Key takeaways
- An inspection checks what can be seen, measured and operated. Chemical, flammability, strength and stability tests need a lab.
- Accreditation is to ISO/IEC 17025, and the scope must list the test method you need. For US children's products the lab must also be CPSC-accepted.
- A test on samples the factory chose proves only that those samples passed. Independent, sealed samples tie the result to your lot.
- Read the lab report against the goods: sample description, photos, method, limits and date.
What an inspection can check, and what needs a lab
An inspector at the factory checks the product visually, dimensionally and functionally. A lab measures what the eye and a tape measure cannot. Most buyers need both.
| Question | At the factory (inspection) | In a lab |
|---|---|---|
| Is it the right product, size and finish? | Yes | No |
| Are labels, warnings and marks present? | Yes | No |
| Does it tip over with drawers open? | A screening check | Full test to the standard |
| Is the wood dry enough? | Moisture meter readings | Rarely needed |
| Lead, phthalates, formaldehyde, azo dyes, restricted chemicals | No | Yes |
| Flammability, colour fastness, strength and durability | No | Yes |
| Migration from food-contact surfaces | No | Yes |
An inspection can confirm that the goods match the sample that was tested. It cannot replace the test. See the pre-shipment inspection checklist for what happens on site.
When to test
- When the law requires it. For example, US children's products need a Children's Product Certificate based on tests by a CPSC-accepted lab (see CPSIA children's products).
- Before the first shipment of a new product or new supplier. Even where testing is not mandatory, you carry the legal responsibility for a safe product in your market. The EU's General Product Safety Regulation is an example.
- When something changes. A new paint or lacquer, a different foam or fabric, a new glaze or a new sub-supplier can change the result.
- Periodically. Some rules set a testing interval; others leave it to a reasonable testing programme.
- After a complaint or a failed result. Retest after the factory changes the material or process.
Typical tests by product and market
This table is a starting point. The detail, limits and dates are on each regulation page.
| Product | Market | What is usually tested |
|---|---|---|
| Chests, dressers and clothing storage units | US | Stability to ASTM F2057 under the STURDY Act |
| Upholstered furniture | US (California) and UK | Smoulder resistance to TB 117-2013; fire tests under the UK furniture fire safety regulations |
| Furniture with MDF, particleboard or plywood | US | Panels from a mill certified by an EPA-recognised third-party certifier under TSCA Title VI |
| Furniture strength and durability | EU and UK; US office seating | EN 12520 and EN 1728; BIFMA X5.1 for office seating |
| Coatings, textiles, leather, plastics | EU and US | Restricted substances under REACH, azo dyes, chromium VI in leather; Prop 65 chemicals |
| Toys and children's products | US and EU | ASTM F963, CPSIA lead and phthalates; EN 71 |
| Ceramics, glass, metal kitchenware | US and EU | Lead and cadmium release (ceramics); migration under FDA food contact and EU 1935/2004 and LFGB |
| Jewellery and metal accessories | EU | Nickel release under the nickel restriction |
| Electrical goods and lighting | EU, UK, US | LVD and EMC, RoHS; UL or ETL listing for the US |
| Home textiles and apparel | EU, US | Fibre content for textile labelling, colour fastness, 16 CFR 1610 flammability for apparel |
For a market overview, see the import compliance pages for the USA, EU and UK.
Choosing an accredited lab
ISO/IEC 17025 is the international standard for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. Accreditation is granted for a defined scope: a list of test methods. A lab accredited for textile tests is not accredited for furniture stability. Check three things:
- The accreditation body and certificate, and that it is current.
- The scope lists the exact method and edition you need.
- Market acceptance. For US children's products, the lab must be accepted by the CPSC for that test; CPSC publishes a searchable list. Some retailers also keep their own approved-lab lists.
In India, testing labs are accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 by NABL, a constituent board of the Quality Council of India. NABL's website has a search of accredited labs. Many global testing groups also run labs in India; you can use one in India or ship samples to a lab abroad.
Why sealed samples matter
When a factory sends its own samples to a lab, the report proves that those samples passed. It says nothing about whether they came from your production. The fix is simple:
- An independent inspector selects the samples at random from production or packed goods.
- Each sample is labelled, photographed and sealed in a bag or carton with a numbered seal.
- A custody form records who sealed it, when, and the order and style it came from.
- The sealed samples go straight to the lab, by courier or by hand.
- The lab confirms the seals were intact on arrival and describes the sample in its report.
When the report comes back, check that the sample description, photos and style match the goods, that the method and edition are the ones you asked for, that every result is compared against a stated limit, and that the report date fits this production. A lab test report for last year's lot, or for a different colour, does not cover this one.
How Clear To Load coordinates testing
Clear To Load does not run its own laboratory, and we have no partner labs: we take no commission on test fees. Tests go to an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited lab that you choose, or that we suggest for your product and market. We agree the test plan with you, pull and seal the samples, send them to the lab, and check the lab's report against the goods before they ship.
Lab testing coordination costs US$99 per order. When samples are pulled during an inspection there is no extra visit; a separate sample-pulling visit is charged as a man-day. The lab's own fees are billed at cost with the lab's invoice attached, or paid by you directly to the lab. See lab testing coordination in India and pricing.
Sources
- ISO/IEC 17025, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories (iso.org)
- NABL, National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (Quality Council of India)
- CPSC: Testing and certification, CPSC-accepted laboratories
- Safety Standard for Clothing Storage Units, 16 CFR 1261, Federal Register, 4 May 2023