| CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY & PROPOSITION 65 |
As you know, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) requires manufacturers to issue a General Conformity Certificate (GCC) for specific products that are produced both domestically and overseas. Each GCC certifies that a product meets all applicable safety laws and regulations enforced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
To ensure that the goods we sell in our stores are made in compliance with applicable law, we developed the Nordstrom Partnership Guidelines. Under these Guidelines, all existing and new vendors must comply with the CPSIA, which includes providing Nordstrom a copy of the GCC to keep on record for a minimum of three years or at the minimum ready access to them or by the other ways Vendors can provide access to GCCs below.
Note: Nordstrom will not determine the need for or required contents of a supplier’s GCC. Vendors are required to independently determine whether their products require a GCC, and if necessary, to issue one based on test results obtained from an accredited independent third-party laboratory. Any GCC submitted to Nordstrom must contain detailed information identifying the product, including a SKU and/or product tracking information.
Vendors can provide GCCs by:
- Post GCC online and provide Nordstrom with the URL and any applicable User ID/Password -or-
- Provide a contact email and/or phone number for GCC request (24-hour response required) -or-
- Submit an electronic copy via email to our EDI Setup team at edisetup@nordstrom.com (Note: only need ONE copy per VPN; it is not necessary to send Nordstrom a copy with each shipment)
For more information about the CPSIA visit:
Main CPSIA Web Page: http://www.cpsc.gov/en/regulations-laws--standards/statutes/the-consumer-product-safety-improvement-act/
CPSCs Sample GCC: http://www.cpsc.gov/Business--Manufacturing/Testing-Certification/General-Certificate-of-Conformity-GCC/
CPSC Regulated Products Table: http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Regulations-Laws--Standards/Regulations-Mandatory-Standards-Bans/
Main CPSIA Web Page: http://www.cpsc.gov/en/regulations-laws--standards/statutes/the-consumer-product-safety-improvement-act/
CPSCs Sample GCC: http://www.cpsc.gov/Business--Manufacturing/Testing-Certification/General-Certificate-of-Conformity-GCC/
CPSC Regulated Products Table: http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Regulations-Laws--Standards/Regulations-Mandatory-Standards-Bans/
California's Proposition 65
Suppliers should be aware that merchandise delivered to any of our distribution centers, fulfillment centers, or stores may be sold in California and may be subject to California’s Proposition 65 requirements. Nordstrom expects all suppliers, regardless of size or location, to comply with Proposition 65. If a supplier’s merchandise requires a Proposition 65 warning, the supplier must deliver such merchandise to Nordstrom with the necessary label or warning affixed to the product or consumer packaging. Nordstrom will not assume responsibility for labeling merchandise or displaying in-store signage on behalf of a vendor.
Nordstrom will allow for suppliers to request that a Proposition 65 warning be displayed on the product display pages of impacted products on digital channels such as Nordstrom.com, NordstromRack.com, and HauteLook.com, provided:
- Nordstrom must be provided full and complete information as requested by Nordstrom (including impacted VPNs, style names, and Prop 65 warning information), and such information must be provided in the manner requested by Nordstrom
- Nordstrom will only display a Proposition 65 warning in the manner that it is set up to do so, which may vary by platform or channel and may vary from the preferred method or language of supplier
- Suppliers are still expected to label impacted products and/or consumer packaging as required under Proposition 65. Requesting Nordstrom to display a warning on a product display page will not shift responsibility from the supplier to Nordstrom
If a supplier would like to request such a warning be displayed, please contact prop65@nordstrom.com for more information.
This section contains important information concerning the content of lead in certain Fashion Accessories, including footwear, sold to Nordstrom, as required by a court-approved Consent Judgment and settlement of legal actions brought under California’s Proposition 65 by the Center for Environmental Health. At Nordstrom, we value our partnerships with vendors and appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.
Nordstrom expects all of its vendors to comply with the applicable laws and regulations of the United States and those of the respective country of manufacture or exportation. Please be aware that the obligation to comply with all applicable laws and regulations, as well as the Consent Judgment concerning lead levels in Fashion Accessories and footwear, remains yours, and Nordstrom has no obligation to provide you with updates as new legal developments occur.
Under the Consent Judgment, Nordstrom has agreed to join other retailers and suppliers in setting new lead levels for Accessible Components of Fashion Accessories and footwear. For purposes of this settlement, “Fashion Accessories” means wallets, handbags, purses, clutches, totes, belts, and footwear. An Accessible Component is a component of a Fashion Accessory that could be touched by a person during normal and reasonably foreseeable use.
The new lead requirements, along with compliance dates, are listed in the following table. Any handbags, wallets or small leather goods you supply to Nordstrom must have complied with the lead content limits and dates listed in the table below, starting December 1, 2010. The compliance deadline for footwear and belts began on December 1, 2011. Note: Nordstrom is requiring that all Fashion Accessories and footwear, regardless of brand, comply with these limits, and Nordstrom will not segregate goods sold in California from those sold elsewhere.
| Accessible Component | Maximum Lead Level (ppm) | Compliance Date For Wallets, Handbags, Purses, Clutches & Totes | Compliance Date For Belts & Footwear |
| Paint or other surface coatings |
|
|
|
| Leather (including composited leather) |
|
|
|
| Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) |
|
|
|
| Metal, plastic and Other Components |
|
|
|
Nordstrom asks that you use best commercial efforts to provide compliant products as soon as possible. Vendors not meeting these lead requirements are subject to expense offset fees and/or returns, at Nordstrom’s discretion.
You may obtain a copy of the Consent Judgment http://www.lexlawgroup.com/lulu/index.html or California Prop 65 website.
Jewelry
This section contains important information concerning the content of lead in jewelry that is sold to Nordstrom, as required by a court-approved settlement of a legal action brought under Proposition 65 by the California Attorney General, the Center for Environmental Health, and As You Sow (collectively “Plaintiffs”). At Nordstrom, we value our partnerships with vendors and appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.
In this legal action, the Plaintiffs claim that certain jewelry items contain lead, and that users are exposed to lead when they handle the jewelry. Lead is a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm, and the Plaintiffs claim that manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of these products are legally required to provide consumers with a clear and reasonable warning of this exposure to lead. Nordstrom and the other companies sued by the Plaintiffs dispute these claims, and believe their products are safe, but have agreed to take various actions to settle the case without admitting any violation of Proposition 65.
Under the settlement agreement, which is contained in a Consent Judgment, the Settling Defendants have agreed that the jewelry and jewelry components (“Covered Products”) that they purchase comply with certain lead content limits. A copy of the Consent Judgment, can be found here Jewelry Consent Judgment Requirements, as well as a plain-English explanation of its requirements. Also listed are the lead content limits on the attached document.
It is important to note that Nordstrom is requiring you to comply with these provisions for all Covered Products you sell to Nordstrom, and will not segregate goods sold in California from those sold elsewhere.
- Prior to shipment to Nordstrom, if the Covered Products you provide do not meet the lead content standards required under the Consent Judgment, the order
would be cancelled for breach of the applicable terms and conditions of the Purchase Order under which the jewelry is purchased.
- Post shipment to Nordstrom, if the Covered Products you provide do not meet the lead content standards required under the Consent Judgment, the order would
be returned to you (the supplier) for full refund for breach of the applicable terms and conditions of the Purchase Order under which the jewelry is purchased.
Nordstrom asks that you use best commercial efforts to provide compliant products as soon as possible. Vendors not meeting these lead requirements are subject to expense offset fees and/or returns, at Nordstrom’s discretion.