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To become JPMA certified, a product must be tested by an independent testing facility for compliance with the specific ASTM standards. If a product passes the tests, JPMA allows the manufacturer to label it with the JPMA Certified Seal.

The ASTM (American Society for Testing & Materials) developed and published the standards. JPMA and industry members, consumer groups and staff from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission were involved in the development of the standards.

The ERGObaby, inc. made application for certification in 2005 and is expecting the results by October 2007. The only criteria we did not pass is “the leg opening permitted passage of the leg opening test sphere”. The ERGO does not feature a leg opening in the traditional sense and changing that feature would defeat the ergonomic purpose of the ERGObaby carrier.

There are a significant number of carriers on the market since the ASTM standards were created and we therefore appealed the requirement and a Task Force was formed to consider the manner in which the ASTM “Leg Opening” sphere testing is currently done. Our President attended the JPMA biannual meeting September 28, 2006 in order to present a clear, concise outline of the issue, and a recommended course of action.

In March 2006 our General Counsel, who has consulted with us as well as with the ASTM, attended a Subcommittee Meeting at ASTM headquarters in PA. He argued strongly for a new test at this biannual meeting. We were informed that the ASTM “will work hard to overcome your gray area”.

This has been a learning experience for all the agencies involved and we are awaiting the Board’s final conclusion. We understand the slow process of the revision of these standards and are confident that the ERGObaby carrier will soon receive the JPMA Seal of Certification.