December 2025: New Safety and Quality Standards for Child Articles, Toys, and Floor Coverings

Staying ahead in the rapidly evolving world of domestic and commercial equipment, entertainment, and sports products means keeping pace with international standards that ensure safety, quality, and regulatory compliance. December 2025 ushers in a suite of significant updates, with four new standards released—ranging from stringent chemical safety for child care articles and toys, to enhanced testing methods for resilient floor coverings. These ground-breaking publications impact manufacturers, importers, retailers, and quality professionals seeking to align with global best practices and legal mandates.

Overview / Introduction

The domestic and commercial equipment, entertainment, and sports sector encompasses a broad array of products, from children’s toys and care articles to flooring materials used in public and private spaces. In this sector, standards play a critical role:

• Protecting children and end users through robust safety requirements
• Ensuring product quality, durability, and environmental safety
• Facilitating international trade by harmonizing product specifications
• Reducing liability risks for organizations

In this article, you will find:

• Detailed coverage of four newly published standards for December 2025
• Key updates in chemical and physical safety, labeling, and material stability
• Compliance strategies, timelines, and impact analysis
• Best practices for implementing the new requirements across your supply chain

Detailed Standards Coverage

EN 17826:2025 - Child Care Articles Chemical Safety

Child care articles – Chemical hazards – Requirements

Released by CEN in December 2025, EN 17826:2025 sets a new benchmark for chemical safety in child care articles. Covering an extensive range—including safety barriers, bedguards, changing units, harnesses, prams, baby carriers, seats for bicycles, bouncers, bathing aids, and more—this standard establishes minimum allowable chemical thresholds, comprehensive test methods, and compliance assessment strategies.

The requirements draw from the latest EU REACH compliance, CLP regulation, and industry feedback, addressing both direct and indirect risks from:

• Carcinogenic, mutagenic, or reprotoxic (CMR) substances
• Candidate List substances from REACH Annex XIV
• Migration of heavy metals and flame retardants
• Restricted colorants, monomers, plasticizers, and formaldehyde
• Allergenic fragrances and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons)

To demonstrate compliance, manufacturers must implement:

• Rigorous chemical management systems
• Obtain and review technical documentation (BOM, BOS, Safety Data Sheets)
• Consider both material testing and quality management approaches
• Stay alert to new candidate substances and evolving threshold values

Industries affected:

• Child care product designers and manufacturers
• Distributors and importers to the EU market
• Testing laboratories and regulatory consultants

Practical implications:

• New restrictions may require reformulation of materials
• Enhanced due diligence in supply chain chemical management
• Increased documentation and product labeling requirements

Notable changes:

• Incorporation of updated migration limits, expanded flame retardant and fragrance restrictions
• Stronger emphasis on technical documentation and alternative compliance assessment options
• Alignment with REACH and new EU product safety regulations

Key highlights:

• Covers a comprehensive suite of articles for infants and young children
• Defines strict chemical thresholds and updated test methods
• Integrates documentation, testing, and QMS-based compliance

Access the full standard: View EN 17826:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN 71-5:2025 - Safety of Toys: Chemical Toys (Sets) Other Than Experimental Sets

Safety of toys – Part 5: Chemical toys (sets) other than experimental sets

A vital update in the renowned EN 71 toy safety series, EN 71-5:2025 addresses risks associated with chemical toys such as plaster of Paris kits, oven-hardening PVC modeling clays, slime kits, polystyrene granules sets, embedding resin sets, and a wide array of adhesives, paints, lacquers, solvents, and thinners supplied with such kits.

Scope and key requirements include:

• Hazard identification for both EU-classified dangerous substances and those harmful above certain limits
• Test methods for detecting contaminants (e.g., volatile organics, plasticizers, styrene, benzene)
• Stringent packaging, marking, warning, and adult supervision guidelines
• Mandatory instructions for use, safety, and first aid

Who must comply:

• Toy manufacturers, importers, and distributors
• Specialty retailers offering DIY toy and modeling kits
• Compliance officers and safety assurance professionals

Implementation realities:

• Strict labeling: age restrictions, hazard warnings, first aid guidance
• Reformulation to exclude prohibited substances in modeling clays, adhesives, and paints
• Enhanced documentation on product composition and batch traceability
• Third-party laboratory validations for certain substances

Notable changes:

• Updated list of permitted plasticizers and preservatives
• Lowered limits for vinyl chloride and benzene
• Expanded requirements for slime kits and new categories of chemical toys

Key highlights:

• Covers all chemical-based toy sets except dedicated experimental (science) kits
• Includes comprehensive marking and documentation obligations
• Aligns with latest EU toy safety legislation and REACH definitions

Access the full standard: View EN 71-5:2025 on iTeh Standards

CEN/TR 18240:2025 - Guidance on Food-Imitating Toys in EN 71-1

Safety of toys – Mechanical and physical properties – Guidance on the requirements for food-imitating toys in EN 71-1

CEN/TR 18240:2025 provides much-needed clarity on how regulators and manufacturers should interpret the requirements for "realistic food imitation" toys outlined in EN 71-1. This technical report:

