Handmade Toy Alliance Small Businesses Needs Your Help

Etsy makers of children's items, along with the larger handmade movement, succeeded in getting the ear of Washington politicians and agencies by calling out for the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) to be amended. An amendment now hangs in the balance, and we urge you to call your representatives. Cecilia Leibovitz, a.k.a. paperdreams, sent us this urgent message. Cecelia is not only the founder of craftsburykids.com, a shop specializing in unique handmade toys and gifts for children — she is also president of the Handmade Toy Alliance, a grassroots organization advocating for makers of small batch children's products.

Republicans and Democrats disagree on a CPSIA amendment that would offer relief to thousands of small batch children’s product makers.

Will small batch makers and specialty retailers of children’s products survive the CPSIA? This has always been the question, and as from the beginning, this law has left us suddenly on the verge of extinction. Eighteen months of hard work has resulted at least in recognition of the fact that our preservation was not considered when this law was passed. However, we are still very much endangered, and action is needed now more than ever.

Thanks to the collective voices of American small businesses and citizens, we were heard by the media and our representatives, and could not be ignored. Once again, we must raise our voices, to prevent handmade children’s products from becoming a casualty of Washington’s inner partisan disagreements.

Recently a bill was introduced by the Department of Energy and Commerce, to amend the CPSIA, offering important relief to thousands of small batch business owners. This relief would prevent many from closing their doors. Democrats and Republicans in Washington cannot see eye to eye on the need for the proposed agreement.

We need to tell our representatives today that it is time to take a stand, and show their commitment to keeping our businesses alive. We at the Handmade Toy Alliance urge you to call your representative in the House Commerce Committee and ask for the CPSIA draft bill to go to mark up and become open for discussion. We have been told time and time again, that we must call, call, and call if we are to be heard. The combined power of our voices is what it will take to keep small batch children’s products from becoming a distant memory in America. Please help! Contact the Minority side at 202-225-3641, and Majority side at 202-225-2927. You are likely to get an answering machine. Leave your name, city, state, House Representative's name and urge that they must work together openly in committee to bring about an amendment to the CPSIA now.

This is for people who make handmade items specifically for children. I've been a crafter and artist most of my life. And although I only sell items for adults, lots of people on etsy.com sell items made for children. Some are crafters and artists doing it as a hobby. For others this is a small business and their livelihood.

As usual the government is messing things up for small businesses.

Are they tested for lead?

Do they list the calories on the box?

lol.

From the letter posted, I glean no information. WHAT specifically are they upset about? How come they think they are being hurt by “disagreements”?? If something passed that hurt them, that is not a disagreement.

The letter/post is too vague, it doesn’t really tell the reader anything.

silly woman, doesn’t she realize that toys are to be made only by Union toy makers, working for large Unionized toy manufacturers who are paying their share of tribute to The Regime? (yes, they’re coming for you next, Santa!)

I recall seeing a news story on this sort of thing a while ago. A classic liberal leftie who handcrafted wooden toys was interviewed about the regulation of toys and testing standards, etc., and she was just aghast that she couldn’t sell her toys without meeting these ‘bankrupting’ testing standards. I mean, her business would have to close! It’s not fair!

I watched the video over and over and laughed myself silly. Seeing a liberal hoisted on her own regulatory pitard was just delicious.

Having said that: I wish the message would get through to these moonbats that while some regulation may be a necessary evil due to the inevitable stupid (and evil) businesspeople out there, regulations that defy common sense kill business...and regular folks just doing what they love to do.

I totally agree!! I’m an artist and of course there are a lot of artists that are liberal and some conservative but, not many that I know of. Maybe this will shake them up a bit. Make them think twice about the rules and laws they and government they want.

I’m guessing the the people who make toys and clothes for children, will have to pay to have their items tested or quit selling them. If you go to etsy.com you will find many artists and crafters who make items for babies and children. These are the people the bill affects.

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