Compliance is where multi-category programmes get expensive late. A steel bracket and a kitchen utensil come off the same purchase order and land in completely different regulatory worlds.
The matrix
| Category | US | UK / EU | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricals, powered devices | FCC, UL/ETL where required | UKCA / CE, EMC and LVD | RCM, electrical safety approval |
| Food-contact plastics and utensils | FDA food-contact compliance | EU 10/2011 migration testing | FSANZ, state food-contact rules |
| Textiles and apparel | Care and fibre labelling, CPSIA for children | Fibre-composition labelling, REACH | Care labelling, mandatory standards |
| Toys and children''s items | CPSIA, CPSC testing, tracking label | EN 71, UKCA/CE | AS/NZS 8124 |
| Cosmetics and personal care | FDA cosmetic rules, MoCRA registration | EU/UK CPNP notification, RP | NICNAS/AICIS, ingredient rules |
| Machinery and industrial parts | OSHA context, customer specs | Machinery Directive, UKCA/CE | Work-safety standards |
| Packaging | State recycled-content and labelling rules | Packaging waste rules, EPR fees | APCO, recycling labelling |
Treat this as the starting checklist, not legal advice: exact obligations depend on the product, its claims and its end use.
Rules that apply to everything
- Country of origin marking. Required on the article for most US imports; see the origin marking guide.
- Correct HS classification. Drives duty and eligibility for preferences.
- Importer of record responsibilities. Regulators pursue the importer, not the Thai factory.
- Traceability and due diligence. Increasingly mandatory in the EU and UK, covered in the ESG and social audit guide.
Build a compliance pack per SKU
For each SKU hold: technical specification, bill of materials with declarations, test reports from an accredited lab, artwork with the exact destination label, and the factory''s certifications. One folder per SKU, refreshed when the design or material changes. When a border question comes, you answer in minutes rather than reopening testing.
Sequence testing correctly
- Confirm destination requirements before tooling.
- Test a pre-production sample, not the first mass lot.
- Freeze the material and supplier for tested components.
- Retest on any material change, including "equivalent" resin or dye substitutions.
Material substitution after a passing test is the single most common cause of failed retests.
How TUSKO supports it
We help define which requirements apply per SKU and destination, arrange accredited testing in Thailand, verify factory certifications on site, and keep the SKU compliance pack in your dashboard alongside orders and documents.
FAQ
Is compliance the factory''s responsibility or mine?
Legally, the importer of record carries it in the US, UK, EU and Australia. A Thai factory can supply test reports and declarations, but if a product fails at the border or in market, enforcement lands on the importer. Specify requirements in writing before production.
Can one test report cover multiple markets?
Sometimes partly. Chemical testing such as REACH-style substance screening often overlaps, but electrical safety, labelling and registration are market-specific. Plan testing per destination and reuse only what an accredited lab confirms is transferable.
When should testing happen in the production timeline?
On a pre-production or golden sample, after tooling is validated and before mass production. Testing the first mass lot risks scrapping a full run, and testing an early prototype risks passing a product that differs from what ships.
What happens if the factory changes a material?
Any change to resin, dye, coating, alloy or ingredient can invalidate a passing test. Put a change-control clause in the purchase terms requiring written approval before substitutions, and retest before the changed lot ships.