May. 26, 2025
Former schoolteacher Maureen Gayle wanted to add eight place settings to her family china collection that she originally purchased more than 50 years ago.
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When the Franciscan Desert Rose china by Wedgwood arrived, she saw that the new dinnerware was a poor match to her original set. The painted patterns were not nearly as detailed.
She turned the pieces over and saw three words:
Made in China.
“I am very worried,” she said. “I know there’s lead in some ceramic paint.”
Lynn Breaux, who has a doctorate in public health, saw the same three words on the label of the Milk-Bone Two-Toned Mini Knotted Bones his wife had bought for their dogs, Charlotte and Scooter the Magnificent.
Breaux remembers when some pet treats made in China were recalled in because they were tainted with melamine. He decided to call the consumer information number on the box and ask whether the treats are safe.
The first time, he left a message. No response. He left more messages, but nobody ever called him back, he says. He turned to WatchdogNation.com.
“I’d like to know about these dog bones,” he said.
As a dog lover, I worry about the safety of the products I buy for Saige, my loving chocolate Lab. I called the number Breaux gave me. Someone picked up right away.
The staffer said she represented Pet Brands, which makes rawhide and bones, among other products. I told her about Breaux’s concerns.
“I can tell you they are safe,” she said. “I tell customers that our products are tested by a couple of independent labs, and we have to pay for that test.”
She said she would ask an executive to call me, but no one did.
However, I found several sources that can give pet owners the latest information on product safety.
First and most important, the Food and Drug Administration is responsible for monitoring pet products, as well as dinnerware sets.
“Pet food products from certain companies in China have been placed on the FDA’s Import Alert list, meaning they will be confiscated at ports of entry,” FDA spokesman Ira R. Allen said.
“There are no recent confirmed cases of adverse effects from dog treats made in China,” he added.
The FDA maintains several Web sites that offer the latest information on product recalls. So, too, does the American Veterinarian Medical Association, which posts the latest alerts on its Web site and its Twitter feed for vets and pet owners. Those would be good sites to bookmark and check regularly.
Ceramic ware from other countries is routinely monitored at ports of entry for lead and cadmium leaching, Allen said.
The FDA reached an agreement with China in about standards for ceramics intended for U.S. import. But it turns out that pottery from countries that do not have standards can cause problems. The FDA looks at ceramics already in the U.S., too.
“Pottery made in small production settings or by craft potters tend to be more problematic for leaching lead into food because these producers are less likely to have adequate equipment,” the FDA spokesman said.
Home test kits that check for lead on surfaces such as pottery and also in paint and water are available for as little as $10 at hardware stores and elsewhere. Many of these promise immediate results. That’s what I would recommend for Gayle and her eight new settings.
Carolyn Lucas is an expert on antique china who owns Dishes From the Past in Fort Worth. She says that updated versions of traditional sets often look different from the original.
“They’re made differently. They probably don’t have the same glazes. That’s why we’re in business,” she said. “People can come here and get the older china, and it will match what they have.”
Her advice on handling fears of lead content in modern china sets? She likes the idea of using a home test kit. But she says she doesn’t believe that eating off these plates poses a health risk. To be safe, though, she advises against storing food on them.
China has become one of the largest markets in the world for the consumption of imported or domestic fashion and luxury goods. Huge business opportunities are attracting more and more international brands to enter the China market. One of the keys to your success is your product's compliance with China's regulations standards. Many brands are not familiar with all the GB standards you are required to test to.
China Government Organization Chart
CIQ: China Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau
QTS: Quality and Technical Supervision Bureau
AIC: State Administration for Industry and Commerce
CA: Consumers Association
When the consumer goods are imported from overseas and enter the Chinese territory, the CIQ (Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau) is in charge of check the products’ quality to make sure it respects Chinese regulation.
When the consumer goods are sold in the Chinese market, both Administration Industry & Commercial Bureau AIC and QTS have right to check the product quality on the market.
China GB (Guo Biao) standards are Chinese national standards issued by the Standardization Administration of China (SAC), the Chinese National Committee of the ISO and IEC. Chinese standards may be either mandatory or voluntary. The standards can be identified as mandatory or voluntary by their prefix code:
GB: National Mandatory Standards (Guo Biao)
T: Recommended or Voluntary
QB: Light industry (including footwear, leather goods…)
FZ: Textile
HG: Chemical industry
National standard (GB and GB/T): shall be formulated by the department of standardization administration under the State Council for the technical requirements that need to be unified nationwide. (e.g..: GB Safety technical specifications for children textile).
Industrial standard (QB/T, FZ/T, HG/T….): in the absence of national standards, technical requirements for a certain industry need to be unified, industry standards (QB/T, FZ/T…) may be formulated. (e.g.: QB/T - pH values for leather).
Province standard (DB/T): in the absence of both national and industry standards, safety and sanitary requirements for industrial products need to be unified within a province or a city, local standards (DB) may be formulated. (e.g.: DB31/T 645- is Shanghai fruit grades for table grape).
