Supporting Small Businesses – CPSIA law issues

You may have been reading about this here and there across the web, or maybe this is the first you are hearing of it, either way it is time for you, yes YOU to take some action. I have pulled some very important information from various sources on the web in order to help you understand how this new law will impact every area of business. Perhaps due to the holiday this is all being masked but at some point people will no longer hide from it, they will be forced to deal with the situation head on. All the hype is in regards to H.R. 4040, the Consumer Protection Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) that has been signed into law August 14, 2008, and will become effective February 10, 2009 and is now being referred to as National Bankruptcy Day.

Many, I mean, many companies have been blogging about this (do your own google search for CPSIA and you can see exactly what I mean) and what it will take to keep them in business and the results are scary and in most cases will put them all out of business. I am not just talking about people who create products to sell at craft shows and community fairs, I am also speaking of small home based businesses, independent designers, mompreneurs, the “Little People” in the biz and not just toy makers, this applies to any company that will produce a product targeting children twelve and under, clothing, shoes, accessories, bibs, and so on. But if you think it stops there, think of the trickle down effect. You have the retailers that are trying to sell these products. They will have no inventory because there will be no products being made by small businesses. Your product choices will be extremely limited to those companies with big time bank accounts. Then think about this, you can’t just go to your local craft fair, pick up a ‘new’ handmade toy and drop it in the Toys for Tots charity box because of this law. It will effect businesses big and small, product based to service based, it effects us a whole. Yes, this even will effect Baby Swags and the products that will be included into these fantastic Celebrity Gift Bags. Celebrities…we need your help too here!

Baby Swags prides itself on finding unique mom-made, mom-inspired, mompreneurial type products or otherwise known as WAHM products. These companies range from Etsy stores to their own shops, either way, they are all made up of one common thread, being a mom. Moms have discovered that they don’t have to quit working to stay at home, instead they have come up with products that they can create/make from the comforts of their home while still attending to their children’s needs through out the day. Many of these women do not have big time budgets there for how can they be expected to pay for the extensive testing that will be require by the new law? I have compiled a list of some of my clients reactions as well as great blog content provided from other concerned small business owners.

Happy Panda Baby Blog
Boutique Cafe
AAFA – American Apparel and Footwear Association
National Bankruptcy Day
Organic Baby Farm
WAHM Solutions
Challenge & Fun
YouTube Video – Mr. Sun

Just because you are not a small business owner, you can still take part in voicing your opinion and we encourage you to do so and I have made it easy for you by providing you with various ways on how you can get your voices heard.
Boutique Cafe has a whole list of ways you can help the small businesses that mean so much to you. A portion of this was taken directly from their website:

What can you do?
Email or call the CPSIA – the office of the CPSC ombudsman 888-531-9070.
http://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/newleg.aspx
Comments on Component Parts Testing accepted through January 30, 2009.
CPSC.gov.

Email or snail mail your representatives.
http://capwiz.com/americanapparel/issues/alert/?alertid=12274476

Call your representatives. For their contact information just enter your zip code.
http://capwiz.com/americanapparel/dbq/officials/

Make your voice heard by voting on this issue. The top 3 in each category will be presented to President-elect Obama.
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/save_handmade_toys_from_the_cpsia

Sign the petition.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/economicimpactsofCPSIA/index.html

Join Ning’s CPSIA-Central

The press is just getting word of this and have also been responding, though not as much as we’d all hope.
LA Times article
Kids Today

See what people are really saying and feeling:
ETSY Forum
Fashion-Incubator

The point to all of this is to just get your voices heard. United We Stand, Divided We Fall.

Baby Swags is also working on something called Project Believe. If you would like to take part in our ‘mompreneur’, small business awareness venture, please see our blog post explaining what is needed from you. Baby Swags Blog post about Project Believe

Yes it is a lot to take in, but a lot of families, a lot of livelihoods are being put in jeopardy as a result of this law. Please help out where you can. Wouldn’t you rather celebrate a day like Valentines Day than take part in watching millions of companies collapse on National Bankruptcy day?