Product Safety Regulations Raise Ire of Garment Makers

By JW Yates

New York City, New York

Many fashion industry groups are up in arms over the US Consumer Products Safety Commission’s recent adoption of lead testing requirements which were set to take effect in August 2011. There was such a vocal backlash from leading manufacturing groups, such as the American Apparel & Footwear Association and the National Association of Manufacturers, that the CPSC voted 4-1 to extend the deadline for implementation and enforcement until Dec. 31, 2011. This will give manufacturers of children’s clothing and their representatives time to make a case that the new guidelines are both ineffective and unfair to certain types of garment makers.

In a letter sent to the CPSC, industry groups claim that the Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act of 2008 is vaguely constructed and lacks the kind of clarity necessary for regulations of this sort. Many clothing producers and importers are left wondering how best to comply with the lead testing guidelines. Many are concerned that compliance for some small-scale garment companies may be all but impossible. This letter asserts that, “Small businesses remain at a real disadvantage, being unable to harness scale to reduce their costs and lacking the resources to fully absorb and implement all the complex new rules and regulations.” http://www.apparelnews.net/features/industry_issues/110325-Lead-Content-Remains-Issue-for-CPSIA-Compliance/print

Besides the obvious monetary cost of these tests, garment makers are concerned about the practicality and efficacy of the testing procedures. They say that the limited number of accredited laboratories approved by the CPSC to carry out the tests, as well as the scope of materials and components that must be tested, make the law ineffective and an unfair burden on the makers and importers of children’s products. They say that the CPSC’s vague directions on testing and certification requirements are leading to a chaotic regulatory atmosphere.

The issue is so high on the industry’s radar that the AAFA has decided to host a product safety and chemical management seminar on May 25 at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles. The seminar will provide a CPSIA regulatory update.

To help our partners and clients in the sewn goods and garment industry make sense of this and other regulatory issues, BMS has put together a very informative and timely web seminar titled Product Safety: Strategies for the Garment Industry to take place on Tuesday April 19^th at 11:00 AM EST. This brief discussion, lead by industry expert Myles McPartland, will cover many topics relating to the effects of the CSPIA on manufacturing and the garment supply chain. Please check out the BMS website for more details on how to register or attend this free web event.

April 1, 2011

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