Snowflakes

Our snow had been melting, but this week we got another storm, so it's white everywhere again, and it's inspired me to do a treasury of snowflakes.

as always, each photo links to the listing

Urging Component Testing

If you go here, you can fill in the blanks to urge our legislators to amend the law to require component testing rather than finished-product testing. I personally feel that this is a logical solution.
Here is what I wrote:

As a small-business owner at http://lilbees.etsy.com , I am doing my best to contact original manufacturers and ensure that the compents of my products have been tested. Many of these companies say that they are not making their material for children, so it's not their problem, and they are not testing. I beg to differ--a product such as elastic could be used in clothing for a person of any age! Testing is much easier at the earliest stages--if the elastic is safe, then it is safe for everyone. If it is not safe, then does anyone over 12 really want to be using it anyway?!

Adopting component level testing and certification would significantly strengthen the consumer product safety system and lead to cost effective compliance, especially for small businesses. I use the same few fabrics and supplies to make a variety of items--if I can know that all my supplies are safe, then I can know that all of my cloth diapers are safe--even if I make different sizes or styles of diapers.
Do you realize that, as the law now stands, I can make two diapers out of the SAME PIECE of fabric, but if one is a size large and one is a size small then they are considered different products and subject to separate testing? That is illogical to the extreme. That is why I urge you to amend the law for component testing rather than final-product testing.

Component level testing and certification leads to a more sustainable product safety regime. With component testing, Safety can be engineered into children’s products from the beginning. The safest products are those designed with safe components and not those where safety is verified as an afterthought.

Tuesday Tip: It's in the Tag

What's this tag thing anyway? I see there's space for 14 of them, but 14? How am I supposed to come up with 14 keywords about my item?

The default search option on etsy is to search "Item titles and tags," so that means that any word that appears in the title is already being searched, so you don't need to repeat it in your tags. But what should you put in your tags?

• Additional words that describe your item: red, blue, squares, hearts, monkeys, strips
• Words that describe who the item is for: baby, mother, boy, gender neutral
• Words that describe purposes for the item: baby shower, bridal, wedding, stocking stuffer
• Words that describe characteristics of the item: eco friendly, upcycled
• Words that describe categories your item fits into: shabby chic, romantic, rustic
  
• Team tags

I especially recommend using team tags, because many team members like to buy from and/or feature their teammates in treasuries, so if you use the team tag they will be able to find you! Most teams have a standard tag--if you are not sure what yours is, ask! Etsy has asked that teams use the word 'team' in their tag to make it clear that it is a team tag. As examples, here are the tags for some of my teams: 'mdc team' and 'etsybloggers team' and 'teamecoetsy'

Do your best to fill up all 14 tags, because every tag you use increases your chances of being found in a search! If you don't know what tags to use, try the critiques forum!

By the way, do not use a tag that does not apply specifically to your item. You can be flagged for doing so, and frankly it's just rude because then your non-applicable listing will turn up in other searches and annoy people who are looking for something else. For example, I am a member of the etsyclothdiapers team, but I do not use the diaper team tag for my non-diapering items--it just isn't appropriate.

CPSIA certificates of compliance

So, beginning February 10th, I can continue to sell my products if I can show CPSIA compliance for each of my components (materials--fabric, snaps, etc). As of August I will have to have finished-item testing as well, and I cannot possibly do that, however I have high hopes that the law will be changed by then.
Here are a couple of helpful sources for other people looking for information about their supplies:

• CPSIA Compliant Suppliers blog
• It's possible to get individual MSDS (material data safety sheet)s here
• Etsy forum thread where etsians are sharing their supplier testing info
• TipTopSpot's blog post "Suppliers That Test" (compiled from the info on the etsy thread)
  

In the meantime, I am using this post as a place to post information about which materials I have certificates for, as well as the dates/test ID numbers. I can email you a copy of the actual certificate if you would like to see it.

