Everything you need to know about importing toys into the usa

Alpha science toys, as a China manufacturer of educational toys, faces a diverse global market and clientele, and the largest market for children's educational toys comes from the U.S. Again, our Chinese counterparts, know that importing and reselling foreign-made toys for sale in the U.S. can be very lucrative, but your products must be tested, approved and certified to be legal for sale in the U.S.

If you want to start importing toys or children's products into the US and make sure your shipments are safe and legal, you've come to the right place - Alpha science toys have prepared such a professional article specifically for small to medium-sized customers in the US, so read on to learn everything you need to know.

Alpha science toys In this article, we'll look at the safety and certification rules for children's toys and children's products sold in the US, and what you need to do to comply with these rules to avoid big fines!

Who regulates children's toys imported into the United States?

The CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act) regulates children's toys and children's products sold in the United States and is part of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The agency requires children's toys and children's products to have a Children's Product Certificate or CPC in order to be legally imported and sold in the United States.

What is classified as a children's toy or children's product?

CPSIA regulations do not just apply to toys - they apply to all products designed for children 12 years of age or younger. This means that in addition to children's toys, a wide range of other goods, including children's clothing, furniture, fashion accessories, passenger cars, and hobby and sports equipment, such as children's fishing rods and soccer balls, also fall under the CPSIA.

If a product is intended for children to play with or use in any context, it is classified as a toy or children's product. If you are not sure if the product you want to import is classified as a children's toy/children's product, the CPSC guidelines can make it easier for importers and resellers to understand.

Is the item you are purchasing advertised as suitable or suitable for children 12 years of age or younger?

Is the merchandise presented on the packaging suitable or appropriate for use or play by children 12 years of age or younger?

Does the retail display of the merchandise (or online retailer) present it as suitable or appropriate for children 12 years of age or younger?

Is the product commonly perceived as a toy or something designed primarily for children 12 years of age or younger?

If the answer to any of these four questions is "yes," then your product is considered a toy or children's product and must comply with CPSIA regulations.

What are the different categories of children's toys?

Children's toys or children's products sold in the United States are subject to different levels of safety regulation, depending on the age of the child they are intended for or designed for. The younger the child, the stricter the rules.

Children's educational toys or children's products designed for children 3 years of age or younger (infants) have the most stringent rules, followed by toys or products designed for children 3-5 years of age (toddlers). Educational toys or products designed for children 6-12 years of age are the last categories with slightly less stringent regulations because older children are better able to protect themselves and are less likely to swallow or chew their toys.

Children's toys and children's products are divided into age groups in this manner to ensure that very young children are protected from additional risks such as potential choking hazards or the toxic effects of putting toys and other products in their mouths.

CPSIA Regulations

To legally import children's toys or children's products for sale in the United States, products must comply with CPSIA regulations, which depend on the importer when it comes to children's toys that are imported from abroad and not manufactured in the United States. In order to comply with CPSIA regulations, there are several steps you must take before you can sell your product in the United States.

Your product must comply with all relevant safety regulations, be lab tested to prove this, and have a tracking label on the packaging and possibly the product itself. Your shipments must also have a Children's Product Certificate at the time of import, indicating that they are approved for sale in the United States.

Labeling requirements for different types of children's toys

All children's toys and children's products sold in the U.S. must have a Children's Product Certificate to be legal (see below for more on this), and there are regulations for labeling children's products and children's toys.

Tracking Labels

Tracking labels must be affixed to the packaging of the product and, if possible, to the actual toy or product itself. Tracking labels are an important part of the legal importation and sale of children's toys, and the CPSIA outlines what is required on a tracking label.

To be compliant, the tracking label must show.

The date and place of manufacture of the product.

The lot number or other identification showing the lot or assembly line, and any other markings that the manufacturer may need to be able to later trace the origin of the product, such as which factory made it, or which lot the product came from for a particular order. This is so that any product failures or recalls can be traced quickly and accurately.

Imported products also need to have a tracking label that shows details of the importer, including their business address and contact information, as well as information about the materials used in the product.

If you intend to sell stuffed toys in Ohio, Massachusetts or Pennsylvania, or if you sell online and ship to these states, you will also need to follow local licensing and labeling regulations. You can click on the links for each state for more information or check with the relevant chamber of commerce.

Additional labeling rules for infant and toddler products

In addition to tracking labels, children's toys and products designed for infants and toddlers (children 5 years of age and younger) must have a product registration card at the time of sale.

The product registration card must be fixed to the product itself and show.

The name and contact information of the manufacturer.

The date of manufacture of the product.

The product's model name and lot number, and any other relevant identifiers.

It must include a prepaid shipping label for the buyer to use in the event of optional product registration and recall.

Buyers must have the option to enter their contact information on the card and register their purchase, and the card should also give buyers the option to register their details online, rather than mailing back the card.

Importers should keep a record of registered buyers for use in the event of future product recalls.

Choking hazard labels

If your children's toys or children's products are very small or contain small parts, such as marbles, balls, balloons, beads, etc., they also need to be clearly labeled with a warning to indicate that they may pose a choking hazard and to indicate the age range of children for which they are safe.

