Rajkot makers can produce most children's jewellery: small bangles, clip-on and stud earrings, hair clips, necklaces, anklets and festive sets for girls. The products themselves are simple; the rules around them are not. Children's jewellery is treated more strictly than adult jewellery in the US, the EU and the UK, and it needs testing before it is sold.
What you can make
- Festive sets for girls: small necklaces, earrings and bangles for Diwali, Eid and weddings.
- Hair accessories: clips, bands and tikkas.
- Bangles and payal in children's sizes.
- Simple charm bracelets and pendants.
Why the rules are stricter
Children put jewellery in their mouths and can swallow small pieces. Regulators respond in three ways. First, lead limits for children's products are tighter than for adult jewellery. In the US, children's jewellery falls under CPSIA, which caps lead in the metal and in surface coatings and requires third-party testing at a recognised lab.
Second, small parts that come loose, such as stones, beads and charms, are a choking risk, and some markets test how firmly they are attached. Third, small powerful magnets are dangerous if swallowed, so magnetic clasps and magnetic earrings need particular care for any product a child might use.
Cadmium is also restricted, and the EU limits nickel release in any item worn against the skin. The exact limits and tests differ by country, so check the current rules for each market with a testing lab before you approve a design.
How to source children's jewellery safely
- Tell the maker in writing that the product is for children, and name the market.
- Choose lead-free brass or alloy and lead-free plating and coatings from the start.
- Avoid glued-on small stones where a setting can be used, and avoid magnets.
- Send samples to an accredited lab for the tests your market requires before bulk production.
- Keep the test report and check that the production lot uses the same materials as the tested sample.
What this means for a buyer
Children's jewellery is a sensible product only if testing is built into the price and the timeline. Creston & Co works for buyers only, for a fixed fee agreed in writing: we find makers who can work with lead-free materials, send samples to accredited labs and check that bulk matches the tested sample. Ask for a free sourcing review.