Toy safe dyes

[TobyDavidson]

Hello,

I have been asked to produce a series of rattles for a children's toy stall. Can anyone help me with choosing the correct dyes to be kiddy safe?

I thought I had seen a thread about it previously, and even think someone said you can buy sample kits rather than big containers of dye but don't seem to be able to find it.

 

[user 5053]

I have always used food dye that they use for cake making as in icing suger etc for my coloured items. I would be a bit wary about making rattles etc in wood because of the chance of the wood splitting on the short grain. There are quite strict guidelines when it comes to making toys which you need to know about.

 

[Bodrighy]

Depending how you are colouring them you can use child safe felt tips. If you want rings on it, this is how I colour spinning tops.

Pete

 

[Jonzjob]

I have made any number of these and they are spread from Hong Kong, Singapore, France, Norway and all the way across to N America, the U.K. too. I have not heard of any of them breaking.

I have always coated them in sunflower oil.

When I was making toys, before moving over, I got in touch with the local, Gloucester, trading standards officer. He actually came out to my home and gave me a check over to see what I was doing and what I was using. He also gave me the full info on the law to do with toy making. He was very helpfull. When I started making the rattles I phoned him to ask if it was OK to use the sunflower oil. He asked if they would burn. Well of course the dammed things would burn being wood and oil coated! He told me to do a test and hold a match under one for 5 seconds and if it didn't burst into flames it was OK. The outcome was that it was OK!

As far as the coulering is concerned I was told that food dyes were not a problem, but if I used any kind of varnishes then they had to be certified and tested safe for toys. Not batch tested, but every blasted tin! I decided to back away from anything that had to be varnished.

I have only ever made wooden things as a paying hobby, not as a pro.

 

[Richard Findley]

Hi Toby,

As I understand it, it's only the top finish that you use that is important. This means that any type of permanent dye would be suitable as long as it is topped by a finished classified as "Safe for Toys (EN71)". Many of the Chestnut finishes class as such including the Melamine lacquer and the Woodwax 22. If you Pm or email Terry Smart from Chestnut Products he would probably be able to give you more info.

HTH

Richard

 

[Jonzjob]

I was told that everything had to be child safe because if the finish is bitten/chipped/etc then the under coating would be exposed.

Contact your local Trading Standards office. They have all of the words on the law and it's definate.