The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) is the US law that sets safety rules for children's products, meaning products designed mainly for children aged 12 and under. For children's jewellery, the lead content of any accessible part must not exceed 100 parts per million in the substrate, and paint or surface coatings must not exceed 90 parts per million.
Limits and testing rules are updated from time to time, so confirm the current requirements with a CPSC-accepted lab before you order.
What counts as children's jewellery
It depends on how the product is designed, marketed, packaged and priced, not only on what you call it. Small sizes, cartoon themes, bright colours, toy-like packaging and sales in the kids' section all point to a children's product. If a piece is clearly for children, the CPSIA rules apply even if your listing says "for all ages".
What you must do
- Have each children's product tested by a third-party lab accepted by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
- Issue a Children's Product Certificate (CPC) based on those tests, listing the rules the product meets.
- Add permanent tracking information to the product and packaging where practical, such as maker, date and batch.
- Follow ASTM F2923, the voluntary US standard for children's jewellery, which covers cadmium and other hazards. Many retailers require it.
- Check small parts and magnets for choking and swallowing hazards.
Why brass is a problem for kids' lines
Some materials, such as gold of 10 carat and above, sterling silver and certain stainless steels, have been determined by the CPSC not to exceed the lead limits, which can reduce testing. Brass and zinc alloy are not among them, and some brass contains lead well above 100 ppm. For a children's line from Rajkot, ask for lead-free brass and test every material.
Adult jewellery in the US
Adult jewellery is not covered by the CPSIA lead limit, but the voluntary standard ASTM F2999 is widely used, and several US states have their own lead and cadmium rules for jewellery.
What this means for a buyer
Decide early whether a line is for children, and if it is, plan testing and certificates before production. Creston & Co works for buyers only, for a fixed fee agreed in writing: we check materials, send production samples to accredited labs and supervise packing. Ask for a free sourcing review.