Which rules apply to stacking cups
- Stacking and nesting cups test for small-parts behavior (cups stack into cylinders a child can grip — the review is about rims, spouts, and holes), lead and phthalates in the plastic and prints, and no sharp edges on rims.
- CPSIA section 101 total lead content in accessible substrate materials.
- 16 CFR part 1303 lead in paint and surface coatings where painted or coated.
- CPSIA section 103 tracking labels: manufacturer, location, and date of manufacture on product and packaging.
The testing and certification path
Testing covers rim sharpness, lead and phthalates per cup color (colorants vary), and small-parts review of any added features like spouts or handles. Nesting designs are reviewed for pinch points where cups telescope.
Book testing at a laboratory that is CPSC-accepted for each rule, issue the CPC in your own name citing the rules your report supports, and keep the certificate with its test report for at least five years. Marketplaces ask for the pair, not the certificate alone.
Questions people ask
Do stacking cups have small-parts issues?
The cups themselves are usually too large — the risk is added features: spouts, handles, or decorative holes that create small parts or entrapment. Review every rim and feature.
Are bath stacking cups the same?
Bath versions add the bath-toy considerations: water retention and valve review. Same lead and phthalate screening.
Related guides
CPC for shape sorters
Shape sorters for children 12 and under need a Children’s Product Certificate citing small-parts, lead, and to…
CPC certificates for bath toys
Bath toys face phthalates limits, lead rules, and hygiene expectations (mold in squirt toys). What to test, wh…
How to choose the right age grade for your toy
Age grading drives toy testing, small parts rules, and warnings. How the CPSC Age Determination Guidelines wor…