Importing Jewelry Into the US - a Quality Assurance Checklist

If you manufacture jewelry outside of the US but wish to sell on the US market, there are a number of important regulations and best practices that you should follow. Some of these requirements are legally mandated, and some are voluntary, but to get your products into the US and sell them, you need to adhere to all of them.

The following guide is a checklist of the quality assurance tests you should conduct on your jewelry before sending it to the US.

Physical Quality and Performance Tests

These tests check the physical characteristics of your jewelry. They are carried out to ensure that your products are being produced to your standards, and also that they are safe for the consumer. A normal series of physical quality tests include:

• A workmanship review - checks that your products are being made to your specifications.
• Pull test of the clasp/fastener and band - tests the strength of the fastener and band.
• Small part retention - checks that extra components, like precious stones, are adequately secured to the piece.

Most of these tests are not mandatory, but should nevertheless be carried out to ensure the quality and consistency of your product and avoid returns from the buyer.

Chemical Testing

Jewelry is generally worn against the skin or, in case of pierced jewelry, through the skin. Plus, small pieces of jewelry have the potential to be swallowed. Because of this, jewelry must adhere to a safe threshold for any toxic chemicals or chemicals that may cause irritation.

There are a number of toxic elements that your jewelry can be tested for, but for the US market, the following two mandatory regulations are important for you:

1. California Proposition 65
2. CPSIA

California Proposition 65 only covers jewelry that is sold in California, but it lists over 800 different chemicals. To make sure your jewelry meets the requirements of California Proposition 65, the use of an accredited chemical testing laboratory is recommended.

CPSIA is a body of regulations that cover products for children, so only children's jewelry needs to conform to CISPA requirements.

Additionally, some voluntary but widely recognized standards are produced by the ASTM organization. The two ASTM standards relevant for jewelry are:

1. ASTM F2923 - Children’s Jewelry Standard
2. ASTM F2999 - Adult Jewelry Standard

While these standards are not mandatory, complying with them is highly recommended, as it will make your products more attractive to US buyers.

Supply Chain Quality

All the materials you use for your jewelry must conform to the requirements of your intended market. The only way to guarantee this is to have your entire supply chain inspected, ensuring that none of the materials used would cause your product to fail quality assurance tests.

Furthermore, buyers of jewelry are increasingly looking for guarantees that the precious metals or stones used in the jewelry were not obtained through forced labor or in an environmentally unsustainable manner. Conforming to a set of standards like those produced by the Responsible Jewellery Council will reassure a US buyer that your jewelry is ethically sourced.

QIMA

QIMA is an end-to-end inspection and laboratory testing company that is able to provide comprehensive jewelry testing services in 85 countries. We are able to test your jewelry for conformance to all standards mentioned in this article, as well as for all regulations required for imports to the EU and Canada.

QIMA is also able to provide comprehensive supply chain audits and is accredited by the Responsible Jewellery Council, so you can guarantee that your precious metals and stones are ethically sourced.

Get in contact with QIMA today and get your jewelry ready for the US market.