Hooray! CPSIA testing relief. Happy Valentine's Day!

Long live etsy! Long live small businesses! Well, at least for the one year 'stay'. No longer will GCC forms be required with shipment as of February 10, 2009. For children everywhere, I am happy that the CPSC is upholding their stringent lead and phthalates requirements, without burdening small businesses with the huge testing requirements, yet.

Although this news arrives AFTER I have invested significant time and some money, I am happy to see a move by the CPSC that will save the many unique handmade offerings for children in the USA!

Here are the articles:

CPSC Grants One Year Stay of Testing and Certification Requirements for Certain Products

CPSC Clarifies Requirements of New Children’s Product Safety Laws Taking Effect in February
Guidance Intended for Resellers of Children’s Products, Thrift and Consignment Stores

To celebrate, how about a little Valentine's Day sale?! I'll be adding sweaters, slippers and boots throughout the weekend - most will be red or pink! Happy Valentine's Day.

This is great! (an option for CPSIA preparation in Denver)

Several small businesses in the Denver area came together to lead test with a certified XRF tester. This blog gives the details about their testing 'party'. Another NWEM small business owner sent the information to me. (Thank you!) I am interested in a similar effort here in Seattle. Anyone else want to participate?

In the meantime, I sent many products to The Smart Mama to lead test with her wealth of experience using her XRF machine. This will ensure that I have the proper GCC forms for customers for February shipments. However, I would like to help organize a 'party' here for my new products to arrive in late February and several more small quantity handmade items that are in my current inventory. (These items are not availabe in the online boutique currently.)

And, of course, I am planning to do the required digestive testing for August 2009. I am in the queue for setting up the testing with an approved third party tester.

(The photo has nothing to do with the post. I just adore the woolly white yak made from fabric scraps.)

Several Seattle businesses SAMPLE SALE

Are you in the Seattle area? Please join Satch & Sol and several other kid-oriented businesses for this big SIX-day sale.

It's going to be a very big sale as everyone is turning over inventory for the new year. I think that all of the participants are mom-owned-and-operated local businesses.

Please join us there.

the big slipper project

This was a project that Solomon asked for MANY times. The boys selected bits of felt left over from Halloween costumes, buttons from my endless collection and sewing thread. They each cut and placed their own design. Solomon selected new blue slippers. Satchel used the hand-me-downs that had been through the wash several times and to preschool with Solomon. (Satchel did not care to add anything to his favorite bumble bees.)
Solomon calls his 'super hero slippers' because he says 'the things sewn on them give super powers'. Satchel's design includes an 'X' made from felt and an 'O' from a button. He says he likes Xs and Os.
I love to see their creativity.

CPSIA update

Since I am legally allowed to use an XRF lead tested until August to self-certify my own inventory, I am planning to do that in the near future. I hope to join together with other lcoal Seattle small businesses to make the rental of the equipment (over $1000/week) more affordable for all. Do you know anyone who want to join us?

Simultaneously, I am setting up for the more expensive 3rd party lead testing by a profession that is required beginning in August 2009. Since I have at least one buyer who would like the 3rd party testing earlier, I plan to do it well in advance.

Thankfully, I am confident that Satch & Sol products will not have lead issue.

I did a cost breakdown for testing with the STR lab. I feel comfortable with their services and I am happy that thy recommended waiting a few weeks due to the current flurry of exemptions and other changes to the CPSIA testing requirements. They have my best interests in mind. I also found a very helpful breakdown on a great site called Happy Panda that was recommened in the Green America Forom. Check it out for great test cost comparisons.

I will post an update on CPSIA testing for Satch & Sol soon. I am happy to have found so much great research on the web and very happy to see the exclusion for raw wool proposed by the CPSC.

a personal indoor garden

I made these slippers recently for a friend's birthday. She deserves a great pair of warm cozy wool garden slippers to combat the damp cold of London. I know because Seattle's climate is not much different. Happy Big Birthday Whitney!

Does anyone else want a pair? I enjoy special orders. I love adding designs, especially gardens, to the beautiful grown-up slippers handmade in Mongolia. I always seem to sell the adult sized slippers with embellishments before I get a chance to put any in the online boutique. If you would like me to try a pair for you, please contact me at handmade@satchsol.com