"The following is an open letter regarding the
Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). This Act, which will go into effect on February 10th, 2009, puts forth much more stringent safety measures for products intended for children under the age of 12.
Under the very important auspices of child safety, the Act may have grave unintended consequences: fewer choices for families who are looking for handcrafted alternatives. Many Etsy artists and craftspeople have expressed fears that they won't be able stay in business due to the burdensome cost of testing and certification pursuant to the proposed legislation.
As a venue for handcrafted and vintage items from small entrepreneurs, Etsy has invited the
Ombudsman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to join us in a webchat in our
Virtual Lab. Etsy would very much appreciate the opportunity to provide a forum for discussing the concerns of artisans who make toys and children's products as well as their customers who support handmade products.
We urge members of the Etsy community and anyone concerned with both child safety and conscientious consumption to contact their governmental representatives; ask them to consider how the Act will impact independent craftspeople.
The
office of the CPSC ombudsman: 888-531-9070.Visit the
Handmade Toy Alliance for information about writing your representatives.Over 200,000 artists, crafters and vintage collectors sell their items on
Etsy.com. Many of these artisans make toys and other items for children. Made with love, care, the human touch and—often—all-natural materials, these items bring the consumer marketplace back to a personal level where customers can chat with toy makers and even create custom items for specific needs. Etsy members are part of a larger movement that seeks to creatively provide people across the globe with alternatives to mass-produced goods."
The full article was posted BY ETSY and can be seen here:
storque
Kunklebaby has just opened up a new shop with 1000 Markets. It's a cool, new site for selling handmade. It has a lot of great features. I like the nice modern, clean look of the site. For sellers, it's very easy to navigate and offers shop stats! ( I wish Etsy would do this!) It is also juried which leads to a cohesive look of skilled artisans. 
