GPSR for jewellery sellers: nickel, lead, cadmium and choking hazards
Jewellery looks low-risk, but it's one of the most frequent categories in EU Safety Gate alerts. The problems are almost always chemical (lead, cadmium and nickel in cheap metal parts) or small parts that young children can swallow.
The chemical limits that matter (REACH Annex XVII)
| Substance | Limit | Typical risk |
|---|---|---|
| Nickel (entry 27) | Release ≤ 0.5 µg/cm²/week for parts in prolonged skin contact; ≤ 0.2 for piercing posts | Plated findings, cheap clasps, earring hooks |
| Lead (entry 63) | < 0.05% by weight in any accessible part of jewellery | Zinc-alloy charms, some glass and painted beads |
| Cadmium (entry 23) | < 0.01% by weight in metal parts of jewellery | Cheap metal alloys and solders |
As a small maker you rarely need to lab-test every item. Keep supplier declarations confirming REACH compliance for your findings and charms, prefer 316L stainless steel, titanium, sterling silver or gold-filled components, and consider an EN 1811 nickel test for best-sellers.
Physical hazards
- Choking: beads and charms that detach can be swallowed by children in the household.
- Strangulation: long necklaces or cords.
- Cuts: sharp wire ends.
Typical measures are secure stringing and crimping, pull tests, and an age warning such as "Not suitable for children under 3 years. Contains small parts. Choking hazard."
Careful: is it a toy?
Jewellery designed or marketed for children's play (party bags, "for girls aged 5", cartoon designs) can fall under EU toy safety rules, which require CE marking and EN 71 testing. Keep the presentation clearly aimed at teenagers and adults if you haven't done toy testing.
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