Regulator announces stricter safety requirements for 'fuse bead' craft kits

China's market regulator on Friday introduced stricter safety requirements for "fuse bead" craft kits, requiring products intended for children under 14 to meet mandatory toy safety certification standards and banning the use of household irons as heating devices in kits marketed to older users.

A fuse bead is a small, hollow plastic bead used in a craft activity where the beads are arranged on a pegboard to form a design and then melted together with heat, usually by ironing through a sheet of parchment paper.

The measures, announced by the State Administration for Market Regulation, come amid growing concerns over the safety of the popular arts-and-crafts products, which use plastic beads that are fused together with heat to create designs.

Under the new rules, fuse bead products designed for children under the age of 14 must obtain China's compulsory product certification and clearly display recommended age ranges, safety warnings and guidance for parents. Manufacturers are prohibited from using vague or misleading age labels.

The regulator also barred manufacturers from bundling household electrical appliances with children's fuse bead toys as promotional giveaways or packaged accessories.

For children's fuse bead products that are not covered by the CCC certification scheme, the beads, pegboards, tweezers and other accessories, as well as accompanying heating devices, must comply with China's mandatory toy safety standards.