Dummy clips are great accessories for preventing dummy loss. You see them everywhere - in shops, online, on social media, and so on and so forth. But how can you tell which ones are safe?
In the EU, we have a set of regulations in place known as the BSEN 12586:2007. These standards have been formulated to inform manufacturers on how to safely create a dummy clip, and what it takes to successfully pass laboratory testing. Worryingly, it really doesn’t take very long to come across illegal dummy clips. You may find them on Instagram business pages or on Ebay, Amazon, Facebook Marketplace, and the list goes on. From flimsy plastic beads, to blinged out clips with embellishments on them, these are all big no-no’s.
Working in the baby accessory industry for over a year now, I am able to easily spot out the characteristics of a dummy clip that does not follow the guidelines of the BSEN 12586. On the other hand, as a customer, you probably wouldn’t know what to look for.
First and foremost, length. All dummy clips must not exceed the length of 22cm, from the base of the clip to the end of the loop. If you happen to have a dummy clip that exceeds this length, please discard it immediately. Anything longer than 22cm can pose as a serious strangulation hazard to your child.
The cord width must be no smaller than 1.5mm. Anything thinner than 1.5mm would make the dummy clip weak, and easy to break, posing as a choking hazard.
Ventilation holes. All clips must have at least two ventilation holes with a diameter of 4mm each. I see hundreds of businesses scattered all over the world that do not comply with this recent amendment. If you happen to see any metal, wood, or silicone clips that do not have at least three holes, it is a tell-tale sign that they are running illegally and have not had their products tested in an accredited laboratory.
Safety beads are essential. At the end of all of our dummy clips, we have a beech wood bead. This beech wood bead has been purposely placed to prevent the silicone beads from slipping over the knot. It may not seem it, but silicone beads are extremely flexible, and if you tug hard enough, it can easily slip over any knot. Once again, a huge tell-tale sign if a business is running illegally is if it does not have a safety bead in place.
Labelling is another tell-tale sign. All dummy clips must come packaged with specific warnings and care instructions that have been published in the BSEN 12586 in order to comply with EU law. If you have bought a dummy clip previously and it hasn’t come with any kind of warning or care information, you know to steer away from this business in the future. Additionally, all packaging must also state that the product has been designed and tested to meet the BSEN12586:2007.
Teethers attached to dummy clips are also illegal here in the UK. If you come across a business selling the two attached together or as a set, then it is another clear indication that this manufacturer is selling illegally. By adding a teether to a dummy clip, you are then extending the length, which in turn poses as a strangulation hazard as well as potentially a choking hazard too.
The list above is by no means exhaustive. I could go on and on about what dummy clip manufacturers must adhere to. But for now, all I ask is that please, please speak with the seller before you buy their products. Ask them what regulations their dummy clips adhere to. If you are at all concerned about a business that is selling a dummy clip which you deem as unsafe, please feel free to drop us a line or alternatively you can report this business to trading standards.
Sienna Designs Co offers a range of dummy clips that comply with the BSEN 12586:2007+A1:2011. All of our products have been rigorously tested in a UKAS accredited laboratory, and have successfully passed testing (please don't hesitate to contact us for a our full testing report). Safety is a priority here at SiennaDesignsCo, and we want to assure all of our customers that they are buying products of the highest quality and that are the safest that they most possibly can be.