It is the goal of Cradle to College to offer only the best items at all of our consignment sales events. We do not intend to sell recalled or unsafe items. Our number one goal is the safety and security of our shoppers.  It is the responsibility of our consignors to make sure all of their products offered for sale meet the required safety standards. In light of the alarming number of recent toy and product recalls, we at Cradle to College find it necessary to help parents become better informed about children's product safety. We also expect our consignors to use these lists before consigning any of their items, therefore, insuring none of their items offered for sale have been recalled. 

Every consignor, during online registration, will be required to electronically sign a waiver stating you have researched the U.S. Consumer and Product Safety Commission website for recalled items and government set standards for any and all items you are consigning.  We have detailed a few items below for your information, and implore you to educate yourself on the safety measures designed to protect our children.

Cribs

Cradle to College, LLC can only accept the consignment of cribs manufactured on or after June 28, 2011.  Cribs manufactured from July 23, 2010 to June 28, 2011 may be consigned if the consignor provides a certificate of compliance from the crib manufacturer or retailer.  Cribs manufactured prior to July 23, 2010 will not be accepted under any circumstance.  Cribs that are unacceptable, for any reason, cannot be sold as toddler beds.  All cribs consigned with Cradle to College, LLC must have a signed Crib Checklist from the consignor. No exceptions.

The reasons for this decision are as follows:

• Nine million drop-side cribs have been recalled in the past five years.
• Drop-side cribs have been blamed in the deaths of 32 infants and toddlers since 2000 and suspected in another 14 infant fatalities.
• The Consumer Products Safety Commission has banned the manufacture, sale and resale of all drop-side cribs.

Although drop-side cribs have been popular for years, they are no longer deemed safe. Drop-side cribs have safety problems that can't be addressed during manufacturing. Cribs are often taken apart and stored for a while between babies. When a drop-side crib is re-assembled a few years later, missing hardware, loosened screws or bolts, or assembly errors can all contribute to a drop-side coming loose. Parts or assembly instructions may be missing which can allow errors to happen when it's time to put the used crib together.

Other issues with drop-side cribs are:

• Older cribs had metal rods that guided the drop side up and down. Many newer cribs have plastic tracking guides for the drop side that are prone to breaking and warping.
• The movable side can malfunction or detach from the crib creating a dangerous gap where babies’ heads can become trapped, leading to suffocation or strangulation.
• Consumers can unknowingly install the drop side or drop side hardware incorrectly. Many have installed the drop-side upside down which can increase wear on the hardware.
• Drop-side cribs are less structurally sound than cribs with four fixed sides.

Additional Information:

You can view the certificate of compliance requirements at http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/faq/elecertfaq.pdf

You can view the new crib standards at http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2011/03/the-new-crib-standard-questions-and-answers

WALKERS

According to the CPSC, walkers must meet one of two requirements: 1. It must be too wide to fit through a standard doorway (at least 36 inches wide), or 2. It must have features, such as gripping mechanism, to stop the walker at the edge of a step.  The gripping mechanism will have rubber-like strips underneath or around the base to grip the floor and stop the walker at the edge of a step. Learn more: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5086.html

BATH SEATS and BATH RINGS

CPSC standard is that bath seats and bath rings must meet the following requirement: 1. Seats and/or bath rings may not attach to the tub floor with suction cups and/or 2. Were made before 2007 (see date code stamp on the bottom of the product).  The CPSC considers bath seats and bath rings that do not meet the standard to be a drowning hazard, and Cradle to College will not accept the aforementioned items that do not meet the current (2011) safety standards.  Learn more: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10237.html

TODDLER BEDS

In the spring of 2011, the CPSC issued a new federal standard for toddler bed design.  To read about the new standards to ensure the safety of your toddler click: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11199.html

MATTRESSES (CRIB AND TODDLER BEDDING)

In accordance with the recommendations by the Federal Trade Commission, Cradle to College requires that all crib and/or toddler mattresses have their original factory label/tag; which details what the mattress is made of.  To read more about the FTC recommendations please click: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt068.shtm

CRIB BUMPERS

In accordance with the recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Cradle to College will no longer accept Crib Bumpers for consignment,with or without a matching crib bedding set.  CTC will accept "breathable bumpers". To read more about the AAP recommendations please click: http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/its-official-aap-says-no-crib-bumpers-158888

BREAST PUMPS AND/OR ACCESSORIES

Only FDA-cleared, hospital-grade pumps should be used by more than one person. With the exception of hospital-grade pumps, the FDA considers breast pumps single-use devices. That means that a breast pump should only be used by one woman because there is no way to guarantee the pump can be cleaned and disinfected between uses by different women. To read the FDA guidelines, that Cradle to College has chosen to enforce, please click: http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/HomeHealthandConsumer/ConsumerProducts/BreastPumps/ucm061939.htm#4

CAR SEATS

Car seats, booster seats, and car seat bases cannot be older than 5 years old (at time of consignment). To view list of recalled car seats click here or call 1-800-424-9393. All car seats, booster seats, car seat bases, and infant carriers that function as a car seat will be inspected at Drop Off. Please click here to download our Car Seat Checklist that must be submitted for each car seat and/or base that will be consigned.

Safety Links

www.cpsc.gov U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
www.toyinfo.org Toy Industry Association, Inc.
www.jpma.org Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association
www.recalls.gov Online resource for U.S. Government recalls
www.safekids.org Safe Kids Worldwide
www.nhtsa.gov National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
www.recallaware.com Consolidated product safety information
www.allthetoyrecalls.info List of various toy recall websites
www.familyeducation.com The Family Education Network
www.breastfeedingonline.com/pumps.shtml Product Information about which breast pumps are intended to be used by multiple mothers.