Compliance and beyond

 

XD Connects makes sure that your purchase is compliant with regulations and standards. Scroll down to find out which regulations apply to our product range; where you can find the information you need; and what our product certifications mean for you.

In addition to product compliance we keep track of regulation around human rights due diligence and compliance to social standards by our suppliers. Interested to know more? See our Human Rights page. 

Beyond compliance: safety and quality

We take full responsibility for the safety and quality of our products. We have dedicated employees in our HQ and Shanghai office focused on general product quality and compliance. Their efforts guarantee our customers the best possible product.

Some examples of how we go the extra mile are:

Available technical files

Our product pages feature the declaration of conformity and statement of compliance for each product. Other technical and compliance files are available upon request. Please message Compliance Officer Danny van Ingen at D.vanIngen@xdconnects.com.

 

Declaration of conformity (EU/UK)

This document is an official document proving a product’s compliance to all relevant norms within the product safety laws. After the product has passed the relevant tests carried out by a third-party certified lab, the declaration is drawn up by XD Connects.

Statement of compliance

We test every batch of products in-house with a chemical scan. After a positive result, the statement of compliance shows which regulations  are applicable to that model.

XD Connects test reports

As part of our quality assurance process, tests are carried out to determine if products meet European quality criteria. The test reports are valid until the product, production method, or applicable legislation changes. If changes occur, then retesting the new product is mandatory. For high-risk products, we have a policy to renew the test report every two years, regardless.

Product regulation

XD Connects ensures all products abide by applicable regulations. Our compliance system is written according to the ISO 37301:2021 “Compliance management systems”. We manage, monitor and improve our quality and compliance in accordance with this system. Learn more about which requirements apply to our products in the next section.

EU safety, health, and environmental requirements

All our electronic items meet the Restrictions of Hazardous Substances directive (RoHS), and comply with the applicable guidelines for Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC); Radio Equipment Directive (RED); Low Voltage Directive; and EU Ecodesign Directive (ERP). We also contribute to the private copy levy for some of our electronic items.

All our food- and drinkware are food safe according to national laws and EU regulation. We are compliant with the EU harmonized legal framework (Regulation (EC) 1935/2004) for the safety of food contact materials.

Our toys are tested according to the EU Toy Safety Directive EN 71 to ensure the mechanical and physical properties are safe (EN 71-1), flammability is tested (EN 71-2), and have a safe chemical composition (EN 71-3).

All our products with wood that fall within scope are held against the Timber Regulation (EU) No. 995/2010, which aims to protect and restore the world’s forests by ensuring no illegal timber products are traded within the EU, and applies to companies bringing timber products into the European market. This regulation requires us to be able to demonstrate the legality of the wood or wood product we sell, meaning we map the entire supply chain of such products.

Certain products have the CE marking (the letters CE) indicating that the product meets certain statutory requirements connected to subjects like safety, health, and the environment. For products like toys and measuring instruments this is mandatory. CE stands for Conformité Européenne and applies to the European Economic Area. In the UK, this is the UK Conformity Assessed Mark.

All our products are Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) compliant. The purpose of this regulation is to ensure a high level of protection of human health and the environment. Furthermore, our products comply with the POP regulation (EU) No 2019/1021, banning or restricting the use of persistent organic pollutants.

Our products also comply with the below, where applicable:

  • General product safety 2001/95/EC
  • Battery directive 2006/66 / EG
  • CLP Regulation (EG) nr. 1272/2008
  • Medical service 2017/745 EU
  • Measuring instrument 2014/32 EU

Waste management: disposal and recycling

 

As part of Extended Producer Responsibility schemes, some declarations for waste are legally mandated. XD Connects declares the following:

  • batteries;
  • e-waste, or Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE);
  • packaging;

We partner with external organisations to make sure we declare the right amount and are always compliant to the regulations applicable in varying countries. Note that logistics items such as pallets are not included in the above schemes.

 

Symbols on product and packaging

The below logos refer to disposal and recycling options for products and packaging. Our customers and the end users of our products can do a lot when it comes to the end of life of our products. We support them in making a responsible choice here by marking our products and packaging.

Triman logo and sorting info

The Triman logo is a result of the French Decree No. 2014-15733. In the French market it is a mandatory, uniform signage for end-of-life products. This symbol tells consumers in France they should recycle the product in question.

XD Connects has integrated the Triman logo and accompanying sorting information on our products and packaging.

 

 

 Green Dot

The Green Dot is a worldwide protected trademark which finances the collection, sorting, and recovery of used packaging.

On packaging, the Green Dot means that for such packaging a financial contribution has been paid to a qualified national packaging recovery organisation set up in accordance with the principles defined in European Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive 94/62 and the respective national law.

Mobius loop

This symbol indicates an item is capable of being recycled.

Sometimes, the symbol will come with a percentage in the middle, signifying how much of it has been made from recycled materials

 

Making claims on certified products

 

XD Connects is RCS, GRS, and FSC®-certified. This enables us to make claims and sell products according to these standards. For our customers buying such products and selling them on to their clients, please note the following:

Recycled content – GRS and RCS

Any claims made by XD Connect customers about GRS- or RCS-certified products purchased from us should be in line with the Textile Exchange Standards Claims Policy.

GRS and RCS licence code: CB-CUC-1162221

OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100

As a general rule, certified products will be physically labelled with the complete OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 label which holds the necessary information for end users. As a buyer of a certified products you are free to sell these and claim them as certified if you do not alter the items further – no certification or registration is necessary for you.

The XD Connects certified products (iqoniq range and certain Ukiyo items) have an exemption to the rule that every item needs to have a physical label. This is because we primarily sell products to be decorated and cannot guarantee the item will be decorated with an OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certified method IF customers choose to decorate elsewhere (not with XD Connects). Not including a label in our products prevents a situation where a product is decorated with an uncertified technique yet is labelled as certified – potentially resulting in a product that has harmful chemicals.

What does this mean for you as a buyer? 

If you decorate with XD Connects or you do not decorate the item, make sure you include our certification reference (shown by the products). For iqoniq this is: OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100. 2303045 Centexbel.

If you decorate somewhere other than with XD Connects, you need to specify that the reference refers only to undecorated products. 

Forest Stewardship Council®

Any organisation selling FSC®-certified products and claiming them as such must register for a Trademark Licence with FSC. This applies to XD Connects’ customers buying FSC-certified products. Find your local FSC team to get started.

FSC certificate code: NC-COC-070443

FSC licence code: FSC-C181720

Learn more about certifications

For more information please reach out to your local representative at the standard-setting organization – Textile Exchange, OEKO-TEX®, or FSC.

A note about product printing and certification

XD Connects printing is also GRS, RCS, and FSC-certified, and OEKO-TEX® compliant. Purchasing a certified product AND printing service from us will guarantee the supply chain remains certified after printing. Printing with an uncertified printer or technique will render the printed product uncertified.