Twaddleton's Cheese is now at The Little Hat Company

Ryan Higgins, local author and resident of South Berwick, Maine has brought a little bit of magic to our Main Street. Signed copies of Twaddleton's Cheese are now available at our store on 10 Portland Street. The illustrations are amazing and the storyline offers a creative solution to a ginormous problem for a small town. Twaddleton's Cheese is a perfect gift for little one's and adults alike and is perfect to send to family and friends.

New Lead Law is Poison - Portland Press Herald

By NOEL K. GALLAGHER, Staff Writer January 24, 2009

SOUTH BERWICK — Jennifer Houghton is getting out of the children's hat business.

Houghton, owner of The Little Hat Co., is among the thousands of small manufacturers and retailers nationwide who say they can't afford to comply with a new federal law requiring that all products for children 12 or younger be tested for lead and phthalates, which are chemicals used to soften plastics.

Houghton looked at the law and did the math: For a recent special order of 24 hats for a local ski resort, she would send one finished hat for testing. If it cleared, she could sell the hats. Then, even if she used the same raw materials for a new hat, it would have to be tested again as a new product.

Since it costs about $400 to test each component, a hat with four of five components – thread, ribbon, cloth and buttons – could cost as much as $2,000 to test.

"I can't afford that," said Houghton, who is now holding a fire sale to dump the 1,000 children's hats in her inventory by Feb. 9, when she'll switch her business to adult hats. "It's just surreal that this is happening."

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act was signed into law in August 2008 in response to the recall of millions of Chinese-made toys.

Under the law, which takes effect Feb. 10, manufacturers must pay a third-party lab for the testing and put tracking labels on all products to show when and where they were made. Retailers must ensure that their entire inventory is in compliance.

"Our phone has been ringing off the hook the last couple of weeks," said Curtis Picard, who represents about 1,000 Maine retailers as executive director of the Maine Merchants Association. "It's a well-intentioned law, but it's certainly having some unintended consequences. They unleashed a whole army, when the problem probably just needed a more moderate response."

Large manufacturers mass-producing a toy can absorb the cost, but smaller operations say it will be too costly to comply. Fines are $100,000 per violation.

"If this law had been applied to the food industry, every farmers' market in the country would be forced to close while Kraft and Dole prospered," read a posting at the Web site for the Handmade Toy Alliance, a grass-roots effort by thousands of toymakers nationwide to change the law.

Alliance member William John Woods, who sells about 2,000 handmade wooden baby rattles and toys through his Ogunquit Wooden Toy company, agreed that the new law is a problem. The only thing he puts on the wood is walnut oil and beeswax, he said.

"When I first heard about the law, I didn't pay much attention to it because I didn't think it applied to me – but of course, it does," said Woods, who has been making toys for about 35 years.

"It seems like a law that doesn't have a lot of thought behind it. I keep thinking that someone is going to say, 'Oh, we don't mean that.' "

And if the law takes effect?

"I don't want to say it would put me out of business, but I guess I'd have to ignore it. I know that's not right, but what am I going to do?" Woods said. "In all my years of making toys, I have never had one complaint. I've never, ever gotten one back."

There are signs in Washington that the toymakers are being heard.

Several lawmakers, including both of Maine's U.S. senators, are getting involved on behalf of their constituents, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission is considering recommendations from its own toxicologists that some unfinished natural materials – such as cotton, silk, wool, hemp, flax and linen – should be considered lead-free and thus exempt.

"I cannot overstate how critical it is that CPSC expeditiously work, within the constraints of the law, to exclude merchandise that poses no danger to the public," U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, wrote in a Jan. 16 letter to the Safety Commission chairwoman.

U.S....

For small businesses, new lead law is poison

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In Maine and elsewhere, owners can't afford to pay to test children's products that they know are safe.

enlarge Doug Jones/Staff Photographer

Manager Kimberly Frank straightens out children’s hats on the racks of The Little Hat Co. in South Berwick. The company’s owner is discontinuing her line of children’s hats because it will cost too much to comply with federal product-safety requirements.

enlarge John Ewing/Staff Photographer

William John Woods, owner of Ogunquit Wooden Toy, uses a sander to polish his wooden rattles. “I keep thinking that someone is going to say, ‘Oh, we don’t mean that,’ ” he said of mandatory lead and phthalate testing.

