Toys are important playmates in the growth of children in any country and have a huge market. With the development of science and technology, there are more and more types of wholesale toys and more and more functions. China is a big exporter of wholesale toys. About 75% of the world’s toys are produced in China. If you want to purchase toys, sourcing from China is a good choice.
Of course, if you are a buyer from an EU country, you must pass the EN71 certification of the toy. Many importers take this for granted, but they don’t realize the importance of this, and the importance of having this compliance. In this article, we will tell you about playing the EN71 certificate, how important it is and why you should get it ASAP.
What is EN71
EN71 is the normative standard for toys in the EU market. The core is a combination of different European product safety standards, which is applicable to all toys sold in the EU.
To ensure the safety of products, different regions have developed safety standards to implement strict testing and production process control at different stages of product production. Therefore, Europe has launched the EN71 certification decree, and through the standard, the toy products entering the European market are technically regulated, so as to avoid or reduce the harm of toys to children.
It cover radiation, hygiene, safety, chemical structure, fire resistance, mechanical disturbance, etc.
Common standards for EN71 certification:
- -1: Toy Safety – Physical and Mechanical Testing
- -2: Toy Safety – Flammability Test
- -3: Toy Safety – Toxic Metal Dissolution Test
- -4: Toy Safety – Chemical Experiment Toys
- -5: Toy Safety – Non-experimental chemical toys
- -6: Toy Safety – Age Warning Label Diagram
- -7: Requirements for finger paints
- -8: Rocking, sliding and similar toys for indoor and outdoor home entertainment
- -9: General requirements for organic compounds in toys
- -10: Sample preparation and extraction of organic compounds
- -11: Methods of analysis of organic compounds
- -12: Nitrosamines and nitroso compounds
- -13: Requirements for fragrances in certain toys
There are many standards implemented by EN71, but generally speaking, general toys, daily necessities, handicrafts, toy-like products, baby products, etc., need to be tested for the first three parts, that is, EN71-1, EN71-2, EN71-3. Three parts of the assessment, before being allowed to enter the EU market.
Which products need to apply for certification testing?
Baby toys; liquid-filled toys
teether and pacifier; magnetic toys
toy box; electric toys
pet toys; battery toys
handicrafts toy guns and toy bombs
Toy cosmetics, stuffed toys and textile toys
Wooden and Plastic Toys; Bicycle and Scooter Toys
Rocking horses and ride-on toys; games, puzzles and books, etc.
EN71-3, which specifies the maximum limits for the migration of elements (antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, tin) in accessible parts or materials of toys (eight heavy metal migration tests).
How to get EN71 report
Get report from toy supplier
If you already have a cooperative supplier, please ask your supplier. By the way, if you buy toys from Yiwu market, about 95% of the toys do not have test report. Buying toys from Shantou Toy Market is a very good idea if you want to get certification directly from the supplier. Here, more than 90% of toys are certified.
You can find certified suppliers by toy fairs. Below is the China Toy Fair Guide for your reference.
China Toy Fairs Ultimate Guide- Union Vision (unionvisionchart.com)
Receive samples from toy supplier and get report by yourself
If your supplier cannot provide you with report, you must obtain report yourself. After receiving the sample from the supplier, you must send it to the laboratory. Lab staff will test the toy. If the toy does meet standard. You can get a test report. This means you pay for this certification.
Certification process
1. Fill in the application form
2. Provide product information (instructions, circuit schematics, if there are multiple models, provide a list of model differences)
3. Send samples
4. Test
5. Issue report/certificate
3 parts of EN71 that need to be checked
- Physical and Mechanical
- Flammability
- Toxic Metal Dissolution
You have to make sure that the toy has the proper physical and mechanical properties, otherwise you may run into all kinds of problems. You’ll notice that each toy presents a different risk, so your focus is to try to eliminate as much of that risk as possible. Appropriate warning labels are required if there is a risk.
Flammability testing is also important, especially when these toys need to be worn or used near certain parts of the body.
Of course, the dissolution of toxic metals is also a major concern, and if compounds such as barium mercury, lead antimony etc. may be problematic, it is critical to ensure that they do not present any specific problems. Otherwise, problems may arise, something that should be avoided as much as possible.
What happens if the toy cannot obtain the EN71 certificate?
Since it compliance is mandatory, you need to ensure that your products pass the certification. Otherwise
you will not be able to sell your product on the EU market.
The EU will not compensate anyone if the goods are not compliant. By the way, the EU has been regulating chemicals and they often change the requirements.
