After Feb. 10th there may be no children's clothing in thrift stores

[Blue Diadem]

My daughter just told me about this. I realize lead and chemicals are a problem but I didn't think there was a big problem with clothing. I've always heard about the toys, jewelry, baby furniture and some items of clothing that had puffy plastic type emblems or zipper pulls with lead content.

In this economy, if thrift stores can't afford to test and do indeed have to throw the clothing out, where are the poor people going to buy kids clothing? I've been googling to try to find more information and have come across some people saying this will affect garage sales as well as ebay, craigslist etc, but I haven't found anymore information about the actual law.
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From the Los Angeles Times
New safety rules for children's clothes have stores in a fit. Some owners say the cost of testing for toxic lead and phthalates will shut their businesses. The law goes into effect Feb. 10.

Barring a reprieve, regulations set to take effect next month could force thousands of clothing retailers and thrift stores to throw away trunkloads of children's clothing.

The law, aimed at keeping lead-filled merchandise away from children, mandates that all products sold for those age 12 and younger -- including clothing -- be tested for lead and phthalates, which are chemicals used to make plastics more pliable. Those that haven't been tested will be considered hazardous, regardless of whether they actually contain lead.

"They'll all have to go to the landfill," said Adele Meyer, executive director of the National Assn. of Resale and Thrift Shops.

more at link:
http://www.newsday.com/business/ny-bzkids0102la,0,7628483.story?track=rss

[Donnachaidh]

1. Piss poor regulations on free market merchandise to BEGIN with

and now a big old kick into planned obsolescence -- should be an even bigger boost for Walmart and others that buy tainted shit from China.

Does this legislation slap any fines on the companies that SOLD the bad products in the first place?

[HysteryDiagnosis]

3. Lead, it's not just for breakfast anymore... pass the paint chips, the

cool ranch ones.... meh.

[OregonBlue]

8. You just gave me a really good laugh. Thanks for that one, I needed it.

[Donnachaidh]

14. being a lead paint poisoning survivor, I'm not sure that's funny

But I'll try to see the humor.

I'd still like to see some justice for the kids who have elevated lead, brought to them by Walmart.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

17. Walmart is most likely the largest importer of lead based products

in the U.S. They should give themselves an award. I'd like to know who in the world is LEGALLY still producing lead based paint or anything for that matter.

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

9. I wouldn't be surprised

if it was Walmart (A Celebration of Mediocrity!) behind this whole thing.

This is the most ridiculous thing I've heard . . . today.

[Donnachaidh]

15. planned obsolescence, brought to you from the Government arm

of Walmart USA.

[uppityperson]

2. It seems like this would affect ay store selling kids clothing. Can they afford to test it all?

Can small stores afford to test their clothing? Even those that sell new clothing, or will they get a pass, make manufacturers test?

[dysfunctional press]

25. if the items are new, they probably get some type of certification for entire product runs...

or some other such thing. but when the items are used, as in a thrift store- there's no real way to tell, so each item would have to be tested. and they're going to have a shitload of "hazardous waste" to deal with if they don't change the regs somehow.

[KamaAina]

4. I foresee a growth market (so to speak) in stores catering to people of short stature

or "little people". (The terms "midget" and "dwarf" are in the round file next to "Negro".)

They'd be selling the exact same clothes, of course, merely to people of short stature -- or their friends and acquaintances, who might just possibly happen to have kids. :evilgrin:

[enlightenment]

5. Why are the stores that sell the clothes required to test them?

Shouldn't the manufacturers be the ones required to prove they are safe?

This is ridiculous.

[Blue Diadem]

13. That law will affect children's products for both manufacturers and stores.

In reading at the links I posted below and I read that any remaining unsold untested inventory can't be sold or distributed by the manufacturers.

I didn't find anything about clothing in the parts I read. I was reading about infant products, toys etc.

[dysfunctional press]

26. i think it's mostly a concern of stores that sell used items...

new items probably get some type of testing/certification at the point of manufacture- but older/used items made before such certification, and those where the manufacturer isn't known would need to be tested by the merchant.

[southernyankeebelle]

6. Wouldn't it be nice

If the cloths were made in the USA they would already meet the standards. Bring the jobs home. Give americans a chance.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

11. Yes, because American manufacturers never use substandards materials.

Gimme a break.

[Donnachaidh]

19. I'm sure the ratio between Chinese and American manufacturers are pretty high

We HAD some consumer protection in place years ago, when we were manufacturing. Is there ANY *real* substantive checking being done on the Chinese imports even NOW?

Laws can be written, but when you have an importer like Walmart who brings in huge amounts of products, and then tells the government they will police themselves?

The only real companies that will get hit with fines and have to close their doors are the little guys. Another Win for mega-corporations.

[Wednesdays]

7. Where to go?

"In this economy, if thrift stores can't afford to test and do indeed have to throw the clothing out, where are the poor people going to buy kids clothing?"

Well, there's always Saks, Bloomingdale's, Lord & Taylor... :eyes:

[shraby]

10. Garage sales have plenty of children's clothing.

[AllyCat]

23. Yeah, but will garage sales get hit too? n/t

[Blue Diadem]

12. I finally found the CPSIA but still haven't found anything about clothing.

I may have missed it since I'm tired tonight. I read a lot about the normal infant and toddler items, cribs and nursey items as well as toys.

http://www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/cpsia.html

Here is the copy of H.R. 4040

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpsia.pdf

[Pastiche423]

16. I heard this on my local news last night

They either din't differentiate between children's and adult's clothing, or I missed it. My 1st thought... there goes my wardrobe.

[kristopher]

18. Link to the legislation

http://www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/cpsia.HTML

Haven't read it yet, there are a lot of pages on pdf for download.

[mikelgb]

20. so if it has lead it goes to the landfill?

human always come up with the best plans

I say we trow it directly into the groundwater

[Johonny]

21. I don't get why clothing needs to be tested

You don't use lead based paints in cloths. Anything in a second hand store is going to have been washed a lot of times already. I don't see the danger they are protecting children from.

[AllyCat]

22. Anyone know where the site is for public comment?

I went to the CPSC site and there is no way I can see to leave comment on this. While I agree with more stringent regulations on toxic stuff in kids products, it is ridiculous to put the onus on the retailer! Why are the manufacturers not the ones who have to prove their made in China crap is safe?

This has nothing to do with consumer safety and everything to do with Bush giving corporations less competition from the little guys. Seriously, how much more damage can this a$$hole do in the next 2 weeks?

[Diana Prince]

24. I work for a catalog company that sells all types of items

We have a form that the vendors are required to fill out stating they meet all US safety standards. We also have a QA dept that tests all kids items and anything that would come in contact with food.