EN71 Toy Safety Test | How to get EN71 Certification?

EN71 Toy Safety Test | How to get EN71 Certification?

Toys being imported to the EU must obtain an EN71 certificate, which is a common product certification in the EU. In the following paragraphs, I will explain EN71 in detail to help you better understand it.

• What is EN71?
• What are 14 parts of EN71 testing?
• How to Obtain EN71 Certification

What is EN71?

EN71 is a mandatory standard that specifies safety requirements for toys imported into the EU as part of the CE directive. If your toys do not have EN71 certification, they will be banned from being sold in the EU. EN71 aims to standardize toy production technology and ensure that your products are safe to use. Testing includes chemicals and heavy metals, flammability, usage of chemicals, small parts, and mechanical properties.

EN71 mainly applies to toys used by children aged 14 or under, such as plush toys, wooden toys, children’s bicycles, baby pacifiers, children’s swings, and other items. Please note that pet toys also require EN71 certification when imported to the EU.

In addition, some products, such as frisbees, can be classified as outdoor products and do not require EN71 certification. However, if you are concerned about safety risks, you can classify them as toys and obtain an EN71 report.

14 standards of EN71 testing

EN71 certification covers 14 sections, with all tests designed to ensure that children do not suffer any harm when playing with toys. In practice, only the first 3 parts are tested. Once a toy passes these tests, it can be sold in the European market. The first page of the EN71 report is provided below for your reference.

Alibaba suppliers offer two customizable options to customers.

The First 3 Important Parts

EN 71-1: Mechanical and Physical Properties

This section ensures that toys do not collapse or have sharp points, edges or noise, etc. during testing, which can harm children. It also tests if toys are easy to swallow or not. Major tests include sharp point, sharp edge, small parts, pressure, bending, and impact tests.

It also regulates toy packaging, labeling, and user instructions. For example, when the toy contains functional sharp points, a warning sign must be placed on the outside of the packaging to draw attention to the potential danger of sharp points.

EN 71-2: Flammability

This part specifies the types of flammable materials that are prohibited from use in toys. For materials that can be used, it sets standard limits for burning time or speed, which varies from one to another. For example, some toys worn on the head have ribbons. The length of the ribbons should protrude from the surface of the toy by 50mm or more.

The burning time should be ≤ 2 seconds during testing. When testing:

• If the original length is between 50mm and 150mm, the longest burning length should not be more than 75% of the original length.
• If the original length is 150mm or longer, the longest burning length should not be more than 50% of the original length.

EN 71-3: Specification for Migration of Certain Elements

EN71-3 testing simulates the digestion of any toy part. It ensures that the risk degree when children are exposed to 19 heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and tin are considered. The testing method is to keep the toy material in contact with simulated gastric juice for a period of time, then extract the soluble elements to see if they meet the standard. Ensure that all elements in the report are tested, not just shown as “N.R (No requirement)”.

Or, shown below, N.D. means not detected, indicating that the content value of the heavy metal is very low and cannot be detected. The test result is then passed.

EN71 Testing Requirements

The following tests are optional:

• EN 71-4: Experimental sets for chemistry and related activities
• EN 71-5: Chemical toys (sets) other than experimental sets
• EN 71-6: Graphical symbols for age warning labeling
• EN 71-7: Finger paints
• EN 71-8: Swings, slides, and similar activity toys for indoor and outdoor family domestic use
• EN 71-9: Organic chemical compounds – Requirements
• EN 71-10: Organic chemical compounds – Sample preparation and extraction
• EN 71-11: Organic chemical compounds – Methods of analysis
• EN 71-12: N-Nitrosamines and N-Nitrosatable Substances
• EN 71-13: Olfactory board games, cosmetic kits, and gustative games
• EN 71-14: Trampolines for domestic use

How to Obtain EN71 Certification

To obtain EN71 certification, you can directly contact your supplier. They will handle the certification process for you by contacting a professional and reliable third-party testing company. In most cases, the testing requires 2-3 samples, product instructions or a user manual, and a parts list for testing. The whole testing process usually takes 5-7 working days. After the test is completed, a report will be issued. If you prefer to conduct the test by yourself, it is also possible.

The cost of EN71 certification depends on the materials, performance, and complexity of the toy. Colors and materials are tested separately. For example, a teddy bear made of plush and PP cotton costs nearly $272. If the toy has 4-5 materials with 4-5 colors, the cost will be higher.