We’re getting lots of questions about cribs, so here’s what’s up (as we understand it, at least) as of July 15, 2011.
As of June 28, 2011, the CPSC is enforcing new federal safety standards for ALL cribs. It is now illegal to manufacture, sell, contract to sell or resell, lease, sublet, offer, provide for use, or otherwise place in the stream of commerce a crib that does not comply with the CPSC’s new standards for full-size and non-full-size cribs. This includes manufacturers, retail stores, Internet retailers, resale shops, auction sites and consumers. All cribs must comply with 16 CFR 1219 (the new standard for full-size cribs) or 16 CFR 1220 (the new standard for non-full-size cribs).
In other words, no one – not a store selling new or used items, not Kentucky Kids Consignment Sales, not an eBay seller, not a Craiglist seller, and not an individual holding a garage sale – can legally sell a crib that does not meet these standards. Thrift stores and charitable organizations should not accept cribs that do not meet the new standard either. Daycare centers, church nurseries, and hotels/motels are all required to replace their cribs with ones that conform to the new standard by December 28, 2012. Hospitals do not have to comply with the new standard because hospital cribs are considered medical equipment and are regulated by the FDA.
This new standard is more than just a “recall” on all drop-side cribs. Many stationary-side cribs do not conform to the new standard either, although NO drop-side cribs will conform, so drop-side cribs can now be considered a thing of the past. You cannot tell if a crib is compliant just by looking at it. Cribs manufactured prior to 2011 are highly unlikely to be compliant.
So, what does this mean for Kentucky Kids Consignment Sales? It means we likely won’t have any cribs at the sale for the next few seasons as we will only accept cribs the comply with the new standards and are manufactured after June 28, 2011. We urge shoppers to avoid purchasing ANY used crib that does not meet the new standards from any source. If you purchase a new crib that does meet the standards, keep all the paperwork so that we can prove it meets the new standards when you are ready to sell it at one of our events.
We do plan to accept toddler beds that meet the new safety standards issued for them. So, if your crib converts to a toddler bed and meets the toddler bed safety standards, you can permanently convert it, destroy the crib-only parts, and bring it to one of our sales.