Fake Product Certificates and Test Reports: An Essential Guide

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Product testing and certification can be expensive. Consultants and lab testing services can charge thousands of dollars. As such, suppliers have an incentive to cut corners by either creating or buying fake lab test reports and product certificates for a fraction of what it would cost to do it the right way.

In many, if not most, cases, suppliers are not even aware of the fact that the compliance documents are invalid.

The unfortunate result is that businesses buy non-compliant and unsafe products on the basis of fake test reports and certificates. This has the direct effect of exposing their own business to financial ruin and their customers to potentially lethal products. Think exploding phone chargers and toxic toys.

This guide explains what you can do to identify fake test reports, certificates, and other compliance documents.
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Which Products Require a General Certificate of Conformity (GCC)?

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Products subject to certain mandatory product safety rules must be covered by a General Certificate of Conformity (GCC). This guide explains how you can determine whether a General Certificate of Conformity is required for your product. We also provide examples of products subject to this requirement.
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How to Create a General Certificate of Conformity (GCC) in 7 Steps

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This guide explains how to create a General Certificate of Conformity (GCC) in 7 steps based on the standard CPSC sample structure. Each point explains what information to include, complete with examples of the different formats that can be used.

Note that this guide is written based on the assumption that you lack the capability to perform your own testing according to applicable product safety rules and must therefore use a third-party testing company.
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Which Products Require a Children’s Product Certificate (CPC)?

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Creating a Children’s Product Certificate (CPC) is mandatory if your product is determined to be a children’s product and subject to one or more children’s product safety rules. In this guide, we explain how you can assess if this is the case, while also providing examples of products that require a Children’s Product Certificate in the United States.
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How to Create a Children’s Product Certificate (CPC) in 7 steps

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This guide explains how to create a Children’s Product Certificate when manufacturing or importing products classified as children’s products. This process involves specifying product and company information, as well as listing children’s product safety rules for which the product has been tested.

Note that you can only create a Children’s Product Certificate once third-party lab testing has been completed.
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Leather Product Regulations in the United States: An Overview

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Leather Product Regulations in the United States

Leather products sold in the United States must comply with chemical restrictions, labeling, and other requirements. Some are specific to leather products, while others apply to coatings, heavy metals, or consumer products in general.

In this guide, we take a closer look at 16 CFR Part 24, California Proposition 65, and other requirements applicable to leather products in the United States.

Product examples

  • Leather bags
  • Leather belts
  • Leather wallets
  • Hides
  • Leather furniture covers
  • Other leather products

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Cable Regulations in the United States: An Overview

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Cable Regulations in the United States

Cables imported and manufactured in the United States are subject to various regulations and safety standards. Compliance with applicable regulations and standards is essential, as unsafe cables may cause fires, electrical shocks, or damage other devices.

This guide takes a close look at how regulations such as 47 CFR Part 15 and 16 CFR Part 1120 apply to cables in the United States. You will also learn why voluntary UL and ASTM standards are important to consider when importing or manufacturing cables.

Product examples

  • USB cables
  • Power cords
  • Extension cords
  • Optical fiber cables

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Drone Regulations in the United States: A Complete Guide

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Drone Regulations in the United States: A Complete Guide

Drones and unmanned aircraft systems imported or manufactured in the United States are subject to various regulations and standards. In this guide, we take a closer look at regulations specific to drones and requirements applicable to components such as lithium batteries.

Note: This guide primarily focuses on product requirements, not operational requirements or requirements for pilots. However, we do mention operational requirements in the section concerning “Other rules”, as we thought it was important to at least mention geofencing requirements, and put them into the context of other airspace restrictions.

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Part 1263 – Safety Standard for Button Cell Batteries: A Complete Guide

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Part 1263 - Safety Standard for Button Cell Batteries

Part 1263 sets safety requirements concerning button cell batteries and coin batteries. The standard applies both to consumer products that contain such batteries and battery packaging. Ensuring compliance requires that the product battery compartment is designed according to certain mechanical safety requirements and that warning labeling is affixed to the product and packaging.
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Part 1262 – Safety Standard for Magnets: A Complete Guide

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Safety Standard for Magnets

Part 1262 sets magnet safety requirements for consumer products that belong to certain categories, and that contain magnets with certain size and strength characteristics. In this guide, we explain what manufacturers and importers must know about covered products, exemptions, magnet requirements, certification, and testing requirements under Part 1262.

Note that Part 1262 is not applicable to toys. Instead, sets magnet safety requirements for other consumer products – including those that are not intended for children.
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