The requirements for choking hazard labeling are as follows.

If the product or toy is intended for children 3-6 years of age and contains small parts, it must be labeled as a choking hazard due to the small size of the parts and is not suitable for children under 3 years of age.

If the product consists of a ball less than 1.75 inches in diameter and is intended for children 3 years of age or older, it must be labeled as a choking hazard due to the small size of the ball and is not intended for children under 3 years of age.

If the product contains a small ball and is intended for children 3-8 years of age, it must be labeled as a choking hazard due to the small ball and is not intended for children under 3 years of age.

If the product is a balloon or contains a balloon and is intended for children 12 years of age or younger, it must be labeled as a choking hazard and include the following language." Children under the age of 8 may choke or suffocate on an uninflated or broken balloon. Adult supervision is required. Keep uninflated balloons away from children. Discard broken balloons immediately."

If the product is a marble and is intended for children 3 years of age or older, it must be labeled as a choking hazard and state "This toy is a marble. Not suitable for children under 3 years of age."

If the product contains marbles and is intended for children 3-8 years of age, it must be labeled as a choking hazard and state "Toy contains marbles. Not suitable for children under 3 years of age."

Product Testing Rules for Toys Imported into the U.S.

All children's toys and children's products sold in the United States - regardless of where they are manufactured - must be tested by a third party before they can be sold and receive a Children's Product Certificate before they can be legally sold.

Importers or manufacturers also can't just choose a lab to test their products; you must use one of the CPSC-accredited labs.

Product testing ensures that children's toys are safe for the age group of children they are intended for, that they do not contain small parts or pose a choking hazard to children of that age, and that the products do not contain any potentially toxic or hazardous substances.

Make sure you choose a manufacturer or supplier that offers children's toys and children's products that comply with CPSC rules - otherwise, you may find yourself doing business with a company that cannot produce goods to U.S. standards. When you visit or contact a China educational toy manufacturer, consider only those that produce CPSIA-compliant products and can show evidence of this.

This can be more complicated if you have a supplier make it from scratch for you rather than buying goods already manufactured for the U.S. market, but by following a few simple guidelines, you can avoid getting caught out and making an expensive mistake.

Have your China educational toy manufacturer provide you with a replica of the toy or product, using the exact same materials, finishes, and production methods as the finished product, before it goes into production. Was this sample tested and approved before it was approved for production? Your full production campaign will also require batch testing later, but testing the sample first helps ensure that you don't commission a full batch that can't pass the test.

When it comes to batch testing - testing samples of the exact product you will sell - choose your samples, don't let your supplier pick them for you. The samples you test must be identical to the product you will be selling, so they should be randomly selected - not specially designed or made for testing.

What is the testing of children's toys and children's products?

Children's toys and children's products will be tested to ensure that they do not contain prohibited substances, are not highly flammable, are durable, and do not pose a choking hazard or another potential risk.

The CPSIA has established rules to limit the number of certain types of heavy metals and chemicals used in the manufacture of children's toys and children's products that may be dangerous or harmful to children. Different types of phthalates, a common plasticizer used in children's toys, are limited to the following amounts in all types of toys

DEHP: 0.1%

DBP: 0.1%.

BBP 0.1%.

And for toys that children may put in their mouths, the following types of phthalates are also restricted

DINP: 0.1%

DIDP 0.1%

DnOP: 0.1%.

Another restricted substance is lead, which is commonly used in paints and coatings. No children's toy or part of a toy that a child may handle can contain more than 0.009% lead on the surface or exterior.

When your products are tested, they will be rejected if any of these substances are found to be present at levels higher than those allowed.

If your children's toys or children's products are intended for infants (children under the age of 3), they must meet the standards of the Small Parts Regulations in order to receive a Children's Product Certificate. This applies to things like pacifiers, rattles, cribs, and anything else designed for babies and toddlers.

The Small Parts Regulation is designed to prevent the risk of choking, and products for children under the age of 3 are tested with a lumen that is approximately the diameter of a very small child's throat. If the product or one of its parts enters the lumen completely, it is considered a choking hazard and will be prohibited from being sold for use with children under 3 years of age.

CPC Certification for Children's Toys and Children's Products

After your product has passed laboratory testing, it must be accompanied by a Children's Product Certificate (CPC) drafted by the importer before it can be legally imported for sale in the United States. This, along with the product labeling rules we outlined earlier, constitute the rules covering the legal sale of children's products and children's toys in the United States.

The importer of the goods is responsible for providing a Children's Product Certificate for their shipment, which must accompany all children's toys and children's products entering the United States.

The children's toy certificate must show all of the following

The identifying details of the product for which the certificate is intended.

The exact rules and regulations that apply to the product, such as the need for testing and, for small parts or toys and products for young children, the small parts regulations.

Details of the importer of the certified product.

Contact details of the person who keeps the records of the product test results, who is usually the importer.

The location and date of the manufacturer of the product.

The location and date of product testing.

Details of the approved testing facility that conducted the product testing for certification.

