Have you heard yet, that as of Feb. 10th, there will be a ban on the resale of children's articles, like clothes and toys unless they are tested for lead levels. That includes all resale shops, ebay, craigslist, Goodwill, etsy stuff, and garage sales. What that means, is that for the most part, all of those places will cease to exist, at least in the sense that you won't be able to buy children's used items anymore. I don't get alarmed by much, but this alarms me. This is how my children stay clothed and has been since Elle was born. I urge you, if this concerns you in any way, to write your congressman and let him know what you think. I just did. I just typed in "Write your congressman" and eventually got to the right page. Here's what I wrote:
I am just hearing about the new law that will take effect in early February
banning the resale of pretty much all children's items unless they are tested
for lead. I am not a person that becomes anxious or worries too often,
because I know God will care for me. Unfortunately, upon hearing of this
new law, I am feeling very concerned about how I will afford to clothe my two
daughters that are 2 and 4. I have bought resale clothes from them since
birth and now, I'm not sure how I will afford to clothe them. This
couldn't come at a worse time, considering that we are in the midst of a
recession and money is so tight. Now, I must worry about how I'm going to
afford to buy brand new clothes when the spring arrives and for that matter,
when my 4 year old starts Kindergarten in August. Surely, there is
something that can be done to correct this. The ramifications on an
already abused and beat up economy will be devastating. Please do
something to correct this so that all of us who buy resale out of necessity, can
continue to clothe our children.
10 comments:
Way to go Emma! Good job!
love you.
Wow. While I understand the motivation for this law, it seems they are going about it in the wrong way. Unfortunately it's not the thought that counts. I read that retailers can purchase sensors fairly inexpensively to test the levels in their products, so maybe most retailers you go to will see that for their business in the long-run, this will be the smart move. I am sure as much as you would hate to stop being able to buy resale, those resale sellers would hate even more to lose their business.
don't worry! though i totally understand your concerns, you're right - God will take care of you...But sometimes, God gives us the smarts in that great brain he gave us to do something to change our situation, thus writing the congressman. way to go on that! it all starts with one person.
i agree with lesley, the motivation may be good (making sure children aren't harmed) but the path to get there seems extreme. i think most businesses will want to stay in business so bad that they'll find a way to test inexpensively. if not, all you church moms and play-date moms can get together and exchange clothes - you'll find a way, you're always crafty! :)
I am all over this one for the past 2 weeks and am about to send multiple emails this weekend. It needs rewording to cover large scale overseas shipments but will effectively close resale and crafter malls and small businesses! Not much thought went into this one. I have a feeling we will be callled to contact congressman quite a bit in the next few years!
Hey Emma-
Good news-looks like consignment/resale stores are going to be ok with this....
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09086.html
Hey Emma-
Good news-looks like consignment/resale stores are going to be ok with this....
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09086.html
If the link that Katie sent is true, which is seems to be, then hopefully, that will make it possible for my kids to remain in clothes through 2009. They do love being naked, but I'm pretty sure there's a dress code for Kindergarten.
Lauren, you're right! I had already decided that if we were never allowed to purchase used children's clothes again, I was going to be part of a major swap.
Okay I got the same link from the manager of a consignment sale I go to every year that Katie sent, so now I'm feeling very happy. Thank you God for a good answer to my prayers!
Post a Comment