Where do I start: the rule or the factory?

A factory can tell you what it has documented for other buyers; it cannot tell you what your market requires. Before the order, find the rule that applies to your product in your market, then ask the factory what it can document against it. The order of those two steps matters.

GCC or CPC: which certificate does the US market want?

For most general-use consumer products regulated by the CPSC, the importer issues a General Certificate of Conformity based on testing. For children’s products, a Children’s Product Certificate is required, and the testing behind it must come from a CPSC-accepted third-party laboratory. In both cases the importer issues the certificate; the factory does not, and neither do we.

What changes on 8 July 2026?

From 8 July 2026, certificates for most regulated consumer products imported into the United States must be filed electronically with CBP at entry. Your customs broker files them; the certificate data must exist before the shipment arrives. Build the test and the certificate into the order timeline, not into the delivery week.

How long do I keep the records?

Test reports and certificates are kept for five years and produced on request. Keep the factory’s test reports, the lab’s reports, the certificate you issued and the entry documents together, by order.

What about Proposition 65?

California’s Proposition 65 requires a warning for listed substances above set levels. If you sell into California, check the list for your product’s materials before the order, and put the lab test for those substances into the sample round rather than after production.

What forced-labour documentation is expected?

CBP’s consolidated forced-labour guidance for importers, published 9 June 2026, expects importers to map their supply chain to raw-material level and to answer with clear and convincing evidence when asked. On a project, we can collect the supplier declarations and documents a factory is willing to provide; we do not certify any of it, and the documents are yours to hold.

Who does what?

The importer finds the rule, orders the test, issues the certificate, keeps the records and answers CBP. The lab tests and reports. The factory provides what it can document. The customs broker files the entry and the certificates. EcomLaunch Solutions coordinates the test with the lab of your choice, collects the factory’s documents, and introduces a broker if you do not have one. EcomLaunch Solutions is not a customs broker, a compliance certifier or a law firm. Product safety, labelling, duties and import rules stay your responsibility; we can coordinate testing and collect documents on your instruction.