Gold Painted Leather Baby Shoes: 1,674 ppm Lead [above 90 ppm is unsafe (& illegal) in children’s items.]

When the owner of these shoes came to a testing event I did (early 2018), she had a few of her dishes and other household items with her to be tested.  Then one of the other mothers there suggested her baby’s shoes be tested (as she was already on her way out the door!) These golden moccasins were positive for lead at 1,674 ppm lead (+/- 63 ppm lead). They were negative for mercury, arsenic and cadmium.

These shoes are unbranded with no information about the make or marker and came to the mother second hand (a hand-me-down from a friend.) The amount of lead that is considered UNSAFE in an item intended for children is anything 90 ppm or higher in the coating. These shoes are therefore “illegal” in that they are newer (past 5 years or so), specifically made for use by children, and positive for a level far above the 90 ppm threshold.

Because of violations like this, new BRAND NAME baby shoes should be lead free (or at least “Lead-safe” – below 90 ppm lead.) All of the new (brand-name) baby shoes I have tested recently have been in compliance with current federal regulations. TIP: Avoid any hand-me-down or non-brand-name baby items.

Country of origin (distinctions like “Made in China”) is not a determining factor as to whether or not a baby shoe might have Lead, although I have tested a lot of Mexican baby shoes that have been positive for Lead (painted leather ones) and I would avoid those if you don’t have the means to have yours tested with an XRF instrument.

Here is an Amazon affiliate link* to a similar product (similar to the one pictured here on this post) that should be lead-safe/lead-free: Baby Moccasins

Thank you for reading and for sharing my. posts.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama

*Amazon links are my affiliate links. If you purchase something after clicking on one of my affiliate links I will receive a small percentage of what you spend at no extra cost to you.