(Page 2 of 2)

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said in an e-mailed statement that she would continue to "work with the CPSC to improve the clarity of these new regulations to prevent unintended consequences from negatively impacting our nation's small businesses."

A public comment period on those recommendations closes Feb. 17, after which agency staff will analyze the comments and decide whether to forward the recommendation along to the commission for a vote, said Joe Martyak, chief of staff to Safety Commission Chairwoman Nancy Nord.

However, he emphasized how difficult it would be to change the law.

"The way the legislation is written, the language for exemption is very, very narrow and very, very demanding in science," he said.

The commission did announce Jan. 8 that resellers, such as thrift shops, are exempt from having to test their products, but they face penalties if they sell products not in compliance with the law.

"What we have is a well-intentioned but not necessarily well-planned law which is causing all the havoc out there," Martyak said.

In the last seven or eight years, he said, it has been "a very rare occurrence" to have a recall of a toy or product made by domestic manufacturers, such as the ones protesting the new law.

On Wednesday, two congressmen requested that the House Energy and Commerce Committee hold a hearing on the new law's impact.

"Many involved in (the law's) creation were passionate to improve the safety of our children's products, but surely no one expected or wanted to drive thousands of home-based and small businesses out of operation and turn thousands of Americans into surprise victims of a brutal recession," read a letter from U.S. Reps. George Radanovich, R-Calif., and Joe Barton, R-Texas, to committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif.

Martyak at the Safety Commission said the uproar over the new law has overwhelmed the agency.

"I cannot tell you how serious this is. The agency doesn't have the resources to implement this on the timeline we've been given," said Martyak, who had just stepped out of a meeting with apparel industry representatives, who were making the case that cloth products should be exempt.

"We are exploring what we can do to address some of this problem before Feb. 10. We are just swamped."

The commission will be responsible for enforcement, generally done through its approximately 100 field inspectors nationwide and through tips and official documentation of problems from consumers, hospitals and medical examiners. The state attorneys general also have the authority to enforce the law.

Picard, of the Maine Merchants Association, said he was encouraged that the commission is taking public comment on the proposed exemptions. But he doesn't expect any changes before the law takes effect.

"It seems like the wheels are moving now," Picard said. "They're starting to realize that there are some real legitimate, obvious concerns that weren't addressed."

Lead Law affecting HandCrafters & The Little Hat Company

John Huff/Staff photographer Marshwood High School Senior Emma Morrison holds a silk-screen T-shirt and a pair of knitted booties, both made by local artisans.

By JASON CLAFFEY jclaffeyfosters.com jclaffey@fosters.com

Sunday, January 25, 2009

John Huff/Staff photographer Durham resident Christina Buteau makes children's clothes for vendors across the country. She says she will be forced to go out of business on Feb. 10 due to a federal law requiring that children's toys be tested for lead.

SOUTH BERWICK, Maine — When millions of children's toys imported from China were recalled in 2007 because they contained too much lead, Jen Houghton, owner of The Little Hat Company in South Berwick, said customers would come to her store, which features handmade goods, specifically to avoid buying contaminated toys.

The Little Hat Company carries a variety of children's items, from mittens made out of old sweaters to winter hats made by stay-at-home moms who work for the company — and people were comforted by the fact they didn't come from China, she said.

But now a federal law passed in response to the imported toys debacle could have the unintended consequence of putting small shop owners like Houghton out of business, along with independent crafters.

As of Feb. 10, any consumer product designed for children 12 and younger can't be sold if it contains more than 600 parts per million of lead. On Aug. 14, the limit will drop to 300 ppm, and the products will be required to be tested by a third party (other than the maker and seller) — which can cost $350 per item component.

The law was broadly worded to include not only imported toys, but items like children's books and clothing accessories.

While large toy makers like Mattel, which had millions of its toys imported from China recalled, can absorb those costs, small businesses like Houghton's can't.

"It's scary. We're hit already with the economy, and if we lose our children's hat market ...," Houghton said, trailing off.

She is currently selling hats for half price and turning away local crafters who want to sell their handmade goods in her store. She has been contacting lawmakers and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, pleading that changes be made to the law.

Patty Davis, a spokeswoman for the commission, the federal agency charged with enforcing the law, said store owners like Houghton "should be prepared to comply with the law."

The commission is aware of the effect the law could have on shop owners, Davis said, but may not be able make exceptions because of its strict wording. It applies to any "consumer product designed or intended primarily for children 12 years of age and younger," according to the law's text.

