What every buyer needs before the first order
Compliance is the part of toy sourcing that sinks new sellers. A product can look perfect on a sample table and still be unsellable because the paperwork is wrong for the destination market.
We treat compliance as a deliverable, not an afterthought. Every product we quote can be supplied with the document set your market requires.
| Document | What it proves | Needed for |
|---|---|---|
| CPC (Children’s Product Certificate) | Product passed CPSIA testing | USA — mandatory for children’s products |
| ASTM F963 test report | Mechanical, physical and flammability safety | USA |
| CE Declaration of Conformity | Product meets EU directives | EU / EEA |
| EN 71-1/2/3 test report | Mechanical, flammability, migration of elements | EU / UK |
| GPSR documentation | EU General Product Safety Regulation compliance | EU (since Dec 2024) |
| REACH statement | No restricted substances above limits | EU |
| UKCA marking | Post-Brexit UK conformity | United Kingdom |
| ST mark | Japan toy safety standard | Japan |
| KC mark | Korea Certification | South Korea |
| Phthalate / lead content report | Chemical safety | USA, EU |
| Battery UN38.3 report | Lithium battery transport safety | Any product with a built-in battery |
We do not pre-print certificates. Reports are issued per product, per factory batch, by an accredited third-party laboratory — and we send you the real document for the SKU you are evaluating.
Which tests apply to your product
Testing scope depends on the product, not the category. These are the combinations we see most often:
| Product type | USA | EU |
|---|---|---|
| Plush toys | CPSIA + ASTM F963 + CPC | EN 71-1/2/3 + CE + GPSR |
| Plastic figures & dolls | CPSIA + ASTM F963 + phthalates + CPC | EN 71-1/2/3 + REACH + CE |
| Battery-powered toys | Above + UN38.3 + FCC (if wireless) | Above + EMC + RoHS + battery regulation |
| Pet toys | No CPC required; state-level labeling | GPSR + REACH |
| Fidget / sensory (14+) | General product safety | EN 71 (if marketed to children) |
If you are unsure which set applies, send the product and target marketplace — we will confirm the exact test package and cost before sampling.
Our three-stage inspection process
Third-party inspection catches problems after they are expensive. Our inspectors are on the production floor while the order is being made.
1. Inline inspection
- First-article check against the approved golden sample
- Material and color verification against the signed spec sheet
- Early defect trends flagged while the line can still be corrected
2. Pre-shipment inspection (AQL II)
Conducted when at least 80% of the order is packed, using ANSI/ASQ Z1.4, General Inspection Level II:
| Lot size | Sample size | Critical | Major | Minor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 501 – 1,200 | 80 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| 1,201 – 3,200 | 125 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
| 3,201 – 10,000 | 200 | 0 | 5 | 10 |
| 10,001 – 35,000 | 315 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
Any critical defect — sharp points, small parts hazards, banned substances — fails the lot regardless of the major/minor count.
3. Loading supervision
- Carton count and assortment check
- Shipping marks, barcode and FBA label verification
- Container seal number recorded and photographed
Every stage produces a signed report with photographs, sent to you within 48 hours of inspection.
What counts as a defect
| Class | Examples | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | Sharp edge, detachable small part, wrong material, banned substance | Lot rejected |
| Major | Function failure, wrong color, broken stitching, logo error | Above AQL limit = rejected |
| Minor | Surface scuff, loose thread, glue residue, label misalignment | Above AQL limit = rework or discount |
Factory vetting before we place an order
Before a factory receives your deposit, we verify:
- Valid business licence and export rights
- Existing test reports for comparable products
- Production capacity against your required delivery date
- Social-compliance documentation where the buyer’s market requires it (BSCI, Sedex, or equivalent) — availability varies by factory, so we confirm per project rather than assume
Packaging and labeling compliance
Compliance is not only the product. Retail packaging must carry:
- Age grading and warning statements in the destination language
- CE / UKCA mark placement per directive
- Importer name and address (EU GPSR requires this on the label)
- Batch or lot code for traceability
- Recycling and battery symbols where applicable
We review artwork against these requirements before plates are made, which is far cheaper than reprinting cartons.
Request a compliance pack
Send the product or SKU and the market you are selling into. We reply within 24 hours with the document list, testing cost and lead time.
Common questions
Do you provide a CPC for Amazon?
Yes. For US-bound children’s products we arrange CPSIA testing through an accredited lab and issue the Children’s Product Certificate. Amazon requires the CPC to name the manufacturer, the testing lab and the applicable regulations, and we make sure all three are present.
Can I use your test report for my own brand?
Test reports are issued against the product and the factory of manufacture. If you are selling the same product under your own brand, the report remains valid as long as the product, materials and factory are unchanged. We confirm this per project before you list.
Who pays for testing?
Testing is quoted separately from the product price, based on the test package your market requires. It is a one-time cost per product and factory combination, not per order.
How long does compliance take?
Typical turnaround is 5–10 working days for standard toy test packages. Battery products or products requiring EMC testing take longer. We build this into the production timeline rather than discovering it at shipment.
What happens if an inspection fails?
The lot goes back for rework or replacement at the factory’s cost, and we re-inspect before shipping. Your deposit is not released to the factory until the pre-shipment inspection passes.