The Fashion Incubator has a thorough explanation of the new CPSIA regulations that I recommend anyone interested in purchasing clothing from anyone but a major retailer. What it amounts to is that early next year, many small manufacturers may be driven out of business. The CPSIA regulations require expensive testing for manufacturers to guarantee that their products contain no lead or phthalates.

While it sounds like a great regulation on the surface, the expense and timing of the regulations virtually guarantee that even small crafters could be driven out of business because they can’t afford such testing. Etsy has posted an open letter on the subject that you should also check out. If I hear of any updates, I’ll post them to this blog.