can't resell kids items? - Page 2

[stickywicket67]

Originally Posted by Grylliade

And thus signals the end of some of the few places I trust buying toys and clothing items for my son.

exactly! i have a lot of friends that make and sell children's products. there is a huge forum on Etsy about it. it's devastating to their businesses.

it's a really stupid misguided law brought about by people over reacting to lead paint. yes. i get it. lead paint should not be on children's toys. lead is a toxic substance. but the backlash in this country from the cases of lead paint on a handful of toys is absolutely ridiculous. people want the government to legislate common sense and personal accountability. it's infuriating.

i run a small family owned shop. i had a customer ask me if a Christmas ornament had lead in it. a fragile glass Christmas ornament. not intended for children. shouldn't she have been worried about a child cutting themselves on the thing before she worried about a child eating it?
so frustratingly stupid.

the lead paint/toy brouhaha is so minor compared to what our children are supposed to have injected into their bodies at every well baby visit. (eyes rolling to the very back of my head.) sorry i had to go there.

[SAHDS]

No more thrift shops??? No more Value Village???

[stickywicket67]

Originally Posted by grniys

That would be true if it weren't for the wording of the act. The need for testing for lead levels is currently retroactive. The word retroactive is key.

Yes, I firmly believe the intention of the law was targeted at newly manufactured items, but that's not the way it's worded. And it has to be interpreted and enforced based on it's wording.

It may or may not get an exemption.

From what I've heard a lot of resell shops have no clue this is going on.

And yes, some local news stations around the country have covered this. There was an article about it in Mothering, if I recall correctly. The thing is, so many people are concentrating on the good aspects they're not realizing the huge effects it'll have because of how it's worded.

i just went on the NARTS website there is not a word about it on there and they post recall stuff on there all the time. i don't know what to think. i doubt there will be federal investigators closing down thrift and consignment shops across America.

the law is not being as widely reported as i would expect for as devastating to small business as it will be.

[grniys]

Here's an article about it. And it quotes NARTS.

http://www.tampabays10.com/news/most...4&provider=top

[Ruthla]

This law needs to exclude resale and only apply to newly manufactured items.

And, IMO, there should be an exception for businesses that produce less than a certain amount of products per year. This is the real problem with the proposed law- that it's an unfair burdon on small businesses that have never used toxic substances in the first place.

I'm still wondering if there will be loopholes allowing small toy manufacturers to market their items as "collectibles" rather than "toys" and continue to sell their products.

[bmcneal]

Originally Posted by stickywicket67

i just went on the NARTS website there is not a word about it on there and they post recall stuff on there all the time. i don't know what to think. i doubt there will be federal investigators closing down thrift and consignment shops across America.

the law is not being as widely reported as i would expect for as devastating to small business as it will be.

I am on the mailing list of one of the recall/warning lists, and I haven't heard anything about it. Nothing on any of the news channels here, nothing in the newspapers, NOTHING until I saw this thread. I am just suprised that there is very little being reported about it. (I think I x-posted with the person who initially gave the link to the activism thread.)

[stickywicket67]

Here's an article about it. And it quotes NARTS.

http://www.tampabays10.com/news/most...4&provider=top

thanks! for the NARTS link. i did some more research...

that article was from a year ago.

here's a follow up shortly after.
http://www.tampabays10.com/news/colu...96355&catid=79

still a scary dumb law.

[Flor]

http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/Home

http://nationalbankruptcyday.com/

http://www.playthings.com/article/CA6620437.html
and there is facebook group.

(I haven't heard specifically about resell, this is just general info).

[LeighB]

I can't get any of the links to work right now because I'm using the internet on my phone. But am I understanding that I will no longer be allowed to buy used clothing for my child? How on earth are families going to afford basic items for their children?

[stickywicket67]

Originally Posted by bmcneal

I am on the mailing list of one of the recall/warning lists, and I haven't heard anything about it. Nothing on any of the news channels here, nothing in the newspapers, NOTHING until I saw this thread. I am just suprised that there is very little being reported about it. (I think I x-posted with the person who initially gave the link to the activism thread.)

i feel the same.
i think we need to be concerned about the law and be pro-active as much as we can to help keep our small handmade businesses going in this country.
i don't think it helps to have misinformation going on.

[grniys]

Originally Posted by stickywicket67

thanks! for the NARTS link. i did some more research...

that article was from a year ago.

here's a follow up shortly after.
http://www.tampabays10.com/news/colu...96355&catid=79

still a scary dumb law.

Julie Vallese is the Director of Public Affairs and she said, "If it is a one-of-a-kind product, those stores [consignment, thrift] will not need to test."

So, consignment shops are in the clear. That would not be the case for larger thrift stores that actually buy more than one-of-a-kind.

