Children's Apparel
With raised public awareness and concerns over the possibility of hazardous levels of lead in children's apparel and other child-accessible products, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), also known as H.R. 4040, was signed into law. What are the highlights of this law and what do they mean to you, the manufacturers, importers, and retailers?
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- Decreased permissible levels of lead in paint
- Regulated levels of lead in all other materials
- Increased civil penalties
- Critical deadlines for lower lead content starting on February 10, 2009
Handheld XRF Handles the Details
According to the new law, the test for lead in children's clothing applies to:
- Fabric
- Appliques
- Buttons
- Zippers
- Footwear
So, what's the most efficient and cost-effective way for you to handle the clothing test for lead and other toxins? Handheld Thermo Scientific Niton x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzers, often referred to as the "XRF testing gun" and now available with GOLDD™ technology. Using these breakthrough instruments, you can confidently screen children's apparel for lead as well as testing accessories for lead and toxins. Quickly. Accurately. Precisely.
An effective program to test children's clothing for lead using handheld XRF analysis greatly reduces the chances that non-compliant materials will enter the manufacturing process, or accidentally end up on store shelves. This starts with a process that includes rapid screening of metals, plastic, wood, fabrics, and inks & paints:
- At the receiving dock
- In the warehouse
- During product assembly
- Even at vendor sites, including testing through packaging to save time
You, and all stakeholders, can implement a standardized inspection protocol for incoming shipments to verify compliance, while simultaneously requiring supply chain documentation based on empirical testing. The further back in the supply chain that the test for lead in children's clothing takes place, the easier it is to prevent a non-compliant garment from finding its way to a child.
Niton XRF Analyzers – The Ideal Fit
Operating as either a handheld tool or integrated into an optional test stand with included PC-based software, Thermo Scientific Niton XRF analyzers, whether the value choice Niton® XL2 or the Niton XL3 Series, are the ideal tools to screen children's apparel for lead, as well as the seven other regulated elements in products designed for children under the age of 12 (lead, barium, antimony, selenium, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, hexavalent chromium).
What's more, they are the only handheld XRF analyzers that are capable of differentiating between lead on the surface of an object and lead that exists in all other substrates. You benefit in a variety of ways from these remarkable tools:
- Fast – Screening takes seconds to minutes, not days. Decision to ship product can happen immediately
- Flexible – Screen fashion jewelry and other child-accessible products for compliance with CPSIA, EN-71 and California's Proposition 65
- Easy to use – TestAll™ Technology automatically selects the correct analytical mode for non-technical users
- Powerful – Optional camera and small spot helps you accurately isolate small samples & visually document your measurements
- Non-destructive – The analyzed product is not defaced or affected in any way
- Handheld – You can test for lead in-situ on the children's metal jewelry item, in the factory, product integrity lab, on the dock, or in the warehouse
Niton XRF Analyzers – Always in Style
Discover why major toy and consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, Internet shopping sites, as well as the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the European Union's Product Safety Enforcement Forum (PROSAFE) have all chosen and trust the handheld Thermo Scientific Niton XRF analyzer. Register for our next webinar.
Contact us today for a demonstration and discover how these versatile instruments can easily help you meet the requirements of the CPSIA and keep our children safe!
US Consumer Product Safety Commission list of recalls for lead exposure hazard to date.
