Plush Toy Safety Standards Explained: ASTM F963, EN 71, GB 6675 & CE

Why Safety Standards Matter in the Plush Toy Industry

Safety is the foundation of the toy industry. Unlike many consumer products, toys are primarily used by children — the most vulnerable consumers who are prone to putting objects in their mouths, pulling parts off toys, and using products in unintended ways. This is why governments worldwide have established rigorous safety standards specifically for toys, and plush toys are no exception.

Non-compliance with these standards can result in product recalls, import seizures, hefty fines, legal liability, and irreparable damage to your brand reputation. More importantly, non-compliant products can pose real dangers to children, including choking hazards, chemical exposure, and flammability risks. Understanding and adhering to the relevant safety standards for your target markets is not just a regulatory requirement — it is a moral obligation.

ASTM F963: United States Toy Safety Standard

ASTM F963 is the mandatory toy safety standard for the United States market, administered by ASTM International and enforced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Any plush toy sold in the US must comply with this standard.

Key testing areas under ASTM F963 include:

Mechanical and physical properties: Tests for small parts that could present choking hazards, sharp points and edges, pull strength of eyes and noses, seam strength, and ribbon/string length restrictions. For plush toys, this means every attached component must withstand specific pull forces without detaching.
Flammability: Testing ensures materials used in plush toys do not ignite easily or burn rapidly. Fabrics must meet specific flame-spread requirements, and filling materials are tested for flash-point temperatures.
Chemical properties: Extensive testing for heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury), phthalates, and other toxic substances in fabrics, fillings, dyes, and surface coatings. Soluble heavy metal limits are strictly enforced, particularly for products intended for children under 3 years old.
Labeling requirements: Age grading recommendations, manufacturer or importer identification, tracking labels (lot numbers, production dates), and care instructions must all meet specific formatting requirements.

Third-party testing at a CPSC-accredited laboratory is required, and a Children's Product Certificate (CPC) must be issued for every product before it can be sold in the US market.

EN 71: European Toy Safety Standard

EN 71 is a series of European standards that form the basis for the CE marking required for toys sold in the European Economic Area (EEA). The standard consists of multiple parts, each addressing different safety aspects:

EN 71-1 (Mechanical and physical properties): Similar to ASTM F963, this part tests for choking hazards, sharp points, pull-off strength of small parts, and overall structural integrity. Requirements are particularly stringent for toys designed for children under 36 months.
EN 71-2 (Flammability): Tests the burning behavior of materials. Plush toys with hair or fur-like features face additional scrutiny, as pile fabrics can be more susceptible to flame spread.
EN 71-3 (Migration of certain elements): Tests for the migration of 19 elements (including aluminum, antimony, arsenic, barium, boron, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel, selenium, strontium, tin, organic tin, and zinc) from toy materials. Migration limits vary depending on the type of toy material category.
EN 71-12 (N-Nitrosamines and N-nitrosatable substances): Specifically relevant for certain rubber and latex components sometimes used in plush toy accessories.
EN 71-14 (Trampolines for domestic use): Not applicable to plush toys, but included here to illustrate the breadth of the EN 71 series.

To sell toys in the EU, manufacturers must also maintain a technical file documenting all testing, prepare an EU Declaration of Conformity, and apply the CE marking to products and packaging.

GB 6675: China National Toy Safety Standard

GB 6675 is the mandatory national standard for toy safety in China. It was substantially revised in 2014 to align more closely with international standards, particularly EN 71. The standard consists of four parts:

GB 6675.1 (General requirements): Covers general safety requirements, labeling, and documentation for toys sold in the Chinese domestic market.
GB 6675.2 (Mechanical and physical properties): Based on ISO 8124-1, tests for the same mechanical hazards as ASTM F963 and EN 71-1, including small parts, sharp edges, and attachment strength.
GB 6675.3 (Flammability): Establishes flammability requirements for toy materials, closely aligned with EN 71-2 standards.
GB 6675.4 (Migration of certain elements): Tests for the migration of 8 specific elements from toy materials, with limits set for different categories of toy material.

China also enforces the CCC (China Compulsory Certification) mark for certain toy categories, though plush toys are generally exempt from CCC requirements unless they contain electronic components.

CE Certification for the European Market

CE marking is not a standard itself but a declaration that your product meets all applicable EU directives. For plush toys, the primary directive is the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC. Achieving CE compliance involves:

Identifying applicable standards: Determine which EN 71 parts and other relevant standards apply to your specific product.
Third-party testing: While self-certification is technically possible under the directive, having an accredited laboratory (Notified Body) test your products provides stronger evidence of compliance and is strongly recommended.
Technical documentation: Maintain comprehensive records including product descriptions, design drawings, test reports, material certificates, risk assessments, and manufacturing processes.
EU Declaration of Conformity: Prepare a formal written declaration stating that your product meets all applicable requirements. This must be available to market surveillance authorities upon request.
Authorized representative: If you are manufacturing outside the EU, you must designate an authorized representative within the EU who is responsible for compliance documentation.

How to Ensure Compliance

Ensuring compliance with international toy safety standards requires a systematic approach throughout the entire product development and manufacturing process:

Design for safety from the start: Incorporate safety considerations into the initial design phase. Avoid small detachable parts for products targeting young children, select materials with known safety profiles, and design construction methods that ensure long-term integrity.
Choose certified materials: Source fabrics, fillings, dyes, and accessories from suppliers who can provide material safety data sheets (MSDS) and certificates of compliance with relevant standards.
In-process quality control: Implement testing at multiple stages of production, including incoming material inspection, in-line pull tests for attached components, and final product audits.
Third-party testing: Submit samples from each production batch to accredited testing laboratories for comprehensive safety testing. Keep all test reports on file and update them regularly.
Partner with experienced manufacturers: Work with manufacturers like LovelyJoy who have deep experience with international safety standards and maintain current certifications. Our in-house quality team monitors standards updates and ensures every product meets or exceeds requirements for your target markets.