In general, market compliance entails meeting four levels of standards -- national, industry, local and enterprise -- as outlined in the Standardisation Law of the People’s Republic of China. All national standards fall under standards code GB or GB/T. This article will focus on Chinese Toy Safety Standards GB 6675-2014, a replacement to GB 6675-2003 which went into effect on January 1, 2016.
The updated standard is a joint collaboration between the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China (AQSIQ) and Standardization Administration of the People's Republic of China (SAC). GB 6675-2014 has been reorganized into four parts to make clearer the safety expectations China has for toys produced in, and/or intended for, their domestic toy industry. Compliance with all sections of this standard is compulsory before a toy can be sold.
The Basic Code specifies all different toy classifications, their relevant safety requirements, the individual producer or importer's certification responsibilities, and China's supervision and inspection authority.
In particular, the Basic Code provides the requirements for obtaining China's Compulsory Certification (CCC), a product compliance mark required for toys produced in and/or sold in China, including (though not limited to) strollers; plastic, metal, electronic and projectile toys; and dolls.
The Code also provides warning label requirements relevant to its classification. For example, chemical toys must bear on its package: “Warning! Not suitable for children under xx years of age. Only use under the supervision of an adult.”
Part 2 details acceptable criteria for the structural characteristics of toys, such as their size, shape, contour, spacing (e.g. rattles, small parts, sharp points and edges, hinge-line clearances), as well as acceptable criteria for particular toy classifications, for example: the maximum allowable kinetic energy for projectile toys and minimum tip angles for ride-on toys.
Inclusions of note to the updated standard are specific sound requirements and their test methods; along with added definitions, specifications and tests related to magnetic toys.
Part 3 establishes flammability resistance requirements for certain toys, relevant test methods, and categories of flammable materials prohibited from use in toy products.
The updated version of GB 6675 places greater emphasis on certain toys considered to be most prone to causing injury if ignited, including:
Toys to be worn on heads; wigs, mustaches, and beards; molded and fabric masks
Toy costumes
Toys to be entered into by a child, like crawl spaces
Soft-filled toys with piled or textile surfaces.
Based on ISO 8124-3:2010, part 4 specifies the maximum acceptable levels and methods of sampling and extraction prior to analysis for the migration of the elements antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury and selenium from toy materials and from parts of toys.
Maximum acceptable levels for the migration of these elements are specified for toy materials, including:
Coating materials (paints, lacquers, varnishes, inks, polymers, etc.)
Polymeric materials
Paper and cardboard, with mass per unit area not greater than 400g/m²
Natural, man-made or synthetic textiles
Glass, ceramic and metallic materials, excluding solder for electrical connection
Other dyeable materials, such as fiberboard, cardboard, bones and leather
Materials intended to leave a trace, such as graphite pencils and liquid filled pens
Pliable materials such as gels and molding clay
Toy paint, such as finger paint, varnish, lacquer, oil powder and other solid and liquid materials
Oral contact toys
Cosmetics
The use of six plasticizers (DBP, BBP, DEHP, DNOP, DINP, and DIDP) in plastic toys or toy components must not exceed 0.1% of the material composition.
This section applies to swings, slides, seesaws, carousels, swing toys, climbing frames, enclosed child swings and other toys that can bear the mass of one or more children and that are intended and designed for children under 14 years.
This section applies to toy scooters intended or designed for children under 14 years and with a body mass not exceeding 50kg, including folded or non-folded scooters.
This section applies to plaster molding sets, ceramic and glass materials in miniature workshop sets, oven hardening plasticized PVC molding clay sets, plastic molding sets, embedding sets, photographic developing sets, adhesives, paints , lacquers, varnishes, thinners and cleaning agents supplied or recommended in model sets.
This section applies to substances and materials of finger paint intended or designed for children under 14 years.
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China's demand for higher quality toys from around the world is growing, particularly for electronic and remote-controlled toys. And the country's market future will continue to grow, owing to the rising average salaries, better access to the international toy landscape and a surge in newborn numbers across the country.
If you have an innovative new toy which has already grown popular in other large markets, such as the EU and the United States, chances are that it will also be successful in China. Plus, if your toy has already passed all safety regulations required by one of these markets, you are not far off from being market compliant in China, as during the upgrade of their national quality and safety specifications, Chinese product safety authorities strove to reflect prominent international standards.
The right way to ensure that your product will be ready for distribution in China is to partner with a testing and factory line inspection service versed in all national and international market regulations, including expertise in China's business and manufacturing culture.
QIMA Lab Testing and Inspection Service brings years of industry-based experience to your toy safety testing and certification needs. We offer Quality Assurance assistance to help you develop a product design, implement a production and testing strategy, and prepare all required documentation for your chosen market.
And with a lab network covering Asia, Europe, Americas and a qualified inspection team like QIMA can travel to your factory within 48 hours, we can ensure industry-leading turnaround time on lab tests and inspection reports.
The time to establish your innovative brand within this robust market is now, and QIMA is a partner you can trust to help you make your mark.
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