How KKAMI is Handling the New CPSC eFiling Mandate
Summary
Effective July 8, 2026, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is launching a mandatory electronic filing system at the U.S. border. While U.S. buyers remain the legally responsible “Importer of Record,” KKAMI is stepping in to manage this paperwork directly inside our shipping software. However, some products will require expensive physical lab tests as proof of their compliance with U.S. safety standards. To keep our platform automated and protect your shipments from costly customs holds, we are adjusting our product offer to U.S.-based buyers to only allow orders of products that qualify for instant, $0-cost lab testing exemptions.
NOTE: the information in this blog post is only relevant for buyers located in the United States.
What Changes July 8th
Starting July 8, 2026, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will enforce a new mandatory electronic filing (eFiling) requirement. U.S. Customs will now automatically screen all shipments at the border for digital safety certificate data. If this data is missing or incomplete, express carriers (FedEx, DHL, and UPS) will face automated system rejections, resulting in severe clearance delays, customs holds, or returned shipments.
Clarifying Legal Roles & How KKAMI is Helping
The underlying product safety laws in the U.S. are not changing. As always, the U.S. retailer importing the goods is legally recognized as the Importer of Record and still carries the ultimate legal responsibility for product compliance with product safety standards.
However, we know you rely on KKAMI for a seamless wholesale experience. To assist your business, KKAMI will absorb the administrative workload by submitting the required compliance data directly into the carrier software at the time we generate your shipping labels.
Why Some Products are Becoming “Off-Limits”
Under U.S. law, certain apparel items legally require physical laboratory testing for lead, phthalates, or flammability at CPSC-approved labs to generate a certificate. Because KKAMI operates as a zero-stock trading platform sourcing from over 600 independent brands, managing individual laboratory testing for thousands of fast-changing SKUs is logistically impossible and too expensive considering the lab testing fees.
To keep our platform functional and completely eliminate the risk of your packages getting stuck at customs, KKAMI will no longer sell items to the U.S. market that require physical laboratory testing. We will only ship items that legally qualify for automated, paperwork-only textile exemptions.
⚠️ Important Note on Safety: Please be assured that restricting these items does not mean past or current products fail to meet U.S. safety standards. Korean fashion brands adhere to exceptionally rigorous domestic safety laws. This restriction is purely a response to a new U.S. administrative and bureaucratic hurdle, not a reflection of product quality or safety.
Product Availability Changes for U.S. Buyers
To simplify our fulfillment and ensure 100% compliance, we have updated our product offer to U.S.-based buyers. The following items are now restricted for U.S. shipping:
1. Baby & Children’s Products (Ages 12 & Under)
The following children’s items are no longer available for purchase by U.S. buyers:
- All Sleepwear (due to strict, non-exempt U.S. flammability laws).
- All Shoes & Footwear.
- All Accessories (including hats, bags, jewelry, and sunglasses).
- All Outerwear (including cardigans, jackets, and coats).
- Raised-Surface Fabrics (such as fleece, flannel, terry cloth, corduroy, or velvet).
- Hardware & Closures (any garments containing snaps, buttons, zippers, toggles, or rivets).
- Surface Graphics (items with thick screen prints, rubberized graphics, vinyl transfers, or metallic glitter).
- Exemption: Direct-to-garment/flat prints where the ink integrates fully into the fabric are still allowed.
2. Teen & Adult Products (Ages 13 & Over)
Adult items are significantly less restricted. Only the following items are no longer available for U.S. shipping:
- Raised-Surface Fabrics (such as fleece, flannel, terry cloth, corduroy, or velvet).
What You Will See on KKAMI Product Pages
When browsing our platform from the United States, you will now see one of three automated alerts on our product listings:
🔴 Unavailable: This product cannot be added to your cart because its material or design components require physical lab testing to clear U.S. Customs.
🟡 Warning: This product can be added to your cart, but it requires a secondary review by our team. KKAMI will verify if a lab test is needed after you submit your order. If we find it does not qualify for a lab test exemption, we will cancel and credit this specific item.
🟢 Exempted: This product can be purchased freely. It qualifies 100% for lab test exemptions.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we adapt to these new U.S. border requirements. Our team is fully prepared to handle the digital transition so you can continue buying curated Korean fashion with total peace of mind.
If you have any questions about an upcoming order, please reach out to our support team.
Warm regards,
The KKAMI Team
