As a costume maker, it is a legal requirement to ensure that all items are CE marked (if selling to Europe) and UKCA tested (if selling within the UK). Here I will give a brief explanation of what CE marking is and how to CE test costumes.
What is the CE Mark?
CE stands for Conformité Européenne which is French for European Conformity. Since leaving the EU, UK businesses also need to ensure that products sold within the UK are UKCA tested. UKCA stands for UK Conformity Assessment. Items that carry the CE mark have been tested according to a series of legislative requirements.
Do Costumes Need to be CE Tested?
According to the EU Toy Safety Directives 2009/48/EC, any item that has play value must be CE marked. This, therefore, includes children's costumes.
How to CE Test Products
CE testing can be carried out in a laboratory (which can prove to be a costly process) or at home via self-verify conformity.
What does the Self-Verification CE Testing Process Involve?
There are various parts to carrying out the CE testing procedure yourself. To comply with the CE mark, all products must pass three main stages of testing:
EN71-1 Mechanical and Physical Properties
EN71-2 Flammability
EN71-3 Migration of Certain Elements
and records of each stage must be kept, and regularly updated, in a technical file.
How Can I Find Out More?
The UKCA & CE Marking Handmade Toys Collective is a supportive and knowledgable place to head. Their tiered membership provides access to the self-certification paperwork required to carry out both UKCA and CE marking, access to many EN71-3 safety certificates and a supportive community to answers any questions you may have along the way.
Conformance are also CE and UKCA marking specialists.
Further guidance on CE marking can also be found on the Government website.