Could Second-Hand Children’s Clothing Become Illegal to Buy and Sell?
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Could Second-Hand Children's Clothing Become Illegal...
These days, there is one business that appears to be booming: The
These days, there is one business that appears to be booming: The “second-hand” business. The hottest items on the second-hand market are children’s items…from clothing and toys, to car-seats and cribs. But, next time you head to your favorite thrift store, or get up early to visit a neighbor’s garage sale, be prepared to see less on the tale. WJBF News Channel 6’s Joy Howe explains.
Published: March 27, 2009
Updated: March 27, 2009
Aiken County, SC—Lorry Sightler has something in her store that’s been hard to find lately: business.
Lorry Sightler, consignment store owner: “With the economy like it is, we’ve had a lot of new faces, too.“
She owns this consignment store in Aiken County…and says her children’s section is a magnet.
But a couple months ago, she considered closing off this section, because she found out she might be selling something that’s against the law.
Congress passed a law last year making certain items, such as recalled cribs or toys with lead, illegal.
And other items, like second-hand clothing, are also in doubt. So, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends those be set aside, until further direction from the Commission.
Sightler: “We do want our children to be safe, and I would not want to do anything that would harm anyone, but I do think they did not go about it in a logical way, and they went overboard and they haven’t been clear.“
Sightler says the back-and-forth rules of the Commission are toying with her livelihood.
Crystal Fox, “Sweet Repeats” Sale organizer: “You try to save everywhere you can.“
Krystal Fox is a mother and a community-consignment sale organizer at South Aiken Church of God.
Every six months, she puts together a sale for the community that benefits her church, and helps out the consumer and the consigners. When she heard clothing with “snaps” was on the possible “ban” list by the CPSC, she cried foul.
Fox: “That’s most of children’s clothing, especially small children wearing diapers, so what would be left to buy?“
Sightler doesn’t think it’s the job of the small business owner or the second-hand buyer to check the safety of items. She says that’s the job of the people who are trying to regulate what she sells, now.
Sightler: “And not only us, but the thrift stores, and people that are just trying to make it, and we need all the help we can get.“
We spoke with Patty Davis, a spokesperson for the Consumer Product Safety Commission, who had this to say: “We in no way want to close down second-hand stores. They are vital to our economy. We understand there are some unresolved issues, and we’re looking to clarify them as soon as we can.”
To view a list of banned items or items that should be shelved, visit CPSC.gov.
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