Do you paint or seal furniture or children's products?

If you are making furniture or children's products and using any kind of surface coating (anything that can be scratched off), then the CPSC requires testing to 16 CFR Part 1303 at a CPSC-accepted lab annually. If you are making children's products using plastic acrylic or other plastics, you'll be required to have information for CPSIA Sec 101a.

I'm registered with the CPSC as a Small Batch Manufacturer, can't I just contact my suppliers for this?  I do for other things.
Unfortunately, not really.  There are a few regulations that the CPSC still requires small batch manufacturers to do.  These are called 'Group A' requirements.  16 CFR Part 1303, Ban of Lead-Containing Paint and Certain Consumer Products Bearing Lead-Containing Paint, is one of those in Group A.

But if that means I still have to test, why are you selling the reports?
Well, that is a fantastic question!  After speaking with the CPSC, and commenting during comment periods for updates in regulation, we've been told that we are allowed to *not* test individually *IF* (BIG 'if'), we can get trusted lab reports.  These lab reports must indicate testing from a CPSC-accepted lab, be for the product we are using, and be no older than 1 year.

OK, so I can just ask my supplier for the report, right?
Well....you could, but you are likely to get a response about how they can't provide the lab report due to proprietary information (and they won't budge even if you say to redact that information), or you'll receive a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS/SDS).  This is no good to us as it generally doesn't test for 16 CFR Part 1303 and it doesn't indicate levels of lead.  Those documents are more for toxicology and proper handling & care procedures. As well, for things that don't require the report, we still struggle to find companies that have tested.

Oh, well, how much does it cost?  You offer the testing, why don't I just do it?
Testing is done per color and is about $260 each for Lead testing.  If you are making children's toys, there is also Heavy Elements testing which is $400 each color for basic testing (information only; accurate, but can have some inconclusive results for some elements), $500 each color for full solubility testing (more conclusive results). So you can absolutely do it on your own, but it will add up very quickly.

 I want to help you!

It's been weighing on me for a long time because we can't get suppliers to share their lab reports (if they even have any) and we can't afford to test everything (in every color!), so what can we do?

In 2021, I started testing some paints and varnishes on my own so that I could offer the reports to the maker industry.

Sadly, even with a lot of interest, there were not enough persons taking the offer to facilitate being able to cover my costs let alone continue this offer. However, interest has picked up again and we've already seen a good bit of people put that money down to help.

The following is the list of things I'd like to have tested:

- Vermont Natural Coatings Pure Matte Polywhey
- MinWax Polycrylic
- Rustoleum 2X (gloss or ultra matte??) in 9 colors
- BEHR in 9 colors
- PLAID FolkArt in 9 colors (including glow-in-the-dark)
- PLAID Apple Barrel in 9 colors (including glow-in-the-dark)
- Tooli-Art acrylic paint pens in 9 colors
- Zyltech PLA filament in 3 colors
- Clear acrylic plastic from 3 companies
- Acrylic plastic in 9 colors

~ $20k to have it all tested for Heavy Elements and Lead in Surface Coatings.

So this is where I ask you:

Can I count on you to help support the maker community?

If you are making children's products with paint or other surface coatings, or just really want to support the maker community, will you purchase a report?  Each report will only have 1 brand of surface coating, but may have multiple colors.

If your answer is yes, click that 'add to cart' button as many times as you'd like. After testing, you'll receive a code to pick your choice of report(s). $5=1 report, $10=2 reports, etc.

Please leave a note at checkout to tell me what kind of paint/varnish/surface coating you use most.

*NOTICE*

- There is no set turn around time for reports, but the goal is by the end of May 2024.

- You will receive one report per purchase. $5=1, $10=2, etc. If you'd like multiple reports, please select more than 1 pre-order report at checkout.

- There is no gurantee as to specific color or style.  Colors most likely to be tested are: White, Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, Black, Brown.

- The note you may provide at checkout does not guarantee that specific brand or color, but I will try my best to accommodate.

- Each report will include both Lead in Paints/Surface Coatings testing and Heavy Elements testing (full solubility).

- Testing is conducted at an ISO-accredited, CPSC-accepted lab in the United States.