ASTM Issues New Standard for children's jewelry.
Press Release Summary:
ASTM F2923, Specification for Consumer Product Safety for Children's Jewelry, will be used by jewelry industry to establish harmonized guideline for manufacturing children's jewelry products. In addition to establishing requirements and test methods for specified elements and certain mechanical hazards in children's jewelry, standard includes recommendations for age labeling and warnings as well as guidelines for identifying primary intended users of jewelry: children or adults.
Original Press Release:
New Standard for Children's Jewelry is Issued by ASTM International
W. CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa.-A new ASTM International standard will be used by the jewelry industry to establish a harmonized guideline for manufacturing children's jewelry products. The new standard, ASTM F2923, Specification for Consumer Product Safety for Children's Jewelry, was developed by Subcommittee F15.24 on Children's Jewelry, which is part of ASTM International Committee F15 on Consumer Products.
Brent Cleaveland, executive director, Fashion Jewelry and Accessories Trade Association, notes that ASTM F2923 addresses the lack of a nationally recognized requirement for cadmium in children's jewelry, and provides guidance in identifying and mitigating other known hazards.
"ASTM F2923 is the cornerstone for assuring consumers that children's jewelry has been tested and proven to conform to safe manufacturing standards," says Brent Cleaveland, who is the chairman of F15.24. "The next step is to educate our state and federal legislators that this standard exists and should be used to promote harmonization."
The new specification establishes requirements and test methods for specified elements and certain mechanical hazards in children's jewelry. It also includes recommendations for age labeling and warnings, and guidelines for identifying the primary intended users of the jewelry (children or adults). The standard addresses numerous possible hazards posed by children's jewelry, and includes specifications regarding magnets, batteries, nickel, lead in paint and substrate layers, and other heavy metals in surface coatings. It applies to jewelry that is designed or intended primarily for children age 12 and under and that is principally designed and intended to be worn as an ornament.
All interested parties are invited to join in the standards development activities of F15.24.
To purchase ASTM standards, visit www.astm.org and search by the standard designation number, or contact ASTM Customer Relations (phone: 610-832-9585; service@astm.org). ASTM International welcomes and encourages participation in the development of its standards. For more information on becoming an ASTM member, visit www.astm.org/JOIN.
ASTM International is one of the largest international standards development and delivery systems in the world. ASTM International meets the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles for the development of international standards: coherence, consensus, development dimension, effectiveness, impartiality, openness, relevance and transparency. ASTM standards are accepted and used in research and development, product testing, quality systems and commercial transactions.
Technical Contact: Brent R. Cleaveland, Fashion Jewelry and Accessories Trade Association, North Kingstown, R.I., Phone: 401-667-0520; bcleaveland@fjata.org