So... used, one of a kind bibs or custom made wooden ducks are ok. Used, largely manufactured children's clothes aren't.

[Drummer's Wife]

:

[Flor]

2 of the 3 thrift stores in my town stopped selling toys after the recalls last year. They said they don't have the staff to be sure they aren't selling recalled items.

[stickywicket67]

Originally Posted by grniys

So... used, one of a kind bibs or custom made wooden ducks are ok. Used, largely manufactured children's clothes aren't.

what i think it means is that consignment stores and thrift stores get single items from consignors/donators. in other words- "one of a kind".

often big thrift stores buy new items in job lots from manufacturers or in the case of a consignment shop some will supplement their used inventory with new socks, tights and barrettes. those are not considered "one of a kind" items as they are bought in bulk quantities and they are placed on the floor and sold as new.

in the article Goodwill says that those products make up only 10% of their kids merch. i took that to mean that they aren't concerned how the law effects the majority of the stuff on their racks -largely manufactured used clothing and toys.

very confusing indeed.

[NettleTea]

Originally Posted by LeighB

But am I understanding that I will no longer be allowed to buy used clothing for my child? How on earth are families going to afford basic items for their children?

:


I love buying used clothes for my son. There are so many reasons why buying used is better than buying new:

1. Better selection
2. Better for the environment (recycling, etc)
3. Better for health (most new clothes have pesticides in the cotton and/or other chemicals in the fabric until they have been washed at least 3-4 times. However, this wouldn't apply to every used clothing item since some are still in fairly new condition)
4. Better priced
5. It's more fun

There are probably other reasons that could be added to that list.

[mommy68]

I've heard many people in my homeschool group talking about this in the last couple of months. A lot of people make and sell items and I feel for them if it affects them.

I didn't think this applied to clothing? I thought it only applied to items that are made that could have lead in them? I'm confused.

[ryansma]

:

[ElliesMomma]

i guess it's true

i saw this ad on craigslist free section:
We are in the process of closing a kids resale shop due to a recent law passed by congress. The law requires all children's toys and clothing for sale must be tested for lead and phthalates and we just can't afford to do that, so we will just close shop and move on.

There is a large amount of gently used clothing and toys for all ages, as well as some furniture items.

Everything left in the store will be disposed as per tax reasons. However, if you are a bonded and insured contractor or mover, we will allow you to "dispose" of these items for us, as long as it is of no cost or liability to us. You will be required to move and clean the space.

Please ONLY RESPOND if you meet these requirements. The garbage company will be called sometime mid-month, and we will just be filling our dumpsters each collection until then, so sooner the better. I will only respond to some.


...............................

so, i guess it's true.

going in the dumpster? all across america?

to me, it sounds like the american *people* are being punished for the lead put into children's products by greedy *corporations*.

i'm beyond words.

[~savah~]

Originally Posted by mommy68

I've heard many people in my homeschool group talking about this in the last couple of months. A lot of people make and sell items and I feel for them if it affects them.

I didn't think this applied to clothing? I thought it only applied to items that are made that could have lead in them? I'm confused.

The law applies to anythingintended to be used by children under the age of 12. This includes toys, clothing, diapers, bedding etc. It is not just about the lead, manufacturers must also test for phalates. And on a side note The Childrens Place had a recall a couple of months back because some of their clothing had lead paint the design, so it is not unheard of that clothing does have lead paint in it.

[Flor]

Originally Posted by ElliesMomma

i saw this ad on craigslist free section:
We are in the process of closing a kids resale shop due to a recent law passed by congress. The law requires all children's toys and clothing for sale must be tested for lead and phthalates and we just can't afford to do that, so we will just close shop and move on.

There is a large amount of gently used clothing and toys for all ages, as well as some furniture items.

Everything left in the store will be disposed as per tax reasons. However, if you are a bonded and insured contractor or mover, we will allow you to "dispose" of these items for us, as long as it is of no cost or liability to us. You will be required to move and clean the space.

Please ONLY RESPOND if you meet these requirements. The garbage company will be called sometime mid-month, and we will just be filling our dumpsters each collection until then, so sooner the better. I will only respond to some.


...............................

so, i guess it's true.

going in the dumpster? all across america?

to me, it sounds like the american *people* are being punished for the lead put into children's products by greedy *corporations*.

i'm beyond words.

that is so sad. And, as far as Goodwill only worried about 10% of their merch, they are one of the stores locally that stopped selling used toys. The only childrens items ours carries are clothes and new stuff from Target overstock.

Did you see my post above about European toymakers pulling out of the American market? I'm so sad because the companies that I don't trust (big ones making stuff in China) are the ones who can afford to pay for this testing. The places that I trust to make my toys (grandmas at art markets, small american/european toy companies, Etsy) are the ones who are going to go out of business. I think we are going to be stuck with Toys R Us.