UKCA safety testing

At Cecelia's Crafts, everything that is made and sold is safety tested according to UKCA standards.. but what is UKCA?

It isn't particularly well known that anyone selling anything that has any 'play value' must safety test. Whether its part of a full-time business, or a side hustle, every item must be safety tested. 

Yarn and Materials:

Yarn, stuffing, safety eyes and anything else used in making the items need to have certain safety certificates before I can use them.

Safety Eyes and Noses

Safety eyes and noses also need safety certificates before using (EN71-3), and need to be tested when on the toy. This is done by attaching ribbon in the safety eye whilst making the plushie and attaching 9.2kg weights to the ribbon. If the eyes are damaged, broken, or any other part of the toy is broken in the process, it fails testing and cannot be sold.

Fire testing

I perform a flammability test on any yarn I use and each colour I use. This is done by exposing it to a flame and measuring how quickly it burns. If the fire self-extinguishes or burns slowly enough, then it passes safety testing. This is to ensure that if a child is holding the toy, they have enough time to drop it before getting hurt.

There is more to safety testing but this is a general overview. Please let me know if you have any other questions about UKCA safety testing, and ensure that you check for the UKCA mark before purchasing toys!