2024 brought big changes to regulations for baby slings and carriers, as well as consumer products in general, across the globe. Here is an overview of the ones we think will have the greatest impact on your babywearing business.
Did we forget anything? Let us know and we’ll add it to the list!
Australia
- New mandatory Australian care label standard
- Proposed Treasury Laws Amendment Bill 2024: Product Safety Regulation
- New mandatory sleep standards — these standards specifically exempt baby carriers, but it is still good to familiarize yourself with this standard when selling baby slings and carriers into Australia.
- Read “2024–25 Compliance and Enforcement Policy and Priorities” published by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
China
- Updated baby carrier standard: The 2017 standard has been revised. The new standard is GB/T 35270-2024, and it is scheduled to be implemented on December 1, 2026.
EU (and the UK and Northern Ireland)
- The new General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) is a major standard that went into effect in December 2024.
- Progress was made toward finalizing new CEN standards for slings and baby carriers.
- EU Product Liability Directive 2024/2853 on liability for defective products was published on 23 October 2024. One of the major purposes of this legislation is to make it easier to consumers to bring product liability claims in the EU and to ease the burden of proof for consumers. The rule is required to be implemented by December 9, 2026. There are many articles explaining the implications of this directive, such as this one from TaylorWessing and this one from Covington.
Japan
United States
- PFAS are increasingly banned or regulated in states throughout the US. The landscape of PFAS regulations are expected to continue changing throughout the US and internationally. You can find extensive information about this, but here is an article published in November by BCLP Law to give you an overview.
- The ASTM F2236-24 standard for soft carriers was published. We have been anticipating this change, but the final rule was not published until December 2024. The biggest change to this standard is in the labels, and members can purchase warning labels (both physical labels and a label template) compliant with the new standard.
- The US CPSC has published a final rule requiring eFiling of Consumer Product Certificates beginning in 2026.
- For the first time, the CPSC has stated unequivocally that Amazon is subject to CPSIA regulations.
- Utah’s updated law for padded products goes into effect on May 15, 2025. Most notably, this requires digital textile labels in product listings. If your product has any kind of padding sewn in, whether that’s polar fleece, foam, or other enclosed padding or quilting, you will need to understand this new law.
- Beneficial Ownership Information — beginning in 2025, most business are required to file BOI reports with the federal government.
- California Prop 65 has seen countless changes and updates in recent years, and that trend is expected to continue, especially after new research was published showing the effectiveness of the law. You should carefully review your compliance plan to ensure you’re meeting your obligations under this law, including noting 2024 changes and updates to the regulations.
Stay updated on other changes to regulations for baby slings and carriers
BCIA membership will help ensure you stay current on global changes to product regulations that will impact your baby sling or baby carrier business. Whether you’re a product manufacturer, a reseller, or a babywearing educator, this information is critical to help your business stay compliant and up to date. Learn about the countless benefits of membership today.