The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) adopted a new federal safety standard on November 2, 2022. This standard applies to operating cords for custom-made curtains and is intended to reduce the risk of suffocation death and serious life-threatening injuries to children from corded curtains. Notice reads: Infants and young children may be strangled quickly and quietly by drawstrings on curtains, continuous loops, inner cords, or other accessible cords longer than 8 inches. On average, about nine children under the age of five are strangled by cords attached to blinds, drapes, drapes and other drapes every year, according to the latest CPSC figures.

The new rules reduce the risk of strangulation and injury to children 8 years and younger from all types of curtain cords:

1. Custom Curtains: New mandatory consumer product safety standards specify performance requirements for the safe operation of custom curtains. Products subject to the new standard present an unreasonable risk of injury. The new rules take effect 180 days after publication in the Federal Register.

2. Stock and custom curtains: This rule considers that there are dangerous operating cords and inner cords on stock curtains, and dangerous inner cords on custom curtains are serious product hazards. The new federal safety rules incorporate the latest voluntary standard for curtains/WCMA A100.1-2018 and the U.S. National Standard for Product Safety of Corded Curtains (/WCMA-2018). The rule becomes effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register and applies to window covering products produced after that date.

Amendments to 16 CFR 1112

The first of these new rules will be an amendment to 16 CFR 1112 to indicate that certain non-compliance/WCMA criteria will be considered substantial product hazards under CPSA Section 15(a)(2). Under this new requirement, the following will be considered a substantial hazard for the product:

●Stock curtains that do not meet one or more of the following requirements of /WCMA A100.1 – 2018.

1. The operating rope requirements in Section 4.3.1.1 (Cordless Operating System), Section 4.3.1.2 (Short Static or Access Line), or Section 4.3.1.3 (Inaccessible Operating Line).

2. Inner rope requirements in Section 4.3.1.2.

●Custom curtains do not meet the inner cord requirements of Section 4.5 of /WCMA A100.1 – 2018.

●Stock and custom window coverings that do not meet the requirements in Section 5.3 of /WCMA A100.1 – 2018 regarding product manufacturer's labeling.

New regulations in 16 CFR 1260

The second final rule will be a new rule under 16 CFR 1260 titled "Safety Standards for Custom Drapery Products." With this new regulation, it establishes a new set of expectations for operating cords for custom shade products. In particular, it states that "each custom shade shall comply with /WCMA A100.1 – 2018 Section 4.3.1 or 4.3.2.5.2, not Section 4.3.2". So this means that custom shades must now meet the operating cord requirements that apply to stock shades, or the product must utilize a compliant cord or bead chain restraint. Additionally, new testing expectations have been established for rigid rope guards and rope retraction devices. Additional load and accessibility requirements are now also specified if rope or bead chain restraints are used.

WCMA (Best for kids certification)

WCMA , the full name is "Window Covering Manufacturers Association" , which is the American Curtain Manufacturers Association . is a coalition of major U.S. window covering manufacturers, importers and retailers dedicated to educating parents and caregivers about the potential strangulation risks of blind and shade cords and urging consumers to use cordless only in homes with young children Drapes or drapes with cords that are out of reach.

WCMA created the "Best for Kids" certification program, a third-party certification program that specifies standards for window covering products that meet the best standards for use in homes or facilities with young children (/WCMA A 100.1). Products are analyzed by testing laboratories based on the program's eligibility requirements. For products that pass the test, the testing laboratory will send a report to the applicant stating that these products can be labeled "Best for Kids Certified". The first rule of 16 CFR 1120 becomes effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, so the rule becomes effective on December 28, 2022. The second rule of 16 CFR 1260 will take effect 180 days after publication, so that's May 30, 2023.

Amazon requires that all cord shades be tested to meet the specific regulatory or standard requirements listed below:

Product Corded Curtains

Regulations/standards require all of the following:

●Display the test report conforming to/WCMA A100.1-2018 (national standard for rope curtain product safety)

What are the rope curtains?

A rope curtain is an interior curtain that can be raised or lowered with a hanging cord. These products include, but are not limited to, cellular shades, horizontal blinds, pleated shades, roller blinds, roller shades, sheer shades, Roman shades, rails (including and rails, such as drapes and drapes), panel tracks, and vertical blinds. These products can be manufactured and distributed as stock products or custom made products.

/WCMA A100.1 test items:

Item Test Item Test Item

4.1 Allowable Lead Content Allowable lead content

4.2 Small Parts widget

4.3.1 Stock Blinds, Shades, and Shadings

4.3.1.1 Cordless Operating System Cordless Operating System

4.3.1.2 & 4.3.2.2 Short Static or Access Cords Short Static or Access Cords

4.3.1.3 & 4.3.2.3 Inaccessible Operating Cords Inaccessible Operating Cords

4.3.2 Custom Blinds, Shades, and Shadings

4.3.2.1 Cordless Operating System Cordless Operating System

4.3.2.4 Single Retractable Cord Lift System Single Retractable Cord Lift System

4.3.2.5 Continuous Loop Operating System Continuous Loop Operating System

4.3.2.6 Multi-Cord Lift System Multi-Cord Lift System

4.3.2.7 Cord Loop Lift Operating System

4.4 Operating Cord Length

4.5 Inner Cords

4.6 Cord Cleats

5 Labeling labels

6.1 Cord Release Devices (operating cords – APPENDIX B)

6.2 Cord Retraction Devices

6.3 Cord Shroud (APPENDIX B) rope cutting device (Appendix B)

6.4 Tension Devices (APPENDIX C / APPENDIX D) Rope Guard Device (Appendix C/D)

6.5 Loop Cord and Bead Chain Restraining Device (APPENDIX D / APPENDIX F) Loop Cord and Bead Chain Restraining Device (Appendix D/F)

6.6 Rigid Cord Shroud

6.7 Inner Cord Stop Device or Cord Connector Rope internal stop device or rope connector)

6.8 Wide Life Bands

Failure to provide/WCMA A100.1 test results by the applicable deadline, Amazon may take the following actions:

●Delete related product list

● Suspension of your ability to add new products and/or your listing privileges V: wxjc_2016