Case Study: A magnetic building block toy

To make it easier for you to understand the entire process required to legally import and sell children's toys, we have developed a case study to help you.

If you want to import and sell this product (a set of magnetic building block toys for children ages 3 and up) through Amazon, we will show you the steps required to legally import and sell this children's toy in the United States.

The product is designed for children ages 3 and up - so the additional regulations for importing products for children under the age of 5 come into play here. From start to finish, here are the steps to follow。

Step one. The rules your children's toys must follow

First, determine the rules and regulations that will apply to your children's toys. For these magnetic building blocks, these are.

Laboratory testing for safety and material compliance.

Tracking label requirements.

Product registration labeling as the children's toy is designed for toddlers.

Issuance of a Children's Product Certificate (CPC).

Finding a manufacturer or supplier for toys that meet CPSIA regulations.

For brand new products, require a replica to be provided and tested before full production begins to ensure that you do not find yourself in possession of an entire batch of children's toys that will not be legally marketable.

Step two. Find a professional lab for testing

Find a CPSC-accredited lab to test your children's toys to ensure they meet regulations regarding phthalates, lead and heavy metals, flammability, and suitability for the 3+ age group.

Contact the lab directly to confirm that they can test your toys for compliance with these regulations.

Find out how many samples the lab needs and how to send them for testing. It's also a good idea to ask how long the test will take.

From the bulk of children's toys you are importing, select some random samples for testing and package them with all the information required by the lab you contact, such as your contact details as the test applicant, the product name and, if possible, other information such as what the toy is made of.

Send these samples to the lab of your choice on the CPSC list. When they have been tested and passed, the lab will return a completed test report to you indicating that the children's toy has passed.

An example of the product test certificate you will receive from the lab is shown below.

Step Three. Tracking product labels for children's toys

Draft a tracking label for children's toys that shows.

The location and date of manufacture of the children's toy.

The lot number or production cycle of the children's toy, or any other information that would help the manufacturer trace individual toys back to a specific factory or production cycle in the event of a malfunction or recall.

Details of you as the importer of the product, including your business address and contact information, and a summary of the material of the product, in this case, ABS plastic and metal.

The tracking label is then affixed to the packaging of each toy and, if possible, to each child's toy itself.

Example of a tracking label.

Step Four. Children's toy product registration card

Since your children's toys are made for young children (ages 3 and up), they must also have a product registration card. The information to be written on the card is.

The name and contact details of the manufacturer of the educational toy in China.

The date of manufacture of the children's toy.

The lot number, model name, and any other details used to identify that particular toy.

A prepaid shipping label with the buyer's contact information so that the buyer can register their purchase if they wish, or use them in the event of a product recall.

Detailed instructions on how the buyer can register their purchase online if they wish, without the need to mail in a registration card.

Such product registration cards should be attached to or affixed to the children's toys themselves.

You should have a system in place to record the details of buyers who register their purchases with you in case of a future product recall.

Step 5. Children's Product Certificate

Finally, you must issue a Children's Product Import Certificate for your toy, which shows the following

Details of the children's toy itself (description).

The regulations that apply to the product, such as the product tests your children's toy will undergo.

Details of the importer of the product you are certifying.

Contact details of the person or office holding the test results for your product - usually yourself.

The location and date of manufacture of the children's toy.

The location and date of product testing.

Details of the laboratory that tested and passed the children's toy as safe and legal.

Make sure the Children's Product Certificate accompanies your imported toy - your shipping agent also has a copy of the lab test results for reference upon arrival in the US.

Below is an example of a compliant children's product certificate for magnetic blocks.

What happens if you violate CPSIA regulations?

CPSIA regulations are designed to ensure consumer safety and that children's toys and children's products do not pose a hazard or risk to the health of children. These rules are very strictly enforced, and violating any part of them can result in heavy fines.

After all, violating the rules can put children's lives at risk, and it's something everyone should take seriously.

If your products are not tested, properly labeled and certified, you could find yourself facing hefty fines of up to $100,000 per violation, as well as criminal prosecution that could result in forfeiture of your assets and see you face up to five years of jail time.

To avoid fines, penalties and prosecution yourself, it's really important to make sure that your products are not only safe for children, but also properly tested, labeled and certified, and legal to sell in the United States.

It's important to know exactly what is required of you before attempting to import children's toys into the U.S. - if you are unsure if the product you plan to import is suitable for resale in the U.S. or need help meeting compliance requirements, please leave a comment or contact us and we'll be happy to help.

Alpha science toys as an excellent China educational toy manufacturer, our products all meet the U.S. toy safety inspection standards, each product is able to pass the U.S. toy safety test testing to obtain product reports, for the U.S. Wal-Mart, Target to provide high-quality children's science experiment toy products, and has won the U.S. market praise and praise, we also for different brands of If you want to sell quality children's science experiment toys in the United States and want to customize your own products and brands, we can provide you with quality OEM and ODM services to make your products safe and high quality and help you get the highest sales, I believe we will be able to send the best products to the major platforms in the hot list, so that the United States children Enjoy the help of science experiment toys, enjoy the fun of it, to achieve a win-win wonderful situation.