How our EN71-3 certificates work

EN71-3 is part of the EN71 toy safety standards. It deals with the migration of certain regulated elements from accessible toy materials.

These include elements such as lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium and others controlled by the standard.

EN71-3 deals with the chemical suitability of materials. It does not assess the mechanical strength of the finished toy or replace the other parts of the compliance process.

For a 3D-printing business, EN71-3 evidence may be needed for:

3D CertHub arranges independent laboratory testing for selected filament ranges and components, then makes the resulting evidence available to businesses that use those products.

We begin with a specific:

The samples supplied to the laboratory must be identifiable and connected to the product for which evidence will be offered.

A test for one filament range does not automatically cover every range or material manufactured by that brand.

For filament, we review the available colour range and select samples intended to provide useful representative coverage.

Where the range allows it, this will normally include:

Where CMYK colours are unavailable or unsuitable, we select alternative or additional samples based on the colours, finishes and known differences within that particular range.

Some ranges require more than four samples. Some special-effect products or individual components may need to be considered separately.

The selected samples are sent to an independent accredited UK laboratory for testing against the applicable EN71-3 requirements.

The laboratory conducts the specialist chemical testing and produces the underlying results.

3D CertHub does not perform EN71-3 migration testing itself.

We review the laboratory results alongside the tested samples and the product range.

The certificate and product listing identify:

This allows you to check that the evidence matches the material or component you actually use.

Once testing and review are complete, the certificate is added to the 3D CertHub website.

After purchase, your copy is prepared with your order and business details and made available as a digital download for your Technical File.

Testing every colour in a large filament range would be expensive and could make the resulting evidence unaffordable for small businesses.

Where a suitable range includes Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black, 3D CertHub uses these as representative colour samples because they provide broad coverage across distinctly different pigment groups.

The approach can support a reasoned due-diligence assessment for other standard colours within the same:

Not every filament range contains suitable CMYK colours, and not every colour or finish can reasonably be represented by a standard CMYK selection.

Additional or separate samples may be needed for products such as:

For ranges without a suitable CMYK selection, we may test alternative representative colours or a larger selection from the range.

This is why one CertHub certificate may show four tested colours while another shows five, eight or a different number. The selection is based on the range being assessed, not a fixed rule that four samples will always be enough.

Every certificate product page identifies the material and tested samples that the evidence relates to.

Before purchasing, check:

Do not assume that:

If you are unsure about the coverage of a particular CertHub certificate, contact us before purchasing.

Filament is not the only material that may need EN71-3 evidence.

A finished 3D-printed toy may contain bought-in components such as:

For components containing several accessible materials, the testing needs to consider the different parts rather than treating the component as one unidentified material.

For example, a switch may contain:

Testing the accessible polymer and metal-containing parts provides more useful evidence than relying on information for only one part of the component.

EN71-3 migration testing requires specialist laboratory equipment and controlled test methods.

Our selected samples are tested through an independent accredited UK laboratory. The laboratory evidence identifies the samples tested, the test method and the reported results.

The evidence is produced to support the manufacturer's material assessment and Technical File. It is not a government approval of the finished toy.

3D CertHub selects and supplies the samples, reviews the resulting documentation and makes the relevant evidence available to businesses using those materials or components.

After purchasing a CertHub EN71-3 certificate, you receive:

You are purchasing access to evidence for the material or component already tested by 3D CertHub.

The purchase does not mean that your individual spool, production batch or finished toy has been separately tested by the laboratory.

Due diligence means taking reasonable and proportionate steps to ensure that the products you supply are safe and compliant.

Representative testing can support that process by providing evidence for selected samples from a specific brand, range and material.

Where the formulation remains unchanged, the tested samples may help support a reasoned assessment for other standard colours within the stated coverage.

The manufacturer of the finished toy must decide whether the evidence is suitable for the exact material being used.

That decision should consider:

A certificate is most useful when it remains traceable to the material used in production.

Record:

Photographs of the spool and its packaging can help support the connection between the material purchased and the evidence held.

The CertHub app's Material Register can keep the filament, spool, certificate, product and production batch connected.

An EN71-3 certificate does not automatically become unusable simply because time has passed.

Its continued relevance depends on factors including:

If a manufacturer changes the formulation, pigments, fillers or product range, the existing evidence may need to be reviewed and new testing may be required.

3D CertHub monitors the information available to us, but manufacturers using the certificate should also keep their own material evidence under review.

An EN71-3 certificate is one part of the toy compliance process.

It does not confirm that:

Your Technical File must bring the material evidence together with the product definition, risk assessment, mechanical and flammability assessment, labelling, traceability and Declaration of Conformity.

3D CertHub provides evidence for the materials and components identified on each certificate.

As the manufacturer of the finished toy, you remain responsible for:

If you are unsure where EN71-3 fits within the wider process, our beginner guidance takes you through it step by step.

It covers working out whether the product is a toy, understanding EN71, testing the finished product, gathering material evidence and building the Technical File.

Our FAQ covers further questions about certificate coverage, representative testing, due diligence, downloads and using the evidence within your own Technical File.

Browse by brand, range and material to find evidence for the filament or component you actually use.

Check the individual product page for the tested colours, components and stated coverage before purchasing.

This information is intended to help 3D-printing businesses understand how 3D CertHub's EN71-3 evidence is produced and used. The exact evidence required depends on the product, its materials, components and applicable requirements. It does not replace the Toys (Safety) Regulations, the applicable standards or product-specific professional advice.

Official source:
Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011: Great Britain