In China, all products being sold are required to fulfill Chinese quality requirements. There is no formal regulation requirement to test the products, however, it is mandatory to ensure quality of your products. No matter you want to sell your products in Department Store (eg: Carrefour, Walmart…) or online (eg: JD, Taobao, TMALL or Amazon China…), most probably you will need to provide a PASS testing report, as department stores and online platforms want to make sure the products meet requirements of Chinese standards.
The result is if you want to export products to Chinese market, need to understand and be aware of the complexities and necessary requirements under the vast range of GB standards, need to ensure they can meet the requirements of GB China national standards.
Failure to comply with GB Standards could result in your products being banned or impounded and could lead to reputational damage and fines.
State Administration of Market Supervision and local market supervision administration have their own official website for publishing market surveillance plan and the result of supervision spot-check for product quality.
On the 7th of May , the China Administration of Market Supervision announced the National product quality supervision and spot check plan. The spot check plan includes a total of 131 products. The General Administration of Market Supervision will seriously organize and carry out the spot checks, release the results to the public and deal with violations of product quality according to law. Among those hot products, baby & children garments / toys / footwear, bed linens, leather garments, casual garments, down garments, leather shoes, trolley cases and PPE items are involved.
(Source: http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/-05/11/content_.htm)
Example
On 1st January, , Shanghai Market Supervision Administration issued the results of random inspection on the quality supervision of adult shoes. 50 batches of products were randomly inspected, and 17 batches were unqualified after inspection according to related GB standards.
Source
The unqualified products found in this spot check will be handed over to the market supervision department of the place where the enterprise is located for handling according to law.
CNAS is the national accreditation body of China responsible for the accreditation of all laboratories, including certification bodies and inspection bodies in the society. The test reports issued are internationally mutually recognized.
Testing CNAS 4L
Testing CNAS 4L
All accredited organizations (commercial and government laboratories) are requested to provide certification with accurate examination data to the public. CMA examines the testing ability and reliability of those testing organizations.
192 132 Z
213 421 05
In order to make sure your products enter to Chinese mark successfully, you shall cooperate with CNAS and CMA accredited laboratory (e.g.: CTC laboratory) for inspection and testing services. The test reports issued by the accredited organizations can be used to evaluate product quality with legal effect.
Here we will look at the basics of the GB standard to give you a better understanding of your responsibilities as a manufacturer and/or an importer into China.
Category
Examples of Product
A. Products for babies (≤ 36 months)
Diaper pads, diapers, underwear, bibs, pajamas, gloves, socks, coats, hats, beddings
B. Products with direct skin contact
Bras, bellybands, vests, shorts, skirts, cotton singlets, skirts (summer), trousers (summer), socks, bed sheets, underwear, quilt cover, towels, swimming suit, hats
C. Products without direct skin contact
Sweaters, jackets, skirts, trousers, curtains, bedspreads, wall fabrics, fillings, linings
Product standards are set for some or all of the requirements or specifications which products must meet to ensure the suitability of products, and serve as a basis for production, inspection, acceptance, use, maintenance, and trade negotiations.
There are massive product standards, to avoid confusing you, here we would like to show you some main product standards for Footwear, Garment, Leather goods, Accessories, PPE footwear and PPE gloves.
QB/T -
CASUAL SHOES
休闲鞋
QB/T -
LEATHER SHOES
皮鞋
QB/T -
CHILDREN’S LEATHER SHOES
儿童皮鞋
GB/T -
ATHLETIC SHOES
旅游鞋
QB/T -
CHILDREN’S ATHLETIC SHOES
儿童旅游鞋
QB/T -
LEATHER SANDALS
皮凉鞋
QB/T -
EVA SLIPPERS AND SANDALS EVA
拖鞋和凉鞋
HG/T -
RUBBER-PLASTICS SLIPPERS AND SANDALS
橡塑凉拖鞋
QB/T -
CLOTH SHOES
布鞋
GB/T -
Shirts and blouses
衬衫
GB/T -
Down Garments
羽绒服装
FZ/T -
Skirts and Skirted suit
连衣裙、套裙
FZ/T -
Jeanswear
牛仔服装
Contact us to discuss your requirements of china safety products. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
QB/T -
Handbag and knapsack
背提包
QB/T -
Travelling case and Trolley bag
旅行箱包
QB/T -
Wallet
票夹
QB/T -
Leather belt
皮腰带
FZ/T -
Woven caps
缝制帽
FZ/T -
Knitted accessories
针织配饰品
FZ/T -
Knitted scarf and shawl
针织围巾、披肩
FZ/T -
Ski glove
滑雪手套
QB/T -
Leather gloves
日用皮手套
PPE products (except for PPE gloves) sold in the Chinese market in the past many years have required « Lao An » certificate, but the certification system was cancelled by Chinese national regulations in early . Therefore, it’s legal for retailers to sell products that have not been certified by « Lao An » in the Chinese market. Nonetheless, with observations of practice over the past few years, most purchasers in China may still require suppliers to provide this « Lao An » certificate as one of the bidding conditions.
