In July 2021, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) filed a complaint against Amazon over the sale of hazardous products, including 24,000 carbon monoxide detectors and 400,000 hair dryers that failed to protect users from shock and electrocution. As a...
Regulatory Compliance
US Law Label Requirements: What do Stuffed Goods Importers Need to Know?
If you've ever bought a pillow or mattress in the United States, you may have noticed the tag that states, "Under Penalty of Law This Tag Not to Be Removed Except by the Consumer." This tag is known as a law label, and it is required on a variety of stuffed goods. Are...
RoHS 1 vs. RoHS 2 vs. RoHS 3: What’s the Difference Between Them?
In July 2020, Nikon Corporation had to recall about 150 units of its Nikon F6 film camera after finding that it contained levels of dibutyl phthalate (DBP), which exceeded the amount allowed by the European Union’s RoHS directive. Importers who ship electrical and...
Furniture Regulations in the USA: 5 Important Sets of Regulations
If you are looking to import and sell furniture in the USA, you need to know the various regulations governing this industry. Like many other consumer products, substandard furniture can cause injury and even death. To prevent such occurrences, the U.S. Consumer...
CPSIA Compliance: What Children’s Product Importers Need to Know
In the early 2000s, parents rarely paid attention to the potential health risks of store-bought toys and children's products. Many were comfortable with purchasing these seemingly harmless items without even a second thought. Not after 2007! 2007 marks the year of a...
REACH vs RoHS: What Should You Understand About Each?
One of the challenges of managing compliance for a consumer product brand is the ever-changing body of directives and regulations that might apply to your products. Importing non-compliant products from countries like China, Vietnam, or India can lead to costly...
How Can Product Importers Verify Raw Material Quality?
Are you concerned about the quality of the raw materials your manufacturer is using? Low-quality materials make your products more likely to break or wear out prematurely — and if they contain hazardous substances, they might end up violating federal safety standards....
What You Need to Know About Reasonable Testing Programs
No one wants to import a product into the US and then find out that it has been deemed unsafe by the authorities—or worse—has actually injured someone. Imagine that you purchase an order of adult sweatshirts from a manufacturer in Cambodia and have them shipped to...
How to Avoid Customs Delays and Ensure Timely Shipments
Why is my shipment stuck at customs? It’s a question that many importers find themselves asking at one time or another. A container filled with goods that need to get to your customer’s warehouse ends up delayed at the port and you have to figure out the reason. Your...
How are Consumers Actually Using Your Product? (AHFA Summit Takeaways)
Earlier this month, we attended the AHFA (American Home Furnishings Alliance) Regulatory Summit in Colfax, North Carolina. At the summit, a number of topics were discussed. And although this was a furniture industry summit, there were some key takeaways that are...