Product Liability and Crafts

Protecting Yourself and Others

I love all the information on your site.

I have been making things for my own children, to give as gifts and have sold some to friends. Most of the items are car seat covers, bracelets, furniture and room decorations.

I am thinking about starting a craft business with these items.

I see many recalls on children's items. Are there risks I need to consider or guidelines I need to follow.

I'm also needing direction on where to buy fleece and other fabric at wholesale.

Kimberly

Whenever you sell products that could foreseeably harm someone, you should make sure they comply with Federal and state safety laws and safety standards, such as those issued by the American National Safety Institute (ANSI), the Underwriters Laboratory and other such organizations. Unfortunately you will need both a law degree and an engineering degree and you still might trip up.

The basic law of product liability is that the manufacturer is liable for injuries caused by defects in her product that she knew about or should have reasonably foreseen would cause injury. This law has been expanded in a lot of states and judges and lawyers like to make a lot of things defective that really aren't.

With car seat covers, you have to ensure that the fabrics you use are not flammable, nor will they give off noxious fumes if exposed to heat or flame. The manufacturers of the fabrics should make this information available.

With furniture you would have to make sure it is steady and would not tip easily; with chairs that they support several times the weight of an average adult. Watch out for sharp corners, edges and pinch points. With properly made decorative items, things that hang on a wall or are placed on a tabletop, there should be no problems unless they use electricity.

Some people are allergic to certain metals used in jewelry, but this is rarely a cause for concern. With other children's items, you have to worry if they can be swallowed and choke a small child, if a child can somehow tangle herself in it and suffocate and on and on.

What is product liability is only limited by the fertile minds of lawyers.

I suggest you read my article about Insurance for Crafters for a little more information on this issue.

If in doubt, play it safe. Either don't make the product or make it, but also make sure it complies with all applicable laws and standards and that you have sufficient product liability insurance.

Sorry for the bad news, but these are just some of the facts of life businesses in America face these days.

As far as fabrics at wholesale, read Top Ten Online Wholesale Resources for the latest information I have on wholesale sources.

If you don't need as much as required to meet the wholesaler's minimums, try Fabric.com and Joann. While not wholesale, you don't have to buy by the bolt and the prices are lower than in most retail stores.

Good luck on your new business. Let me know how it turns out.