The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) has established a common safety standard for all products designed for children. According to the legislation, infant and children's textile and leather products are regulated under the Special Act on Safety Management of Children's Products by Enactment of the Common Safety Standards of Children's Products, Safety Confirmation Act and Suppliers' Declaration of Conformity Act. The new regulation will become effective after 4th June 2016.

(A) Safety Confirmation Act

All textile products for infants are regulated under the Special Act on Safety Management of Children's Products - Enactment of Common Safety Standards of Children's Products and Safety Confirmation Act Annex 1 (Textile Products for Infants). Products must be tested and certified by local authorized Korean testing and inspection institutions, an approval Korea Certification Mark (KC Mark) must be attached on the products before distribution to the Korean market.

Product scope for infant textile products includes outerwear, innerwear, sleeping gear, shoes, socks, gloves, headgear, bags and baby goods.

Table 1 - Consolidated Requirements for Infant Textile Products

ITEMS

REQUIREMENTS - Infant (< 36 months)

Formaldehyde

20 mg/kg

Organotin Compounds

Dibutyltin (DBT)

1.0 mg/kg

Tributyltin (TBT)

0.5 mg/kg

Azo Dyes (24 items)

30 mg/kg (each)

Phthalates (DEHP, BBP, DBP, DINP, DNOP, DIDP)

0.1% (total)

Flame Retardants (TDBPP, PentaBDE, OctaBDE)

Prohibited

Dimethylfumarate (DMFu)

0.1 mg/kg

Total Lead

Coating / Painting / Other Substrates: 90 mg/kg

Metal: 300 mg/kg

Total Cadmium

75 mg/kg

Nickel Release (all metal components)

0.5 µg/cm/week

Allergenic Disperse Dyes (22 items)

Prohibited

pH Value

4.0 - 7.5

Soluble Heavy Metals

  • For all polymer / paper substrates, and any painting / coating

Sb: 60 mg/kg, As: 25 mg/kg, Ba: 1,000 mg/kg, Cd: 75 mg/kg, Cr: 60 mg/kg, Pb: 90 mg/kg, Hg: 60 mg/kg, Se: 500 mg/kg

Cords and Drawstrings

Compliance

Small Parts

No small part after tension test

Magnet

FAIL if >50 kGmm and incompliance in small part test

Sharp Point / Sharp Edge

No sharp point / No sharp edge

(B) Supplier's Declaration of Conformity Act

Infant and children's leather products and children's textile products are regulated under the Special Act on Safety Management of Children's Products - Enactment of Common Safety Standards of Children's Products and Supplier's Declaration of Conformity Act Annex 1 (Leather Products) and Annex 15 (Textile Products). Manufacturer or importer shall confirm the satisfaction by self-test or test conducted by a third party service provider (ISO 17025 accredited labs) for existence of any hazardous substances. Inspection agency shall verify the standard compliance according to the Supplier's Declaration of Conformity Act.

Product scope for infant leather products is the same as those listed for infant textile products. Product scope for children's textile and leather products includes innerwear and midwear with direct skin contact, outerwear without direct skin contact, bedding and others (e.g. bags)

(Note: Natural or synthetic leather or fur material with more than 60% surface area on shell are considered as leather items.)

Table 2 - Consolidated Requirements for Infant and Children's Leather Products

ITEMS

REQUIREMENTS

Infants (< 36 months)

Children (≥ 36 months to ≤ 13 yrs)

Formaldehyde

20 mg/kg

75 mg/kg

Chlorinated Phenols (PCP)

0.5 mg/kg

5.0 mg/kg

Chromium (VI)

0.5 mg/kg

3.0 mg/kg

Azo Dyes (24 items)

30 mg/kg (each)

Dimethylfumarate (DMFu)

0.1 mg/kg

Phthalates (DEHP, BBP, DBP, DINP, DNOP, DIDP)

0.1% (total)

** 0.1% (total)

Organotin Compounds

Dibutyltin (DBT)

1.0 mg/kg

--

Tributyltin (TBT)

0.5 mg/kg

1.0 mg/kg

Total Lead

Coating / Painting: 90 mg/kg

Metal / Other Substrates: 300 mg/kg

Total Cadmium

75 mg/kg

Nickel Release (all metal components)

0.5 µg/cm/week

Soluble Heavy Metals

  • Infant: For all polymer / paper substrates, and any painting / coating
  • Children: Products intended to be placed in mouth

Sb: 60 mg/kg, As: 25 mg/kg, Ba: 1,000 mg/kg, Cd: 75 mg/kg, Cr: 60 mg/kg, Pb: 90 mg/kg, Hg: 60 mg/kg, Se: 500 mg/kg

Magnet

FAIL if > 50 kGmm and incompliance in small part test

Small Parts*

No small part after tension test

Cords and Drawstrings

Compliance

Sharp Point / Sharp Edge*

No sharp point / No sharp edge

Note: * Labeling Requirement for Children Products

** DEHP+BBP+DBP: 1000 mg/kg for children products not intended to be placed in mouth

DEHP+BBP+DBP+DIDP+DNOP+DINP: 1000 mg/kg for children products intended to be
placed in mouth

Table 3 - Consolidated Requirements for Children's Textile Products

ITEMS

REQUIREMENTS - Children (≥ 36 months to ≤ 13 yrs)

Formaldehyde

75 mg/kg

pH Value

4.0 - 7.5

Azo Dyes (24 items)

30 mg/kg (each)

Organotin - Tributyltin (TBT)

1.0 mg/kg

Dimethylfumarate (DMFu)

0.1 mg/kg

Phthalates (DEHP, DBP, BBP, DINP, DIDP, DNOP)

** 0.1% (total)

Total Lead

Coating / Painting / Other Substrates: 90 mg/kg

Metal: 300 mg/kg

Total Cadmium

75 mg/kg

Nickel Release (all metal components)

0.5 µg/cm/week

Flame Retardants (TDBPP, PentaBDE, OctaBDE)

Prohibited

Allergenic Disperse Dyes (22 items)

Prohibited

Soluble Heavy Metals

  • Products intended to be placed in mouth only

Sb: 60 mg/kg, As: 25 mg/kg, Ba: 1,000 mg/kg, Cd: 75 mg/kg, Cr: 60 mg/kg, Pb: 90 mg/kg, Hg: 60 mg/kg, Se: 500 mg/kg

Cords and Drawstrings

Compliance

Magnet

FAIL if > 50 kGmm and incompliance in small part test

Small Parts*

No small part after tension test

Sharp Point / Sharp Edge*

No sharp point / No sharp edge

Note: * Labeling Requirement for Children Products

** DEHP+BBP+DBP: 1000 mg/kg for children products not intended to be placed in mouth

DEHP+BBP+DBP+DIDP+DNOP+DINP: 1000 mg/kg for children products intended to be
placed in mouth

Reference:

Enactment of Common Safety Standards of Children's Products: [1]

Safety Confirmation Act: [2]

Supplier's Declaration of Conformity Act: [3]

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