Eco Chic Baby

And the winners of the contest are Shannon and Jaime! Have a great time at the fair!!

We are excited around here. This year, my set-up will be a little different. In light of this, I have been ordering some new display materials to make the most of my small-ish space (8x4). I have also enlisted a friend of mine (and super awesome customer) to help me set up (thanks Jame!!).
It will be fun. I had such a good time in Victoria in Sept. that I am sure this will be amazing. I am also debuting some new and very cool products at the show, so be on the lookout. I am in booth #3 by the way so stop by and say hello!

I am shipping to the USA again due to the recent developments in the new CPSIA law that I posted in my blog recently. To all my loyal US customers, I am sorry for the delay - I was just waiting to get things sorted out with this law. Thanks for understanding. :-)

This just came out from the CPSC on Feb. 6, 2009. It looks like for now, many of the quality toys and baby items I carry are safe from this law. For me, this would affect what products I can buy from the US and also what I can ship to the US - since it is in fact a US law. This is a huge step in the right direction.

CPSC Spells Out Enforcement Policy For New Lead Limits In Children’s Products Effective February 10

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Starting on February 10, 2009, consumer products intended for children 12 and under cannot have more than 600 parts per million of lead in any accessible part. This new safety requirement is a key component of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) aimed at further reducing children’s exposure to lead.

In an effort to provide clear and reasonable guidance to those impacted by this important law, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is announcing its enforcement policy on the lead limits established by the CPSIA.

Manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers should also be aware that CPSC will:

• Not impose penalties against anyone for making, importing, distributing, or selling
  
  
  • a children’s product to the extent that it is made of certain natural materials, such as wood, cotton, wool, or certain metals and alloys which the Commission has recognized rarely, if ever, contain lead;
  • an ordinary children’s book printed after 1985; or
  • dyed or undyed textiles (not including leather, vinyl or PVC) and non-metallic thread and trim used in children’s apparel and other fabric products, such as baby blankets.
    
    (The Commission generally will not prosecute someone for making, selling or distributing items in these categories even if it turns out that such an item actually contains more than 600 ppm lead.)

  Sellers will not be immune from prosecution if CPSC’s Office of Compliance finds that someone had actual knowledge that one of these children’s products contained more than 600 ppm lead or continued to make, import, distribute or sell such a product after being put on notice. Agency staff will seek recalls of violative children’s products or other corrective actions, where appropriate.

• Issue an interim final rule effective February 10, 2009, which establishes alternative lead limits for certain electronic devices, in order to prevent unnecessary removal of certain children’s products from store shelves.
• Accept a manufacturer’s determination that a lead-containing part on their product is inaccessible to a child and not subject to the new lead limits, if it is consistent with the Commission’s proposed guidance or is based on a reasonable reading of the inaccessibility requirement. Paint and other coatings or electroplating are not considered barriers that make a component inaccessible.

This enforcement policy will remain in effect until superseded by action of the Commission.

CPSC still expects companies to meet their reporting obligation under federal law and immediately tell the Commission if they learn of a children’s product that exceeds the new lead limits starting on February 10, 2009. Companies also should know that the CPSIA generally prohibits the export for sale of children’s products that exceed the new lead limits.

As announced on January 30, 2009, the Commission approved a one year stay of enforcement for certain testing and certification requirements for manufacturers and importers. Significant to makers of children’s products, the ‘stay’ provides limited relief from the testing and certification for total lead content limits, phthalates limits for certain products and mandatory toy standards. Manufacturers and importers – large and small – of children’s products will not need to test or certify to these new requirements, but will still need to meet the lead and phthalates limits, mandatory toy standards and other requirements. Certification based on testing by an accredited laboratory is still required for painted children’s products and soon will be required for children’s metal jewelry, as well as certain other products for non-lead issues.

Up For Grabs-
2 pairs of weekend passes to the Vancouver Island Baby Fair at Beban Social Centre in Nanaimo on February 28-March 1, 2009!

How to Win -

1. Visit The Eco-Chic Baby online.
2. Check out our extensive selection of eco-concious baby gear and toys.
3. Come back to the blog and tell us what you love in the comment section.

The Finer Details -
Contest is open until Monday February 16th, 2009. There will be two winners who are picked randomly. Contest is open to those with a valid e-mail and mailing address. You must be 18 years and older. Good luck!

I have been thinking lately I have been taking on a little too much in my life and decided to make some changes. Business and personal. In the business sense, I am not going to launch the diaper trial packages at this time or in the foreseeable future. It's a little more than I am willing to take on at this point. I may change my mind down the road, however at this time, this is what is best for me and my family, and my main focus is my family.

That said, I do want and WILL continue to offer the best eco-friendly products and customer service around. My customers and their need to hip, eco-conscious products is a high priority for me at The Eco-Chic Baby. My main focus is family, but The Eco-Chic Baby and all it represents to me (all you fabulous customers!) is up there too. I'm not going anywhere.