New delhi: In what has come as a big relief for domestic toy manufacturers, the government on Tuesday extended the mandatory BIS certification by four months. The new norm will be implemented from January 1, 2021. This will allow the manufacturers to dispose of their stocks, which otherwise were not allowed to be sold in the market from September 1.
The government had implemented the mandatory BIS certification for all toys meant for children below 14 years from September 1, which had put the domestic industry in deep crisis as only two toy makers had got the BIS licence and the process was underway for 81 other cases.

This was first published in TOI online on September 13 highlighting how domestic players were more hit due the government decision. Officials had said as per the law, the sale of non-BIS toys manufactured before September 1 was not permitted.

“We welcome the government decision to extend the date for implementation of the quality control order (QCO). This is a big relief. We had been demanding this so that industry gets little more time to put the systems in place to comply with the order. We are completely with the government for complying with standards as children safety is our priority, said Ajay Aggarwal, president of Toys Association of India said.

With no end in sight to the coronavirus pandemic, it looks like protective face wear is here to stay.

Throughout the pandemic, designers have been releasing their take on face masks — luxury versions include Off-White’s popular $95 Arrow logo face mask and Burberry’s vintage check cotton design, retailing for £90 ($115).

And now, Louis Vuitton is taking it a step further, releasing a luxury face shield that’s designed to be “both stylish and protective,” the French fashion house said in a statement.

The “eye-catching” LV Shield transitions from clear to dark in sunlight, The protective device consists of two parts: the transparent visor to protect your face and an adjustable headband to keep it snug. The transparent covering is attached to the temples of the headband by two gold studs engraved with the house’s name and can be moved up or down depending on the situation. The rim of the shield is covered in the brand’s monogram-coated canvas material, as is the padded headband. And while the transparent visor should help protect your face from particles and liquids, it’ll also offer shelter from UV rays as it transitions from light to dark when exposed to direct sunlight.

Pricing has not yet been announced, but as a high-end fashion brand, it’s not likely to be cheap. Other Louis Vuitton head wear, including hats and sunglasses, sell for hundreds of dollars.

The face shield will be sold online and at select Louis Vuitton stores starting on October 30.

In April, Louis Vuitton joined the global effort to make personal protective equipment to support health care workers on the front lines of the pandemic. The company said it had repurposed several of its workshops across France to “produce hundreds of thousands of non-surgical face masks” for health care workers.

The brand also said it was donating thousands of hospital gowns to six Paris hospitals in urgent need of protective gear.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not currently recommend the use of face shields as a substitute for masks, as it is not clear what level of protection they provide.

Sources: CNN