The law, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, was revised by lawmakers in 2008 to require the testing of both imported and domestic children's items. It was overwhelmingly supported, passing by a vote of 407-0 in the House of Representatives and 79-13 in the Senate.

Christina Buteau, who runs the Cuddlebee's craft business out of her Durham home, said lawmakers had good intentions by putting safeguards in place to protect children, but overlooked the impact the law would have on small businesses.

"I don't think they intentionally meant to hurt the little people, but that's what they've done," she said.

Buteau, who sells baby blankets, bibs, and burp clothes to hundreds of customers and vendors across the country, including The Little Hat Company, is afraid she won't be able to continue her business.

"What are you going to do?" she said. "These are all handmade products made in the United States ... we're just sewing fabrics together. (The commission) is going to have to come to some middle ground."

Earlier this month, the commission issued a statement saying resellers and sellers of used children's products will not be required to test their products if they already meet safety standards, as the law states manufacturers are responsible for testing their products. But for crafters who make their own goods, even goods that are made from tested materials, would still be required to pay for testing, because they technically act as the manufacturer.

Lead is a neurotoxin that even in small doses can stunt growth in children and cause learning disabilities, hearing problems, anemia and brain-related developmental problems.

Houghton said she understands children should be protected from lead-tainted products, but finds it ironic owners like herself will be disproportionately affected when contaminated toys imported by large companies were the impetus for the law.

Adam Brown, a spokesman for Etsy.com, an online market for buying and selling handmade crafts, agreed the law unfairly affects small businesses.

"It's ironic and funny, if it wasn't tragic," he said. The law "is really intended for big companies who make thousands of toys."

Houghton said about 25 percent of her inventory is comprised of locally made craft items, which she will no longer be able to sell come August. She has been contemplating putting all children's items in storage in the hope the law will be revised, or selling them for adults and pets only.

"Whatever we have to do to stay in business," she said.

Kerry Wood, co-owner of the Noggin Factory in Dover, said she will be forced to no longer accept toys from local crafters because they can't afford the testing.

"It seems to me a bit of an overkill," Wood said of the law.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission currently has no plans to subsidize testing costs for small businesses. The penalty for violating the law is a fine of up to $100,000. Before the revisions to the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act were ratified, the maximum fine was $5,000.

The commission has the authority to interpret how the law is enforced. Davis, the commission spokeswoman, said her organization has been receiving comments from small business owners and will issue another statement before February.

In a statement, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who voted for the law, said the commission hasn't given clear guidance to store owners.

She added that she will work with the commission to "improve the clarity of these new regulations to prevent unintended consequences from negatively impacting our nation's businesses."

Maine's 1st District U.S. Representative, Democrat Chellie Pingree, urged the commission to exempt items that contain materials that "aren't risky" like wool or unfinished wood.

"I'm deeply concerned about child safety, but also sensitive to any unreasonable regulations that might drive small companies out of business," she said in a statement.

Buteau, the owner of Cuddlebee's, said she hoped an exception could be made for owners like herself.

"These are little people. Isn't that supposed to be the American dream, to own your own business?" she said. "I'm just really hopeful something will change."

Something to think about in South Berwick!

Foster's Daily Democrat

Study: Former church would work as South Berwick library

http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090120/GJNEWS_01/701209950/-1/FOSNEWS04 By JASON CLAFFEY

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

SOUTH BERWICK, Maine — St. Michael's Church is a "more than sufficient" space for a new library, though there are multiple structural issues that need to be taken care of if it is to be converted, according to the first draft of $18,000 feasibility study commissioned by the Town Council.

The study, completed by the Connecticut-based JCJ Architecture firm, was reviewed by the town's Building Committee at a 7 a.m. meeting Wednesday. It put the cost of converting the main church floor into library space at $1.3-$2.1 million. Two additional projections for renovating the basement and building an addition to the west wing were estimated at $900,000-$1.3 million and $1.9-2.1 million, respectively.

Currently, the church has water infiltration in the basement, asbestos material in its siding, and a side handicap ramp that does not meet the standards of the Americans With Disabilities Act. All those issues can be resolved during the construction process, according to the study.

The council bought St. Michael's last year for $875,000 with the intention of turning it into a library.

A sketch plans call for eight book stacks spread across an adult section in the space that church pews currently occupy on the main floor, which is 5,800 square feet. Four stacks would be placed in a juvenile section in the middle of the floor, and a children's area would occupy what is now the back of the building. A study room would be placed near what is now the front entrance, and staff offices would be built across from the children's area.

