How do you make a safe product?

Step 1:

Provide safe materials!
Only use materials approved for use by babies.
As an importer, I am responsible for the chemical certificates of the beads I sell, but as the maker of the end product, you are also responsible for the use of approved materials! So make sure you know exactly what you are buying and where.

Unfortunately, the manufacturers appeared not to have the certificates in sufficient order. None of them had them tested for all colors, and in Europe different/more tests are required than in America, which is usually what the manufacturers' certificates are aimed at.

So I have had a lot of additional tests done on all basic silicone used by the various factories, which means that all beads and colors that I sell are now proven to be free of harmful substances. The same applies to the wood, the satin thread and the plastic play cord rings and snap closures.

I have had all materials tested by SGS and have the necessary certificates in my possession.

Not all items you find on this website are suitable for babies. Consider, for example, the spacers with rhinestones or (of course) the pens. Beads that have not passed the strength test are marked 3+. So pay attention to that too.

Step 2:

Choose the right shapes! Beads that are too small are in some cases unsafe for use by babies, as are beads with 'protrusions', such as the silicone bows. No matter how nice it looks, please choose safety! A lot of angular beads next to each other ensure that a pacifier cord cannot be bent properly, or a teething ring does not become properly round. This can also cause the wire to become visible, which entails additional risks of loosening! Wooden parts also always entail a risk. A single wooden ring on a teething ring can pass the strength test. Multiple wooden rings on 1 teething ring do not pass the test because they can break if they come under pressure at the same time (against each other). Making a rattle is therefore not a good idea in terms of strength.
So always choose mainly round bead shapes, and do not make the size differences too large. You can vary the structure, for example by alternating with ribbed beads, but you should also vary the colors. Babies love that!

Step 3:

Pay close attention to dimensions! For example, never make a pacifier cord (excluding clip) longer than 22 centimeters. This also means, for example, that some longer names are not possible on a pacifier chain, because you then have no room left for other beads. Always ensure that babies cannot become trapped in your finished product. Either with their neck, or with their fingers.
Prefer to keep the end product basic. This greatly reduces the risk of accidents!

Step 4:

Once you've gathered your safe materials and shapes, it's time to string!
Various methods have been developed for this over time.
For pacifier cords you can roughly divide them into the 'Knotting method' and the 'Brand method'.
With the latter you fuse the satin thread together, after which you can easily slide beads on and tie off. Because the satin thread can sometimes develop weak spots unnoticed due to heating and melting, I prefer the Knotting method.

In the help videos under Info & Tips I show, among other things, how to tie a pacifier cord and a teething ring, but I also give short instructions for other nice homemade items.
The way I tie a teething ring has been tested and approved by SGS.
The pacifier cord has not (yet) been tested. However, cords with the same clips and satin thread have already passed the test at SGS, and I ensure in several ways that no beads can become loose from the cord.
The video can now serve as a good starting point.

Step 5:

Time to get tested! If you make products for sale, testing for teethers and other toys is mandatory. A teething ring/other toy must comply with the Toys Directive and must receive a CE mark after approval.
Each sequence of beads counts as a separate model and must therefore be tested separately!

Testing is not strictly mandatory for pacifier cords, but I absolutely recommend doing it if you are really serious about selling. For example, have a pacifier cord tested once, so that you can be sure that your attachment method is safe. In addition, do not use too special shapes on pacifier cords, especially if you do not have them tested separately!

If you order all your materials from me, you will not need to have any additional chemical tests done and you can create any color combination you want.
You can then fall back on the tests I have already had done.

Please note: If you want to sell teething rings, you are officially obliged to have your own end product tested, even though the tying method you find on this website is in principle safe. Everyone ties differently, or uses different shapes and sizes of beads.
Only a recognized testing agency can legally determine whether your end product is safe.

Step 6:

Once you have completed all the steps, you can really get started! You can vary endlessly with colors and make the most beautiful creations! Always provide the correct documentation with your end products (for example, warnings about not using the products unsupervised, not giving a pacifier cord to bed, etc.). Approved products must also be handled with care and should no longer be used if damaged.
But above all: enjoy it! It's so much fun to do!

Good luck and have fun!