I recently found myself in a room with a group of small manufacturers, receiving hints and tips on how to run their businesses efficiently. The session covered everything from pricing and administration to machinery capabilities and upscaling. However, from my perspective one crucial aspect was missing: the risk those products might present to your end consumers.
If you’re reading this and your products are either constructed from components or significantly altered in value through decoration, spend a minute thinking how these products interact with consumers and who those consumers are. Maybe they’re very small children, would you put this product into the hands of your child without knowing more about it?
Resources
You don’t necessarily need a full-service compliance department to start making progress in these areas. By understanding your product’s risk profile better, you can work towards reducing it. You can begin by asking yourself some basic questions:
- What do we know about our suppliers?
If you’re purchasing from a distributor, you may know very little. However, understanding your suppliers is crucial, especially if you have B2B customers who likely have specific requirements that your products need to meet. Have you identified those requirements?
- Do the products we sell have regulatory requirements mandated by law?
If you’re selling children’s products, the answer is likely yes. While reputable suppliers may handle compliance, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the documentation and check. Don’t forget about the materials used for decoration they may need to comply with regulations too.
- Are some of our products subject to more complex requirements?
Not all products have complex verification needs, but it’s important to recognize when they do. Understanding these requirements is crucial to mitigate potential risks for both your business and you end customers. There is a big difference between an adult T-Shirt and a babies onesie, but they both print the same. Do you know what you should be looking for in both?
What are my next steps?
End Use
As different products pose different risks, so your first step is towards understanding their end use. In other words who will use this product and how? Printed baby bibs sound like an interesting idea until you think about it’s end use, that bib is going straight in a babies mouth where it will stay for hours over the course of it’s life. Do you know that your decoration peripherals are safe for that end use case?
Ask Questions
Next, ensure your suppliers provide you with the necessary documentation, such as product testing and compliance certificates. This can be as easy as adding “Could you please send me through the 3rd party lab testing for this product along with any certificates of compliance if applicable?
This simple question can serve as an effective filter and may help you choose between two products, if Supplier A replies with “Here they are! Let us know if you have any questions and supplier B writes back “You want what”? Then Supplier A already won my respect.
If you’re embarking on the journey of third-party testing and need assistance understanding your product’s risk profile or implementing compliance measures, The Worsted Forge is here to help. Reach out today to ask us more about Product Risk, Product Compliance and how to take the first steps into understanding the world of compliance.
Leave a Reply