Below please see the main PPE footwear standards :
GB -
Occupational Footwear
职业鞋
GB -
Protective Footwear
防护鞋
GB -
Safety Footwear
安全鞋
GB -
Chemical resistant Industrial rubber boots
耐化学品的工业用橡胶靴
GB -
Electrical insulating footwear
电绝缘鞋
AQ -
Safety boot for miners
矿工安全靴
GB -
Chemical-resistant industrial molded plastic boots
耐化学品的工业用模压塑料靴
GB - Occupational Footwear : incorporating protective features to protect the wearer from injuries which could arise through accidents.
GB - Protective Footwear : incorporating protective features to protect the wearer from injuries which could arise through accidents, fitted with toecaps, protection against impact when tested at an energy level of at least 100 J and against compression when tested at a compression load of at least 10 kN.
GB - Safety Footwear: incorporating protective features to protect the wearer from injuries which could arise through accidents, fitted with toecaps, protection against impact when tested at an energy level of at least 200 J and against compression when tested at a compression load of at least 15 kN.
According to different types of protection, the standard of PPE gloves mainly includes the following.
GB/T -
Live working-gloves of insulating material
带电作业用绝缘手套
GB -
Protective gloves against mechanical risks
机械危害防护手套
GB -
Protective gloves against chemical and micro-organism
化学品及微生物防护手套
AQ -
Oil resistant rubber gloves
橡胶耐油手套
AQ -
Acid and Alkali resistant Gloves
耐酸（碱）手套
AQ -
Protective gloves for welders
焊工防护手套
Here we would like to introduce specific technical requirements for QB/T - Casual shoes as an example.
No.
Testing Item
Requirement
1Appearance checking
conform with QB/T
2Delamination resistance
>=40N/cmBond strength of outsole/midsole
>=20N/cm (for cellular sole, if material tear but not separated: >=15N/cm)
4Flexing resistance of whole footwear
cut<=20mm, new crack less than 3, length of each new crack <=5mm, no damage of coating/upper/sole/foxing, no bonding problem, no air leakage for cushion after test. [no need to test if outsole thickness (include cleats) of flexing area > 25mm ]
5Abrasion resistance of outsole
length of crack <=14mm
(no need to test if genuine leather sole)
Pulling strength of upper strap
>=70N/cm (>=30N/cm if material problem)
7Low-temperature flexing of upper (-10°C)
conform with QB/T
(If upper intended to be worn under low temperature)
Flexing resistance of outsole material in cold condition
conform with QB/T
9Color fastness to rubbing on lining and insock materials
>=2/3 staining
10Odor test
<= grade 3
11Outsole - Thickness
Contact floor-forepart >=3.0mm
(excluding thickness of cleat/texture)
Labelling and general checking
conform with QB/T and QB/T Shoe labelling
13Azo Dye
Textile <=20ppm,
Leather/fur <=30ppm
Formaledehyde
skin contact <=75 ppm,
non-skin contact <=300 ppm
Above main product standards are for your reference, if you would like to know more GB standards about your products and which testing items shall be applied to your products, please feel free to contact us.
CTC Group has been in quality assurance business for over 100 years, we provide professional quality control services for footwear, leather goods, textile, apparel, luggage, PPE…
CTC dedicated team are able to help you to manage your GB Program for China market. CTC China has three professional laboratories (located in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Dongguan) which are accredited to ISO standard.
CTC Shanghai Laboratory and CTC Dongguan Laboratory have been accredited by the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS) and the China Metrology Accreditation (CMA) for many years, we are able to issue 2C reports (CNAS and CMA) based on authorities’ requirements.
CTC Shanghai: N° L
CTC Dongguan: N° L
CTC Shanghai (inspection): IB
CTC Shanghai:
CTC Dongguan: Z
In addition, CTC actively participates in various Chinese Standardization Committees, CTC is member of:
The roles above can support us helping our clients to closely understand the standards and relevant policy from Chinese authorities.
Whether you are an established consumer product manufacturer, hoping to break into the Chinese market, or a new brand looking to make the Chinese consumer your main focus, a knowledgeable laboratory testing and inspection service can provide you with all necessary information on the local regulations, help you establish a design and production plan, and carry out all lab testing and inspection procedures you need to ensure consistent quality and market compliance.
As the leading expert on Chinese GB standards, CTC can provide one-stop-shop solution for selling goods in China Market:
Any questions regarding GB testing, you can always get supports from CTC, just contact with our GB specialists / GB service officers. Pre-testing before shipment to China can clients help to lower the risks of market supervision.
We are always providing customized training and consulting program based on clients’ needs in accordance with GB standards and your products. The training could be arranged in client’s office or CTC offices. We can also provide webinar training per clients’ needs to avoid geographical restrictions.
Our GB team can help to select the GB testing category and recommend necessarily sensitive items to save costs. Besides, improvement recommendations can be given by CTC technicians to help you improve your quality and test results.
We can help to translate necessarily Chinese regulation and GB standards from Chinese to English for your better understanding.
We can guide clients to well understand GB labeling requirements for rightly usage and present.
Are you interested in learning more about bulk hard hats? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!
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