Closing Business- What do I do with the raw materials?

[Sarah R]

I absolutely agree with you, JC.

That said, I think the risk is teeny tiny when you're giving stuff away to family. I seriously doubt my sister in law, for example, is going to take items I give her kids and have them tested for lead content and then further make sure I get into trouble with federal law if they're found to be in excess of the law.

The risk is even smaller if one has a reasonable basis on which to believe that their items do not contain lead in excess of the law.

[J C Sprowls]

That's not what I'm trying to get at.

I agree that enforcing the types of scenarios you talk about is unlikely because of a variety of reasons.

If enforced as written - yeah, yeah... I just got done saying it probably won't be enforced to fullest extent - if enforced as written, your civil liberties are in jeopardy. Consumer, Manufacturer, Contractor - all of you.

Why is this not infuriating to you?

[Guest]

[J C Sprowls]

I don't know if it's ignorance or just poor communication. When I worked in retail, the managers received an inter-office envelope once a week - it was HUGE! In terms of corporate email, it would amount to probably 50 messages a day plus all the replies from goofuses who don't think before using 'reply all'.

In any event. The problem might be that word hasn't gotten down to the store mgmt level because the legislation is a cluster. It's probably being held at a higher level (e.g. the Buyers' office) and will be communicated in 20-second sound bytes to the mgmt level when a determination has been made.

All the same. Any communication that does not point people to the CPSC website is performing a huge disservice. And, if citizens don't care enough to read the laws they've voted in (by virtue of selecting public officials) they're being silly. The sweeping assumption that anyone can represent your best interests bothers me to no end. For the most part, they do the best job they can. But, that doesn't mean we shouldn't manage them.

[Sarah R]

JC, it does infuriate me. But I've noticed that sitting around being furious does little beyond raise my blood pressure and make me miserable.

[Aria]

JC, it infuriates me too. When I started talking about this via my blog in December, I was told I was giving in to fear-mongering about the law and asked didn't I care about keeping kids safe, that a bit of rise in costs is worth keeping kids safe, and wouldn't affect as many people as I was claiming. Those people didn't seem to understand that this law is extremely far-reaching, with potential to extend to adult items kids come into contact with (the couch, the fork little ones put into their mouths, etc.). I don't know how to make people who don't craft children's items understand understand that this law will not only force businesses out of business in an economy with a job shortage as it is, but may force the neglect of children as people snap up what's in thrift stores, leaving others to try to afford higher costs at stores, and already so many have a hard time affording costs now. Forcing the kids to wear shoes two sizes too small because new ones can't be afforded at higher costs isn't exactly keeping them safer.

[Pixie]

It's also my understanding that it's not what we as crafters believe is suitable for kids, but what the government says could be used for kids. (Please correct me if I'm wrong, because this is an issue with me.) When I crochet hats, really, an 8 year old's head is usually nearly adult size. The difference in my designs is maybe a stitch. And I design with give so wear lasts longer. Plus I make earred hats for kids equally as often as I do for adults. Seriously. I live in Austin where anything different is very hip and I sell to a lot of fun loving people out there. My items are "inner child" inspired on purpose. It's what's unique about what I do. Potentially anything I make could be for a child. And with that in mind with those restrictions, even "adult" shirts with Mickey Mouse on them, would be considered regulated as a kids' item because kids like Mickey Mouse and it's not considered primarily an adult thing. Take any comic book character, etc.. Have you seen 11 year olds these days? I know several larger than me and I'm just 5'.