How important is safety knowledge when purchasing promotional products?

Product safety is an important component to promotional advertising. Stories that focus on public perception and outcry when toys or apparel meant for kids are recalled due to safety issues are not hard to find; chances are you’ve read at least one such story in the last 6 months. In fact, one of our industry publications alerted distributors recently to be more stringent in our relationships for sunscreen and personal care products, citing a recent voluntary recall of some popular spray sunscreens as a fire hazard around open flame or before completely dry. Back in December we were reminding our cleints that they need to make sure that lips balms are up to date with new requirements for labeling ingredients.

 

As distributors we appreciate our industry association leaders promoting safety educaton and providing articles and alerts to help us navigate the complex jargon that surrounds product safety; however Promotional Partners has an expert on site!  

Having extracted, analyzed and reported results for a vast number of the toxic and carcinogenic chemicals from both drinking water, groundwater and soil samples for state and national contracts, Keith has the knowledge to interpret applicable compliance levels within our industry.  Many of clients started asking about BPA free water bottles a couple years ago, which means that they want products that are free of Bisphenol A, found in plastics; which over time can leach into the fluid the bottle contains.  The fear from the public arose due to the fact that almost everyone these days drinks from some type of plastic bottle.                   

Product safety and compliance became increasing important as the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) in 2008 aimed at improving the safety of products intended for use by children ages twelve and below.  This act made for sweeping changes in allowable chemical concentrations in mostly but not limited to plastic products.  California enacted Proposition 65 in 1986, leading the way for product safety.  Both of these pieces of legislation continue to change in an effort to promote an increase in safety for products used by US consumers.

If products were purchased by a supplier registered with both major associations, ASI (Advertising Specialty Institute) and PPAI (Promotional Products Association International) a distributor, such as Promotional Partners, will have the ability to access safety information insuring that the product has been third party tested and complies with all applicable laws.

Safety standards and protocols are in place to rather to raise awareness that companies should be purchasing from companies that seek out relationships for product safety and compliance before securing products that are promoting your business.  Purchasing from local distributors that are up to date on safety compliance the next time you decide to make a promotional item purchase from an internet supplier, make sure you are buying safe products that have been third party tested and certified.  We all want to make the news, but not for safety reasons.