I. Check the Material Type and Prioritize Safe Substrates
1. Paper or Biodegradable Materials: Suitable for children's crafts and stationery decoration stickers. Natural fiber substrates (such as cotton paper) are more easily degraded and are more environmentally friendly and human-friendly.
2. Be Cautious with PVC Materials: Although polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is waterproof and durable, phthalate plasticizers are often added during production. Long-term exposure may disrupt the endocrine system, making it especially unsuitable for children who frequently come into contact with or apply it to their skin.
3. Recommended Environmentally Friendly Alternatives: Such as PET film, water-based coated paper, and non-woven fabrics. These have good breathability, do not contain vinyl chloride monomer, and are safer.
II. Smell the Stickers to Initially Assess Chemical Residues
1. Environmentally friendly stickers usually have no obvious pungent odor, only a slight ink smell or no smell at all.
2. If there is a strong sour smell, plastic smell, or glue-like smell after opening, it may contain formaldehyde, benzene compounds, or inferior pressure-sensitive adhesives, posing a health risk.
III. Check Labels and Confirm Compliance Information
Legitimate product packaging should clearly indicate:
Factory name and address, applicable standards (e.g., GB 6675.1-2014 "Toy Safety")
Whether it has passed CPC certification, RoHS, EN71, and other international safety tests
Clearly label with phrases such as "Phenylalanine-free," "Heavy metal-free," and "Environmentally friendly ink printing"
✅ Reminder: For children's stickers, it is recommended to choose a combination of paper base + water-based adhesive + environmentally friendly ink to avoid long-term skin contact with PVC materials.
IV. Pay Attention to the Safety of Special Purpose Stickers
1. Temporary Tattoo Stickers: Should use water transfer printing technology, be free of heavy metals, formaldehyde, and phthalates, and pass skin irritation tests.
2. Wall Stickers/Decorative Stickers: Inferior adhesives are a major source of formaldehyde. It is recommended to choose plant-based or rice glue-based products and avoid urea-formaldehyde resin adhesives.
3. Food Contact Stickers (e.g., beverage sealing stickers): Must meet food-grade standards to ensure that the ink does not migrate.
