The safety of our necklaces & bangles is a massive priority for us and it’s extremely important that all customers read the following safety information & guidelines before wearing our products to ensure that our jewellery is used & cared for properly.
Important:
Lara & Ollie necklaces & bangles are NOT toys. They should be worn by adults ONLY & should NEVER be worn by, or left unattended with babies or children. Adult supervision is always required. Small parts (beads & breakaway clasp) could pose a choking hazard if they become detached. The Necklace cord also poses a strangulation hazard if not worn by an adult/left with a baby or child
We disclaim, so far as is legally possible, all liability for any damage, loss, injury, claims, costs, expenses, professional fees and any other liability resulting out of the improper use of a teething necklace and bangle and/or the failure to properly supervise any baby or child.
Jewellery Care:
We recommend that you inspect your Lara & Ollie teething jewellery before wearing it & regularly check the bangles, beads, cord & breakaway clasp for any defects to ensure they continue to be safe.
If the beads or breakaway clasp become detached from the necklace they may become a choke hazard.
Should there be any problems or defects you should stop wearing them & contact us immediately.
We recommend giving the jewellery a quick wash in warm soapy water before wearing them.
They should ALWAYS be stored out of the reach of babies & children.
Necklace & bangle information:
- Necklace length is approximately 72cm. Bangles measure approximately 6.5cm (inside measurements) however the bangles do stretch if you have big hands!
- Necklace beads measure 2cm & the cord is knotted on each side to keep beads from moving. However, in the unlikely event that beads become lose, they are small enough to be a choking hazard.
- The breakaway clasp is made of plastic & therefore should NOT be chewed or tampered with under any circumstances. If it becomes damaged or separated from the cord, it can pose a choking hazard.
- Satin nylon cord should NOT be chewed & poses a strangulation hazard if not worn by an adult/left with a baby or child
- Beads & bangles are made from high-quality food grade silicone; a material commonly used in teething products as it’s odourless, tasteless & will not support the growth of bacteria or mould. They are non-toxic; free from BPA, PVC, phthalate, latex, cadmium, lead & heavy metals & have been approved by the FDA (US Food & Drug Administration) via our manufacturer in China.
Safety Testing:
There is not (yet!) a specific safety directive or test for silicone teething jewellery in the UK, EU or the world. As such, product safety is a grey area.
We, our competitors & our manufacturer in China, test silicone teething jewellery against certain relevant parts of European standard EN71 which specifies safety requirements for all toys in the EU. However, our necklaces & bangles are NOT toy and therefore some of the standard is not relevant to our products.
We choose to safety test batches of our products here in the UK & work with one of the world’s largest, & most reputable assurance, inspection, product testing & certification companies.
Working closely with the team, we have sought their advice on how & what we should test for to ensure that our products are, & continue to be, as safe as possible & that our product guidelines & customer communication is clear.
Our bangles have been safety tested & meet the requirements of the relevant EN71 standard - parts 1 (mechanical & physical properties), part 2 (flammability) & part 3 (specification for migration of certain elements). Our safety testing company deems these tests as sufficient. We do not test or bear the CE mark (required for all toys), because our bangles are NOT toys.
With regards to our necklaces, we have sought further advice, given that they feature small parts (beads & breakaway clasp) & a long cord, both of which could be deemed hazardous for babies & children.
As such, they have undertaken a ‘General Product Safety Assessment’ of our necklaces in light of the The General Product Safety Directive 2001/95/EC (GPSD) which states that: “Producers shall be obliged to place only safe products on the market”. This directive is designed to ensure the safety of products which are to be placed upon the market, & to which no specific safety legislation is deemed to apply.
As a result of the assessment & subject to any testing & labelling specified therein, our necklaces were considered to pose a ‘low risk’ & therefore in the opinion of our safety testing company, was considered to be a ‘safe product’ as defined by Article 2 of 2001/95/EC.
Where relevant, the safety of the necklace was judged by reference to standards & safety guidance documents e.g. EN 71. These standards contain pertinent requirements on safety aspects relevant to assess potential hazards the item may have.
The beads on the necklace have been tested & meet the requirements of the relevant EN71 standard - part 2 (flammability) & part 3 (specification for migration of certain elements).
The beads were then subjected to a bite test. The method used was 16 cfr 1500. (52 Test methods for simulating use & abuse of toys & other articles intended for use by children over 18 months but not over 36 months of age) The test load was doubled from 50lbs to 100lbs & after testing none of the beads were found to be torn or exhibit any damage.
The beads were also subjected to the bite endurance test: part 9.5.2 of the EN1400 (European Child Use & Care Articles: soothers for babies & young children). Safety requirements & test methods where a force of 400 newtons is cycled 50 times through a bite rig. After testing no damage to the beads was observed.
The necklace, with the breakaway clasp, operated at a force below 25 newtons (i.e. this is when it released). However the necklace does still pose a strangulation risk should it be left unsupervised with a baby or child.
The final part of the assessment looks at packaging & labelling. As per the GPSD, correct labelling provides information to the consumer to enable them to assess the risks inherent in a product & to take precautions against those risks.
We have therefore ensured that our products are labelled clearly & correctly & that all communication with our customers (website, email, product information sheet etc.) is in line with the findings of all testing & approved by relevant parties.
If you have any further questions about our products or safety, please do email us: laraandollieshop@gmail.com