Make and sell handmade crafts safely and legally

Use this guide before you start selling handmade items regularly, or if you already sell and are not sure your products, labels and returns policy are compliant. Have a list of the items you want to sell, the materials and suppliers you use, and a rough idea of how long each piece takes. This is general information, not legal advice; your local Trading Standards service can help with product-specific questions.

Step by step

1. Check which safety rules your product triggers

   Every product sold in the course of business must be safe under the general product safety rules, but some crafts have extra rules that cost money, so check before you make stock. Scented candles, wax melts and diffusers usually need a CLP hazard label based on the fragrance used, with your name, address and phone number, plus candle safety warnings, and your fragrance supplier's safety data sheet tells you what to put on it. Soaps, bath bombs, lip balms and creams are cosmetics, which need a named Responsible Person with a UK address, a safety report from a qualified safety assessor, a product information file and notification through the government's cosmetic notification service before sale. Items intended for play by children under 14, including knitted and crocheted soft toys, must meet the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011, which means a safety assessment, technical file, declaration of conformity, a UKCA or CE mark and your name and address. Also check fibre content labels for textiles, nickel and other metal limits and hallmarking for jewellery, fire safety rules for upholstered items and cushions, and council food business registration at least 28 days before selling food; the Business Companion guidance from Trading Standards covers each of these.