Library Director Mamie Ney, who attended Wednesday's meeting, said the she saw the plan as a "jumping off point, but not a final design."

She added she was concerned about increased operating costs for the bigger space. The current library, located on Portland Street, occupies one-and-a-half floors of a colonial-style house dating back to the 1850s. It seats about 10 people.

Building Committee Chairman Tom Harmon and other members agreed they wanted the firm to further study the water infiltration and asbestos issues. The committee will soon notify the firm of its requests, and the firm will in turn submit a finalized study that could be presented to the council in February.

Council Chairwoman Jean Demetracopoulos, who along with fellow Councilor David Burke attended Wednesday's meeting, said the leakage and asbestos issues could raise the cost of the project. She added a potential bond for the conversion work would not come up this budget cycle.

Burke defended the 7 a.m. start time of the meeting — which was a point of contention among some residents during Monday's council meeting. Councilors argued the time was more convenient for the Building Committee members who work day jobs.

"In order to get things done, you have to make it convenient for people doing the work," Burke said.

JCJ Architecture has been involved in dozens of building projects throughout New England, including the recent proposed expansion of Portsmouth Middle School.

Keep South Berwick Warm - A great family event

Keep South Berwick Warm

Hot Night, Warm Town
An Evening of Friends, Food, and Fun

The Ballroom at Wadleigh Gardens
On the Square, South Berwick
Saturday, January 24, 2009
3-5 PM Pre-bid and purchase raffle tickets.
Crafts and face painting for children
5-6 PM Hors D’oeuvres ,refreshments, and cash bar
6-8 PM Auction and raffle drawings
Admission: $10 donation requested

A raffle, auction, and party to raise money for South Berwick’s fuel assistance fund so that everyone in South Berwick can stay warm this winter.
You can help by donating items for the raffle and auction and by attending and enjoying the warmth of neighbor helping neighbor.

Seeking donations for raffle and auction: Some ideas: Restaurant and store gift certificates, antiques, collectibles, historical documents, art, fine crafts, sporting goods, professional services, wine, fuel, weatherization supplies, travel packages, vacation home use, etc.
Donors are encouraged to get creative with their ideas.
For more information contact David Ramsay at
384-8154 or dramsay24@verizon.net

Keep South Berwick Warm, South Berwick, Maine

We really want to keep making baby & children's hats

The Little Hat Company is a small manufacturer, retail store in South Berwick, Maine. We started when I couldn't find a hat for my baby that was pratical and unique. In just two years we have grown to employ 10 part time employes and have shipped our baby and children's hats to five continents as well as building a full fledge toy store. We are just entering our third year and the prospect of having to sell adult lids only in the store is anti climatic to say the least. We don't have the cash flow for testing which will never be recouped by the sale of children's lids with our current quantities.

This law is not about the The Little Hat Company it is about the ripple affect it will have on the micro businesses and hancrafters across our nation. It won't stop there - it will affect packaging, delivery and postage, supplies from larger chains and farms who spin their own wool, it will affect the hosting companies, website design, groups fundraising, young entreprenuers, seniors, it will affect our entire economy.

Also what do they mean by permanent disposal of finished goods that are not tested? What if the law is repealed? What about our already over flowing landfills? Are we supposed to follow the law or are we supposed to be following the law when it makes sense? My children, 14, 7, 3 are listening to the numerous phone calls coming into our business and now house. They are in disbelief and looking to me to see what I do. What do I say to them? They've watched our business grow in a small town where it has made a positive impact and now the older two are in disbelief that our country, the land of free entreprise, is telling their mom that unless she can cough up the cash she won't be able to continue making baby and children hats at The Little Hat Company. We've fought so hard to develop a business model that makes it pheasible for us to manufacturer all of hats in South Berwick, Maine and not outsource overseas - this summer we had finally hit on a system that allowed us a 55% profit margin while paying our local stitchers $18-$24 an hour.

I applaud our government for wanting to keep our children safe but I ask them is this what they meant by helping to bring manufacturing home to The United States?

One more thing- all baby and children's hats are now 50% off at our store in South Berwick and soon on our website. It's better that we at least are able to recoup cost of goods than to loose 1000's of dollars and man hours invested in the future of The Little Hat Company.