I will continue to update this post as I acquire the certificates!
Please note that I am working on getting information for all my materials, but those items marked in red are the only ones that I actually use for children's products. I will not be listing diapers with anything for which I don't have testing info. I will continue to use untested materials on menstrual pads, nursing pads, wetbags, knit hats, and other adult-use items.

Fabrite 1ml PUL (nursing pads, most diapers and pads)
Test Date: December 11, 2008
Test ID: 081211-1 thru 081211-5

Fabrite 2ml PUL (wetbags, pads, and some diapers)
Test Date: December 11, 2008
Test ID: 081211-11 thru 081211-15

KAM resin snaps (pads and diapers)
Test Date: October 10, 2008
Test ID: SHAO 032340
Tester: TESTEX Zurich

Touchtape (aka velcro) (diapers)

Stretchrite Elastic (inside diapers)
Rhode Island Textile Company
PO Box 999
Pawtucket, RI 02862
Toll Free: (800) 556-6488
Email: ritextile@ritextile.com

FOE (fold-over-elastic) (wetbags)
manufacturer verifies it's lead-free

A&E Maxi-Lock thread (all products)
certificate of compliance from consumer.homepage@amefird.com
John Eapan sent the certificate (VP of Environmental, Health and Safety)

JoAnn Fabrics Cotton Flannel (pads, nursing pads, and fitted diapers)
all children's section fabrics have been tested--Bob Isman (personal email)
(this means juvenile prints are safe, as are many flannels...I'm continuing to look into this to make sure that my fabrics are within this group) More details available on their website http://www.joann.com

JoAnn Fabrics Polyester Fleece (nursing pads and pantyliners)
Apparently, each store has MSDS sheets for each fabric on file...How helpful these MSDS sheets will be I don't know, but I think they will say whether the fabric contains lead or not. I guess you have to go in in person and ask to see them
If you have your receipts look at the number next to the fabric. If it starts with a 4000, then you can call and get a sheet emailed or faxed to you. The number to call is: 1-800-451-8346
Polartec brand fleece IS tested...so that might be an alternative...

Cotton Velour (diapers and pads)

Suedecloth (diapers and pads)
lead-free according to manufacturer

Microfleece (diapers and pads)

PowderDry (diapers--particularly nighttime ones)

Undyed Hemp Fleece (diapers)

Undyed Cotton Sherpa (diapers)

Undyed Bamboo Velour (diapers and pads)

Hand-Dyed Bamboo Velour (pads only)

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Knit Picks Wool Yarn (knitted items)

Enter my One World One Heart Giveaway!

It's posted on my other blog--comments here will not count, so you have to go over there.


Here's what I'm giving!
A pink hearts cloth menstrual pad!
Pink because it's my favorite color
Something earth-friendly for the 'one world' part
And hearts for the 'one heart' part

I got blogged!

Fellow EtsyBlogger Panoptica linked me this weekend in her blogosphere review (how cool is she?!)
Click the screenshot below to see her original post!

Green Dragon

this is a close-up of the screen print that appears on the t-shirt that I got my husband for Christmas!

My husband's birthday is today (yes, we have a lot of January birthdays around here!) so I thought I'd do a treasury for him... you may recall that our sons are Wolf and Bear...well, they decided that daddy needed something too, so he became Daddy Dragon... His favorite color is green, so today's treasury is full of green dragons!
as always in my treasuries, sellers have given permission to use their photos, and each photo links to the item listing

OOAK (one-of-a-kind) carved jade necklace
"Water Dragon" by WhatNots

(This particular listing is for a pattern to make your own little green dragon...CUTE!
If the dragon itself were for sale it would be endangered by CPSIA)

this fridge magnet has my Hubby's name all over it...he loves cheese!

That's got to be one of the best coat racks I've ever seen

Even a cloth diaper (from a fellow member of the EtsyClothDiapers team!)
This item is endangered by CPSIA