Certifications
Two completely different kinds of paperwork get called "certification" in this industry, and mixing them up is how buyers end up with a compliant factory and a non-compliant product.
Product testing proves a specific model is safe for a specific market. Factory audit proves the organisation making it meets social and process standards. You need both, and neither substitutes for the other.
Product testing
Model-specific. Re-run whenever a material, paint or component changes.
EN71 (Parts 1, 2 and 3)
European UnionEN71-1 covers mechanical and physical properties — small parts, sharp edges, projectile energy. EN71-2 covers flammability. EN71-3 covers migration of certain elements such as lead and cadmium from toy materials.
CE marking
European UnionThe conformity mark required before a toy can be placed on the EU market under the Toy Safety Directive. It is a declaration backed by the EN71 test file, not a test in itself — which is why a CE logo with no supporting report means nothing.
ASTM F963
United StatesThe US consumer safety specification for toy safety, covering mechanical hazards, heavy elements in surface coatings, and battery-operated toy requirements. Referenced by the CPSIA as the mandatory toy standard.
CPSIA
United StatesThe consumer product safety law behind children's product testing: lead content limits, phthalate limits and the Children's Product Certificate that must accompany the shipment.
RoHS
European Union (electrical toys)Restricts hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. It applies to our battery-powered water guns and RC models specifically — a plush toy does not need it, an electric blaster does.
Factory audits
Organisation-level. Report is shared with your compliance team, not attached to a product.
amfori BSCI
A social compliance audit of the factory, not the product: working hours, wages, health and safety, no child or forced labour, freedom of association. Retail chains use the report to approve a supplier.
SEDEX / SMETA
SEDEX is the platform; SMETA is the audit methodology published on it. A four-pillar SMETA covers labour standards, health and safety, environment and business ethics. Buyers can view the shared report directly on the SEDEX platform.
GSV
Global Security Verification — a supply chain security audit aligned with the US C-TPAT programme. It covers premises security, container integrity and personnel screening, and matters most for buyers shipping into the United States.
GMPC
Good Manufacturing Practice certification: audited production-process controls, hygiene discipline and documentation, so that what leaves the line matches what was approved in the sample.
ISO 9001
Quality management system certification covering process documentation, corrective action and supplier control — the framework that keeps a QC procedure from being a one-off good intention.
Testing & Audit FAQ
Q Does a BSCI audit mean the toys passed safety testing?
No, and this is the most common misunderstanding we see. BSCI and SEDEX audit the factory — labour conditions, health and safety, ethics. They say nothing about whether a specific model passes EN71 or ASTM. Product testing is separate, model-specific and has to be re-run whenever a material or component changes.
Q What testing do I need to import toys into the United States?
Children's products need testing to ASTM F963 and CPSIA limits at an accredited laboratory, plus a Children's Product Certificate naming the model. Battery-powered items also need the relevant electrical requirements and a UN38.3 report for the lithium cells if they ship by air. Budget for testing per model, not per order.
Q Is CE marking required for a water gun sold in Europe?
Yes. A water gun is a toy under the Toy Safety Directive, so it needs CE marking and a technical file backed by EN71 testing before it can be sold in the EU. The CE mark alone is a declaration — the file behind it is what a market surveillance authority will ask for.
Q Do test reports come with the shipment?
Test reports are issued against a specific model and are handed over with the commercial documents rather than on request afterwards. If your customs broker or retail compliance team needs the report in a particular format, tell us at order stage so the lab issues it correctly the first time.
Duty is a separate question from compliance. The toy HS code guide breaks down what you actually pay at the border, and the sourcing checklist shows where testing cost belongs in your landed-cost calculation.