As you most likely saw on our social media pages, the Handcrafted Soap and Cosmetic Guild hosted our very first Advocacy Day on April 5th, 2017. Dozens of Handcrafters including HSCG Board Members and two HSCG staff members participated in this incredible effort to educate members and staff of both Congress and the Senate on the businesses of handcrafted soap … Read More
Legislation: Update on Advocacy Efforts
On April 20th, Senators Diane Feinstein (CA) and Susan Collins (ME) introduced S. 1014, The Personal Care Products Safety Act. The bill was drafted to update The Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938 and was intending to give the FDA more funding and oversight over the cosmetic industry. As many of you know, the HSCG has been involved in … Read More
Why Are Bills Introduced? (A Legislative Guide)
If you have been following the HSCG’s Legislative Advocacy or the bills that have come out seeking to further regulate soap and cosmetics, then you know we have been seeing bills from different Members of Congress since about 2008. In some terms we have seen as many as 3 active bills relating to soap and cosmetics at a time. This … Read More
FDA Responds to PO Box Petition
In August of 2012, the HSCG wrote a Citizen Petition to the FDA – Department of Health & Human Services, regarding the use of a PO Box in the place of a street address on a cosmetic label. We did this mainly for the safety of the small businesses that make up the handcrafted soap and cosmetic industry as many … Read More
Legal News: Soap Loaf Trademark
Last week it came to our attention that a private handcrafted soap company had successfully trademarked the term “soap loaf”. This word mark was published for opposition by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on February 5, 3013. The owner has been enforcing the mark on various sites (e.g. eBay) and having handcrafted soapmakers and suppliers that use the term … Read More
Share Your Voice: US Labeling
The HSMG has submitted a petition that needs your voice. In mid-2012, the HSMG submitted a citizen’s petition to the US FDA requesting a change in the law to make a PO box acceptable on cosmetic product labels in lieu of a street address. The FDA confirmed receipt in August and has been collecting public comments on the petition prior … Read More
Celebrate Global Handwashing Day!
Sure, you make soap, but do you ever stop and think about what a fundamentally life-saving device you’re producing? Next Monday, October 15, marks the 5th annual Global Handwashing Day. In celebration, we thought we’d share a few facts illustrating the power of a simple bar of soap. BAC graphic courtesy of NSF Scrub Club A staggering 6.9 million children … Read More
Legislative Update: The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011
The HSMG has been actively involved in advocacy for the handcrafted soap and cosmetics industry for the past several years. We have made tremendous progress during the past year in introducing and familiarizing our industry to Capital Hill with the assistance of our DC advocates Mary Anne Walsh and Rick Limardo. HSMG leaders have met with Members of Congress to … Read More
HSMG Advocacy Position Statement
The HSMG has issued the following Advocacy Position Statement, approved by the Board of Directors on July 14, 2011. The Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild (HSMG) is a non-profit trade association for soapmakers, small businesses hand making soaps and the handmade soap making industry as a whole. Depending on the formulation and/or claims, handmade soaps can be regulated by the FDA or … Read More
H.R 2359 The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 is Introduced
Today, Reps. Schakowsky, Markey and Baldwin introduced The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011, H.R. 2359. Here is the press release issued by Rep. Schakowsky’s office: PRESS RELEASE The full text of the bill should be available Monday or Tuesday online. You can look for it here by searching the bill number, H.R. 2359. We have a very open line of … Read More