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About CE Safety Testing

 

 

Putting toys on the market might seem like a nice, easy, creative endeavour, but as many artisans come to find out, in the European Union it also comes with serious regulations. Sadly, not everyone is aware of them. I would like to take the time to write about the EU Toy Safety Directive and how it affects the fabrication of handmade toys. In this post I will focus specifically on soft toys, as this is my specialty. 

 

Before we start, I want to make it clear that this post is purely informative, and it does not constitute in any way legal advice. If you wish to make and sell toys, you and you alone are responsible with testing your creations and obtaining appropriate legal information.

 

This being said, let's start talking safety! 

 

 

You might have noticed that any toy you bought from a store contains a mark with the letters CE. This mark is mandatory for every toy sold in the European Union and it means that the toy underwent certain safety tests to make sute it is appropriate for kids to play with. These tests are quite complex, but to break it down in a simple manner, they cover 3 directions:

 

1. Mechanical Testing (according to standard EN71-1)
2. Flammability Testing (according to standard EN71-2)
3. Chemical Testing (according to standard EN71-3)

 

These tests are normally done in specialized laboratories, but for small manufacturers, the law allows at-home testing. There are companies that specialize in selling testing guides with detailed explanations and procedures, which I heartily recommend to everyone. An example is the "UKCA & CE Self-Certification Pack for Soft Toys" from the company Conformance LTD, but there are many others to choose from. 

 

These testing guides explain testing procedures step by step, as well as age-appropriate warnings. In the case of mechanical testing for example, the individual seams of a toy need to be tested with forces of up to 9 Newtons, to make sure a child cannot rip them apart. The toy also undergoes a torque test and an impact test, to make sure there are no small parts that could break and become choking hazards for a child. After the mechanical tests, flammability tests are meant to measure the burning rate of the toy. Since children might not have fast reflexes, the toy needs to have a slow burn rate. In case it happens to catch fire, the child must have enough time to notice and get away safely. 

 

Finally, the chemical testing - which is perhaps the most difficult to fulfill. In the case of toys, every outer fabric must be tested and be free from harmful substances - such as flame retardants or heavy metals. Even in small quantities, these can be harmful for children. The EN71-3 standard is intended to ensure that if a toy component ends up in a child's stomach, it will not unleash harmful chemicals that hurt the child. As we know, many children like to chew on their little companions, so swallowing pieces of fabric is a very likely scenario. The EN71-3 standard can be fulfilled either by testing your fabrics yourself in a laboratory, or by buying fabrics from suppliers that certify them and provide you with the proof. Every material from the cotton fabrics down to the sewing threads must fulfill this chemical standard. As buyers of handmade toys, always pay attention to what you buy. If your seller makes toys using fabrics from an unknown source, or does not provide a CE-marked toy, then the toy is legally considered a collector's item and is only appropriate for children over 14 years old.

 

And, finally, always pay attention to safety warnings on the tags attached to your toys. In some cases, toys can be intended for older children, above 3 years old - which is also the case of my dolls. Makers are legally obligated to make these age warnings visible at the point of sale, and also put them on tags attached to the toy.