The clothes off our (kids’) backs?

At our house, we’re really big fans of consignment shops. Nearly half of my kids’ closets are filled with threads I’ve picked up at places like Kid to Kid and Children’s Orchard. A new law (the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act) apparently may push these shops out of businesses by forcing all used clothes and toys to be tested for lead and other chemicals. Trent over at The Simple Dollar has a great recap and analysis on the issue.

Don’t get me wrong, I think some government regulations make sense. After all, without them we probably wouldn’t have car seats, kids would have limbs stuck in cribs and clothing with drawstrings may still be choking our little ones.

This time, I think Congress has jerked their knees and thrown some good babies out with the bathwater. It appears that the relative risk from used clothing and toys is fairly minimal for the amount of work required to test for it. Not only will this new law effect consignment store owners and those who buy from and sell to them, it also hits your local thrift shops and the nonprofits that rely on them for income to support community services. It appears there may be ramifications for garage sales and home crafters who sell their wares.

Be sure to check out The Simple Dollar for more details. If you’re concerned, you may want to hit your local consignment shop to buy and sell before it goes into effect on Feb. 10.