Safety claims and test reports
A claim is only as good as the evidence behind it. A certificate is not a test report, a report is only about the sample tested, and a claim about protection or safety needs a named protocol. Ask for the full report, check it matches your product, and write claims you can prove.
What a test report must show
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Lab name and accreditation | Tells you who did the test and whether they are independent |
| Standard or protocol | Names what was tested and how |
| Sample description | Model, material, size and batch tested |
| Date | Old reports may not cover the current production |
| Results and limits | The measurements and the pass or fail criteria |
| Scope | What was and was not tested |
A one-page certificate with a logo and a stamp is not the same thing. Ask for the report behind it.
Check that the report matches your product
Compare the model name, the materials, the dimensions and the color. A report on a similar item may not apply. If you change a material or part after the test, the result may no longer apply either, so ask the lab or an adviser.
Claims to treat with care
A buyer reads some words as promises. Words about protection, safety, non-toxic materials, crash performance, flame resistance, or approval by an airline or an authority all need evidence you can show. A supplier's wording is not evidence. If you cannot show the report, use factual wording about the product instead: materials, dimensions, tested weight and the conditions of the test.
Examples of wording to avoid unless you can prove it: "crash tested", "airline approved", "FDA approved".
Compliance is separate from claims
A test report is not the same as meeting a market's legal requirements. What applies to your product depends on the product, the materials and the market. Use the compliance checklist in the landed cost tool as a starting point and confirm with a testing lab or customs broker.
Keep your own records
Keep the report, the sample record and the production batch information together, and link each to the product version you sell. If a problem arises later, these records are what you will need.
Ask for the right documents per category
Strollers and car restraints need load and strength evidence; bowls need food-contact evidence for your market; powered mats need electrical safety evidence. The category pages for car seats and harnesses, strollers and cooling and warming mats list what to request.
Frequently asked questions
Is a certificate enough?
Not by itself. Ask for the full test report that shows the standard or protocol, the sample, the lab, the date and the results, and check that it covers the model you are buying.
Can a report from one market cover another?
Not automatically. Standards and limits differ by market. Ask what the report covers and confirm with your broker or lab what your market needs.
What should I do if a supplier says tested but cannot show the report?
Treat the claim as unproven and do not repeat it. Ask for the report; if it is not produced, remove the claim from your listing and consider a test of your own.
Related reading
- How to vet a supplier remotely
A practical way to check a Chinese manufacturer before paying: documents to request, video audits, samples, third-party inspection and warning signs. - Pet car seats and harnesses
Sourcing pet car seats, booster seats and seat-belt harnesses from China: what to specify, why safety claims need evidence, and how to compare test reports and quotes. - Pet strollers
How to source pet strollers from Chinese manufacturers: frame and wheel choices, weight rating, folding, fabric, safety claims, testing and the cost drivers to quote. - Cooling and warming pet mats
Sourcing cooling gel mats, summer pads and heated pet mats from China: materials, powered versus non-powered, electrical safety evidence and quote comparison.
General information for planning. Not legal, customs or compliance advice. Requirements depend on your exact product and market.