A ban on handmade clothing????
As of February 10, a new law will ban the resale of used clothing or toys for children aged 12 and under unless it is tested for content of lead and phthalates (phthalates are chemicals used to make plastics more pliable).
Um, whaaat????
Okay, I'm sure whoever wrote this ridiculous law (and the idiots that passed it) were filled with good intentions.
But at what cost?
In addition to thousands of thrift stores not knowing what to do with donations, this law would also impact small businesses who cannot afford the thousands of dollars required for testing, as well as crafty moms who make extra cash selling handmade clothing and toys on Etsy or eBay.
In dire economic times, what families need is an opportunity to save money on necessities like clothing, and to be able to purchase them on ebay, or Goodwill, or garage sales.
Too, the last thing our landfills need is a huge quantity of toys and clothing.
What about people who love and collect vintage items?
And isn't the source for most of the lead stuff from China anyway? How about fining the source instead?
Must the government moderate our every move?
If you feel you must, print a big frickin' label on something with a warning it might contain lead for goodness sake.
Funny how the generation before us seemed to survive perfectly well, thank you very much, with lead in everything from their dishes to the paint on their walls.
I am so tired of being 'protected' from everything.
read more here
It looks like some voices are being heard, and eBay may still be acceptable at this point
see exemptions that are being considered, here, and here.
Please write and call your local representatives and complain about this stupidity.
Um, whaaat????
Okay, I'm sure whoever wrote this ridiculous law (and the idiots that passed it) were filled with good intentions.
But at what cost?
In addition to thousands of thrift stores not knowing what to do with donations, this law would also impact small businesses who cannot afford the thousands of dollars required for testing, as well as crafty moms who make extra cash selling handmade clothing and toys on Etsy or eBay.
In dire economic times, what families need is an opportunity to save money on necessities like clothing, and to be able to purchase them on ebay, or Goodwill, or garage sales.
Too, the last thing our landfills need is a huge quantity of toys and clothing.
What about people who love and collect vintage items?
And isn't the source for most of the lead stuff from China anyway? How about fining the source instead?
Must the government moderate our every move?
If you feel you must, print a big frickin' label on something with a warning it might contain lead for goodness sake.
Funny how the generation before us seemed to survive perfectly well, thank you very much, with lead in everything from their dishes to the paint on their walls.
I am so tired of being 'protected' from everything.
read more here
It looks like some voices are being heard, and eBay may still be acceptable at this point
see exemptions that are being considered, here, and here.
Please write and call your local representatives and complain about this stupidity.
Labels: news
4 Comments:
What the...?!? Ok, that is incredibly weak! How poorly thought out is that?!? That a) negates all of the clothing I was planning on making and selling on Etsy, and B) f*cks how I buy mu clothes for my 4 year old daughter! So instead of putting the responsibility on manufacturers of garments (and by this I am going all the way back to textile/materials suppliers), we're going to fill our landfills and screw over struggling families any more? And what about shelters? Does that mean they won't be able to accept used clothing donations anymore either?!? Damn, that makes me MAD!
Oh dear. It feels like there were scares mainly from China and now the US is using a lump hammer to smash an egg.
It sounds like this legislation needs some tweaking before it is implemented.
A lot of Etsy people are now worried about selling things for children to the US as this legislationis so out of step with the rest of the world.
Barbara, you must have the same f---wits making your laws as we have here. I just can't understand how they keep getting voted back in. Why don't you start a campaign protesting against this stupid law? All it would take is a separate blog with an appropriate name, and encourage like-minded people to post their comments on it.
According to Forbes.com, it passed in the Senate 89 to 3 and it passed in the House 424 to 1. (Ron Paul was the only one who voted against it in the House.) Interesting. I did read an update from Etsy that someone linked on Facebook. http://www.etsy.com/storque/craftivism/cpsia-exemption-announcement-resources-action-items-3188/
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