• Explains the process for identifying whether a toy is a realistic imitation of food
• Discusses relevant hazard scenarios, focusing on physical and mechanical injuries, primarily choking
• Provides criteria for sensory and visual similarity, packing, and potential for confusion
• Reviews real-world examples and incident data to guide subjective assessments

Who should use this guidance:

• Toy designers, brand managers, and safety assessors
• Enforcement authorities and market surveillance bodies
• Product compliance and regulatory affairs teams

Practical impact:

• Supports evidence-based, consistent regulatory assessments
• Helps organizations avoid recalls and non-conformity penalties
• Aids efficient product development by clarifying grey areas in toy-food resemblance

Notable Insights:

• Realistic food imitations require both strong visual and additional physical or sensory similarity
• Gels, powders, and modeling clays are generally exempt from choking risk under clause 4.28
• Subjectivity in assessments is acknowledged; examples illustrate consensus and edge cases

Key highlights:

• Integrates incident data and child behavior research
• Details multi-step evaluation of food-like attributes in toys
• Recommends precautionary approach for items resembling sweets/candy

Access the full standard: View CEN/TR 18240:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN ISO 23999:2025 - Dimensional Stability of Resilient Floor Coverings

Resilient floor coverings – Determination of dimensional stability and curling (vertical deformation) after exposure to heat (ISO 23999:2025)

Indoor floor safety, durability, and aesthetics depend strongly on the dimensional stability and flatness of the covering materials. With EN ISO 23999:2025, organizations now have a technically revised global reference for testing the resistance of floor coverings (tiles, planks, sheets, panels, or rolls) to changes in heat and environment.

The standard defines:

• Precise test procedures for oven exposure, measurement of curling and shrinkage, and post-reconditioning evaluation
• Equipment requirements, marking, and preparation of specimens
• Calculation methods for reporting results, including differentiation between concave and convex deformation

Who benefits from compliance:

• Flooring manufacturers and material developers
• Construction project managers and procurement teams
• Testing laboratories and certification bodies

Practical effects:

• Stronger quality assurance in manufacturing batches
• Improved product warranties for dimensional performance
• Lower risk of on-site installation failures and costly callbacks

Notable updates from previous edition (ISO 23999:2021):

• Revised terms and definitions relevant to machine direction
• Enhanced procedures for measuring both sheet and preformed shapes
• Expanded calculation methods and result interpretation (see Annexes)

Key highlights:

• Covers all major resilient floor product forms and installation scenarios
• Provides standardized oven and measurement protocols for global uniformity
• Addresses both dimensional shrinkage/growth and curling types

Access the full standard: View EN ISO 23999:2025 on iTeh Standards

Industry Impact & Compliance

These new standards have immediate and far-ranging consequences for the entire value chain:

• Legal Compliance: Required for CE marking and market access in many jurisdictions
• Product Reformulation: May require sourcing new materials, altering manufacturing processes, or updating product documentation
• Traceability: More stringent tracking and recordkeeping for chemicals and test methods
• Suppler Management: Tightened oversight and auditing of upstream suppliers
• Timeline: Most new requirements take effect immediately with limited transition periods—companies should begin implementation now to avoid disruption

Benefits of adoption:

• Enhanced child and end-user safety
• Reduced product recalls and liability exposure
• Greater consumer confidence and brand trust
• Easier entry to regulated markets (EU, UK, global)

Risks of non-compliance:

• Regulatory recalls or bans
• Fines and reputational harm
• Increased test and inspection costs due to lack of upfront controls

Technical Insights

Shared technical requirements:

• Adoption of harmonized test methodologies (EN 71 series, ISO 23999)
• In-depth chemical documentation and QMS integration
• Uniform labeling, warnings, and usage instructions
• Validation via accredited laboratories and standardized apparatus

Best practices for implementation:

1. Conduct a gap analysis to identify compliance risks in existing products
2. Collaborate with suppliers to secure up-to-date SDS and test reports
3. Adopt or enhance a Quality Management System (QMS) with a focus on chemical and material traceability
4. Train staff in new procedures and documentation requirements
5. Engage third-party labs for independent certification when indicated

Testing and certification:

• Early and periodic product batch testing using defined measurement and analytical techniques
• File and update technical documentation (BOM, BOS, QMS certificates)
• Stay informed on updates to substances of concern lists (REACH, CLP)

Conclusion / Next Steps

The December 2025 release of these four essential standards underscores the international community’s focus on stronger safety, quality, and consumer protection across domestic and commercial equipment, toys, and surface materials. Meeting these requirements demands not only technical rigor but also strategic foresight and cross-functional collaboration.

Key takeaways:

• Adopt and integrate these standards to maintain compliant, market-ready products
• Review your supply chain and update technical documentation now
• Prioritize both chemical and physical/functional safety in product design
• Regularly consult authoritative sources, including iTeh Standards, for the latest publications and guidance

Stay ahead—ensure your organization is prepared for future regulatory, market, and consumer expectations. For full documentation, detailed technical requirements, and expert resources, visit iTeh Standards and explore each referenced standard above.