congress work towards a solution that will help small American manufacturers.
• National Bankruptcy Day lists many helpful links and sites for those compelled to learn more and take action. One of them is the wiki link to the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which lists the names of Congress members on the committee who should be written to.
• Fashion Incubator is also following these developments closely and offers useful links and information.

Stay tuned for more! As ever, write to us, tell us your thoughts, and let us know of any other developments.