We constantly receive samples and catalogs in the mail from importers and overseas findings manufacturers who want me to sell their goods. The first thing I do when evaluating a new vendor is look at the location of their manufacturing facilities. I want to make sure that I don't inadvertently sell you sterling silver that is way-less-than-sterling, or cast findings that are filled with lead. I have passed on lots of really cute findings and chains lately because of questions about the materials used or the location of the manufacturer. I see these findings turn up on lots of our big-box and big-catalog competitors at amazingly low prices and sometimes, for just a second or two, I think 'gee, maybe I should have purchased that!'
Then I read a story like this one in the News & Observer today. Now testers have found that cadmium has replaced lead in children's charms imported from China. Like lead, cadmium is cheap and casts so well, and like lead it even holds a nice plated finish. Unlike lead, cadmium is not currently barred from use in manufacturing accessories in China, and it is not barred from shipping into the country. The report says that the charms were tested to see how much cadmium a child would ingest by biting the charms but they don't say how much would be absorbed through the skin of a child who wore the charms. Either way, these accessories are a bit too dangerous. The story doesn't say that the same factories that make charms (and chain and clasps!) for bracelets sold at Claire's and Dollar Tree also make loose findings and parts that are sold to the big-box and discount craft supply stores.
As a business owner I have to select merchandise for our stores that is appealing to my customers. If I don't, I will go out of business. I think I also have a responsibility to select items that are safe to use and to wear.
I am happy that I can say that all our custom finished chains are all made in the U.S., that all our cast pewter charms are made in the U.S. and that all our plating is done here in the U.S. The high U.S. manufacturing standards and interstate commerce regulations (it is illegal to ship unlabeled lead items into or out of many states) means that I know these items are safe to use and wear. Many of the tests on imported items lag far behind the actual import and distribution of the items to stores, crafters and children.
Go here to read the full article.
(oh, for future reference, I also am quite pleased with E.U. and Japanese manufacturing standards and will use findings manufacturers from those areas as well)
NOTE: we are working hard to label all items on our website with the country of origin or, if the country shifts or the item is made, part-by-part, in a few countries, with the phrase 'imported' to help you make your purchasing decisions. If an item is not yet labeled, please contact me and I will find out the information for you. Cynthia 1/11/11
Thanks for posting this Cynthia. My husband worked for a company that manufactured in China. It's cheap but China doesn't have the health and safety regulations we have. His company imported garden sprayers and sometimes they would explode. Holy moly! So this is a good warning to all of us. I liked it so much, I tweeted it this morning!
ReplyDeleteCindy
Awesome post, Cynthia! I appreciate that you are doing the foot work for us on this. :D
ReplyDeleteThank you sooo much for making crafters aware of this potential risk. I recently did a tutorial where I mentioned how easy it is to test your charms for lead by picking up a few lead testing sticks from the hardware store. The process is simple if the stick turns red or pink after swiping over the charm then it is positive for lead...an easy way to test before you buy. :) www.thevintagevignette.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteCynthia, thank you so much for blogging this, and for being so aware of the dangers in imported metals. I try not to buy any products made in China for two reasons: you can't be sure of their safety and I prefer to support my country's economy.
ReplyDeleteI will continue to feel safe and secure shopping with Ornamentea, knowing you are concerned also.
Thanks for posting this! I learned a lot about the metal thing. My husband loves metals but he really does not know everything about it.
ReplyDeleteI'm an avid beadfreak/metalhead by night and North Carolina's statewide Lead Poisoning Prevention educator by day. I've sent out countless recall notices for jewelry charms contaminated with lead over the years and it's no surprise that equally dangerous heavy metals are being substituted to make cheap jewelry products. Sadly, the most recent death of a child from acute lead poisoning was the result of swallowing a heart-shaped charm included with a pair Reebok tennis shoes that was 99.1% lead (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm55d323a1.htm). Also, vending machine jewelry has a history of being leaded. Another potential source for lead in jewelry findings (and also keys and plumbing fixtures) is brass, where often 2% lead is added. Cynthia, do any of the brass suppliers you purchase from note if they're lead-free or not?
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't point out that lead test swabs are not endorsed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) as a reliable method of testing for lead. (unfortunately!) The only true way to know is through laboratory testing. Buying from reputable suppliers/retailers is the simplest thing a consumer can do to reduce the likelihood of purchasing an unsafe product.
Amy MacDonald
NC Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
UNC Chapel Hill Institute for the Environment
Hi Cynthia!
ReplyDeleteOnly by looking at your page you can see how conscious and responsible you are. Every item you list is clearly labelled so buyers know exactly what they are purchasing -it doesn´t happen so often!
here in Spain we have had similar problems with the chinese manufacturers; there is an explosion of chinese jewelry commerces and people are beginning to buy their necklaces so they can sell them 10 times more expensive in their shops -and not taking care of what their customers are wearing! The result? Carefully-made jewelry, such as the one I design, is no longer being shopped, for with the economic crise people tend to stick to the cheapest things. But there is a large amount of allergies having been reported since the explosion of these commerces.
And what other people don´t know is that Spanish silver is a very high-quality one, and comes from our traditional metalsmithers who really know what they are putting into it. Unfortunately, people tend to buy indian silver (not pure silver, but mixed with other metals), so they get allergies by contact and they don´t know what their skin is absorbing. It´s horrible! So I do like you do: I stick to what I know to be highly reliable, and when I am working with silver I buy the production of a Spanish traditional artisan.
Thanks a lot for this clever post!
Best,
Bea (Madrid, Spain)