PRODUCT SAFETY BLOG
My Little Seed’s beaded products have been tested in independent labs to comply with Australian safety standards
As a consumer, did you know that all teether toys and dummy chains must meet relevant safety standards? Here at My Little Seed we have purchased these standards and studied them as our bible to ensure that our products meet all requirements. Not all sellers do this............
All silicone beads and teethers have been tested and certified to ensure they comply with the Australian safety standard AU/NZS ISO 8124.3:2012 relating to the migration of certain elements. In non-technical speak this translates to say that all our silicone beads are made from high quality, 100% food grade silicone and are free from BPA, Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Phthalates, PVC and Latex. These beads will not absorb odours or support the growth of mould, fungus or bacteria. Perfectly safe to be chewed
All wood beads and rings are made from natural, raw, unvarnished, non-toxic, high quality beech wood. Our wood products have also passed AU/NZS ISO 8124.3:2012 migration of certain elements safety testing. Beech or Maple wood is ideal for use with babies as it is hard and very difficult to break, it will not splinter and is completely safe for your little ones and their gums/teeth
The above information outlines that the individual components used to create our products are manufactured to comply with Australian safety standards but that does not mean that all products constructed with these items are going to be compliant. It is the responsibility of the small business to ensure the products they create also pass the safety standards
We have invested countless minutes and dollars to ensure we are providing our customers with the safest and best quality products we can. We want to be completely transparent here to ensure our customers feel confident purchasing from us. You cannot put a price on the lives of our children and your child's safety is no less important to us than the safety of our own. We use each of these products in our own home, in our family’s homes and in our friend’s homes
You do not have to purchase these products from us but PLEASE only purchase from reputable businesses that have invested their time and money into creating a safe product for you
Steer clear of cheap products. If the price seems to good to be true then it generally means that the cost of safety has not been factored in. The saving of a few dollars is not worth the repercussions of handing over this item to your baby
A single loose bead can be a serious choking hazard for your baby. A dummy chain to long can be a strangulation hazard for your baby. Ingesting toxic substances from untested beads can be poisonous. I could go on but I won't
We cannot stress how important safety is to us and so we have put together some safety tips to educate our customers on what to look out for when making a purchase - these tips can also be used to compare your products at home
Look out for the standard listed as to what the product complies to. In Australia, teethers are to comply with Australian AU/NZS ISO 8124.3:2012 standards and dummy chains (soother holders) adopt elements of the European standards and are to comply with EN 12586:2011-04 standards
TEETHERS TIPS
- Toys must not pass through to the bottom of the choke tester. These choke testers simulate the oral capacity of a child to determine whether a toy or parts of a toy can be swallowed which will lead to choking or suffocating hazards. Test Template A is an oval and Test Template B is a round shape. Template A is 5cm x 3.5cm and Template B is 4.27cm in diameter
- No visible knots or cord (minimal access to cord when beads are pulled apart with force)
- Put your hands around opposite sides of the teether and pull with force - nothing should budge
- Beads should be compressed together that they will no longer be perfectly round. They will appear flat where they butt up to the beads on either side
- Teether should spring back to shape when compressed then let go
DUMMY CHAIN TIPS
- Silicone is super flexible. Your end bead should not be able to be pulled over your end knot therefor your end bead should be a rigid bead, not a flexible bead. If a silicone bead is used the cord must be re-looped through the silicone bead. Give your last beads an almighty tug to make sure they cannot be pulled off even with great force
- Length of chain must not exceed 22cm when pulled taut as this becomes a strangulation hazard. This does not include the clip. The length is measured from the base of the clip to the end of the cord
- Mandatory safety and care instructions must accompany your purchase. There is specific wording and a specific list of what instructions must be given to the customer outlined in the standards
- A dummy chain must only be used as intended with a dummy. Any alternative attachments will deem this product a toy and it must then comply with Australian toy standards (as above) - no dummy chain can meet this standard as it passes straight through the templates mentioned above
- Be wary purchasing from international sellers. The safety standards for some other countries are less stringent and although their products may comply to their relevant standards - it may not comply with ours
These are just some of the many requirements for a safe and suitable product. Do not think that you can by-pass purchasing the standards or lab testing because you have read these tips as they are in fact just that, tips, the tip of the iceberg