Hope for Change & Hope for Balance

Best Wishes,

Jennifer Houghton
Founder & President
The Little Hat Company
Put A Lid on Your Kid - up until February 9th, 2009
then - Adult Noggins need Protection Too!

The Cat in the Hat

It might rhyme but for some reason it doesn't have the same ring as Put A Lid on Your Kid!

Hats- The Big Hat Company

You know I've been thinking that we've been a little bit partial to kids and babies at The Little Hat Company. With the passing of the new law it will force the Little Hat Company to change it's course and manufacturer hats for only teens and s. Well at least till we hit the economy of scale and we will be able to have a testing done for lead and the costs will be absorbed by the shear numbers. For now Deb has already changed directions in production and has designed one fabulous Bucket Lid which will look marvelous on either men or women. We're excited to show it to you and so you know I won't give up contacting the press, elected officials, and anyone who will listen in regards to the impact on not just The Little Hat Company but the economy as a whole from just one bill signed in 2008 by President Bush. There is hope for change, there is a new President about to take office, and there is still a need for handcrafted items for children made in America. I just wanted to let you know that I still believe in The Little Hat Company and that I made a hat for Libby for a reason. I could have protected her from the sun with any of the hats that had been given to me...when I stop to think about all we've been through there's a lot more to us than just little hats. Thanks for stopping by to catch up.

To find out more about this new law to take affect on February 10th please visit:


http://www.change.org/ideas/view/save_handmade_toys_from_the_cpsia

Thank you for your support,

The Little Hatters

I Love this Company!

So - I know that I should be finishing inventory, balancing the books, and getting more work for LHC but instead with my personality I'm sitting here cleaning off my desktop and found this great picture. When else in my life have I been able to go to work and paint pumpkins with kids that I love? Let me tell you that I've gone the corporate route and I don't ever want to go back. When you dream believe that you can take steps everyday to move towards it.

Does anyone know this person?

I received this picture in an email this week and at first glance I mistook the person for our very own Sue Page...Sue thanked me for the compliment but said it was not her - if you can identify this woman please contact susanpage@thelittlehatcompany.com we are looking for people to wear our Kozy Kaps, Bucket Lids, & Beachcomber Lids in our next shoot.

Wednesday Mornings are moving Next Door!

Dear Familes and Friends of Music Time and Story Time,

Happy New Year!

The Little Hat Company is pleased to continue to offer free music and story time classes in South Berwick, Maine. We are very excited to announce that our classes will now be held next door to TLHC at South Berwick Yoga. We wish to give a big thank you to owner, Rachel Martin for welcoming our families with open arms.

Our classes will be held every Wednesday from 10:00 to 10:30 a.m. and is free and open to children from birth through age seven and their families. We offer a drop-in format that does not require registration. Just come when it suits you.

If you have any questions, please contact Miss Kris or Miss Kimberly at the email listed or you may call The Little Hat Company.

See you at class!

Ms. Poli recommends - A great read by a Maine Author

Mrs. Poli recommends Dawdle Duckling by Maine children’s author Toni Buzzeo. On a bright, sunny day a downy little duck dawdles and dreams, instead of keeping up with Mama Duck and his siblings. This book is certainly meant to be read aloud and youngsters will love to participate, especially when Dawdle tells his mother repeatedly, “No, quack quack, I won’t catch up!” This story has simple, poetic text and colorful pastel artwork that your child will want to hear over and over!

If you would like to be put on our newsletter list to receive local news and Mrs. Poli recommends from The Little Hat Company just email us at friendlyperson@thelittlehatcompany.com

Nell's own baby elf!

We just received this picture from Wendy of her little grand elf enjoying Jane-Cowen Fletcher's latest book. Nell, the baby's mom, take special care to make sure her little one's ears were just right for the picture. We would love to see your pictures of little elves this holiday season.

Something about that Hat!

It's the new year and time to start thinking about putting back all of the holiday garb...I'm a procrastinator at heart and instead of grabbing the boxes from the basement to start cleaning up from Christmas I'm on my ltop thinking I'll clean up folders and files. I just came across this image of Little H-man and have realized why I'm still pushing forward with The Little Hat Company. It makes me smile and I've made the greatest friends that I hope are always in my life. Little Hat makes me smile, belly laugh, pull my hair out, tear up from laughing so hard, and occassionaly makes me cry. (well okay a lot) but one thing for sure I definitely feel alive and know that I with the help of an amazing group of peeps are building something for the future for our children.