PFAS-Free Silicone Baby Tableware: Practical Due-Diligence Checklist for Buyers and Brands

1. Is this silicone tableware truly safe?
2. How do I verify that quickly, without drowning in PDFs?

We hear you. We spend our days on factory floors and our nights untangling test plans. This post lays out the exact buyer checklist we use internally and hand to our partners. No buzzwords. Just what to request, what to check, and how we at UnionSilic operationalize safe, non-toxic, high-quality into repeatable habits.

Why this matters right now (and not next quarter)

Consumer scrutiny on chemicals isn’t a wave—it’s the tide. Expectations around PFAS have moved from “nice to have” claims to “show me the evidence.” At the same time, buyers are being pressed to keep margins, hit deadlines, and avoid recall headlines.

Here’s the good news: a disciplined silicone program is not rocket science. It’s doing simple things consistently and documenting them well enough that a skeptical auditor nods and moves on.

The Buyer’s PFAS Due-Diligence Checklist

(Copy/paste this into your next RFP.)

1) Definitions & commitments (one page, written, signed)

• “No intentionally added PFAS” across all relevant layers: base silicone, coatings, inks, adhesives, anti-stick agents, and packaging contact surfaces.
• Change control: any formula, ink, coating, or process change triggers written notice and re-evaluation.
• Method strategy: when to screen with TOF vs. when to run targeted analytes; who decides, and based on what risk trigger.

2) Test plan by phase (not one-and-done)

• EVT/DVT (development & design validation): screening plus targeted checks on high-risk parts (inks/coatings).
• PVT (pre-production): confirmatory tests on finished goods and high-risk sub-components.
• Mass production: a rolling cadence (quarterly/half-year) depending on channel risk.
• Lab must be ISO/IEC 17025 accredited, with method, LOD/LOQ, and photos of the tested samples in the report.

3) The “federal baseline” runs in parallel

Bundle your PFAS work with the usual children’s product and food-contact validations (lead, phthalates, food-contact safety where applicable). Same batch, same paperwork trail. Fewer surprises, fewer shipments stuck at the dock.

4) Traceability that actually traces

• Batch IDs that tie finished goods back to mixing → curing → trimming → secondary cure → cleaning → packaging.
• Retain samples for 2–3 years.
• Line-side photos of key stations at each engineering build (EVT/DVT/PVT). If something changes, the pictures should too.

5) Packaging & claims that won’t get you in trouble

• Use precise language: we say “No intentionally added PFAS”, and we mean it.
• If you claim “dishwasher-safe,” define the conditions (rack position, cycle type).
• No medical-ish adjectives. No “always,” “never,” or “100%.” Evidence beats adjectives.

6) Factory cues you can verify on a walkthrough (virtual counts)

• Mixing area is segregated and labeled; color masterbatches are controlled like ingredients, not paint.
• Secondary vulcanization ovens are logged (time/temperature curves, maintenance).
• Trimming has dust control and PPE (no white fluff everywhere).
• Wash line & drying are documented; no mystery solvents.
• Ink room has MSDS sheets, lot logs, and reject bins that actually contain rejects.
• Smell test: finished parts shouldn’t carry a harsh odor after a standard wash cycle.

Red flag: a beautiful brand deck paired with a test report that doesn’t list methods or LOD/LOQ. If it isn’t reproducible, it isn’t useful.

Common traps (we’ve seen them, we’ve fixed them)

• Testing the finished good only. Inks and coatings are where risk sneaks in. Always split your sampling plan.
• Marketing outruns lab work. Putting “PFAS-free” on packaging before results land is how good programs go sideways.
• Silent changes. A “little” tweak to a colorant or cleaner can trip results. Change control exists for a reason.
• Treating compliance as the finish line. Passing a test doesn’t mean a great customer experience. Sticky feel after dishwashing? That’s a process problem waiting for returns.

How UnionSilic builds “safe, non-toxic, high-quality” into the work

We don’t rely on slogans. We rely on systems—visible, repeatable, and frankly a little boring. That’s the point.

• Material passports, not mysteries. Every input—base silicone, color masterbatch, inks, adhesives—has a record. When something changes, so does the version and the affected lot range. Your QA team can audit it without a scavenger hunt.
• A risk map for every SKU. We decompose each product into base / coating / ink / adhesive / packaging contact layer and rate risk. High-risk zones get extra sampling. Not everything needs a microscope; the right places do.
• Stage-gate testing you can schedule against. EVT → DVT → PVT → MP. Each gate has a different test bundle and AQL plan. PFAS screens run alongside lead/phthalates/food-contact where relevant, so we don’t learn hard lessons after we’ve booked freight.
• Evidence over adjectives. We don’t write “medical-grade wonder silicone.” We share lab summaries, batch IDs, and photos from the line. If your legal team wants the full pack (DoC/CoC + methods + LOD/LOQ), we ship it the same day.
• Escalation without drama. If a lab flags something, we pause, trace upstream, and re-test with you on the cc line. No spin. No finger-pointing. Fix it, document it, prevent it.
• People first, always. If it isn’t something we’d put on our own tables for our own kids, it doesn’t leave our dock. That’s not marketing. That’s our hiring bar.

What you can do in the next 10 minutes

• Drop these 5 asks into an email to your current suppliers:
  1. “No intentionally added PFAS” letter (layers listed)
  2. Phase-by-phase PFAS test plan + lab accreditation
  3. Combined batch reports for PFAS + federal baseline tests
  4. Traceability diagram (from mixing to pack-out)
  5. Photos of secondary cure and ink stations from last build
• Send us your candidate SKUs and channel (Target, Amazon, DTC). We’ll return a four-gate validation timeline and a suggested sampling plan you can hand to legal and ops.
• Let us sanity-check your packaging copy. It’s cheaper to edit a line today than explain a claim tomorrow.

How we’ll partner with you (the short version)

• Clarity up front. You’ll know exactly what we’re testing, when, and why.
• Transparent files. Your DoC/CoC pack comes with methods, LOD/LOQ, and batch photos—auditor-ready.
• Right-sized engineering. From single SKUs to giftable bundles, we build for repeat purchase: modular cup systems, accessory refreshes, and planograms that actually move.
• Quiet reliability. We aim for “boringly dependable.” Your team has enough excitement already.

Talk to a real engineer, not a chatbot

• Request our PFAS Buyer’s Checklist (editable)
• Book a 30-minute compliance review
• Ask for a sample kit matched to your shelf and price targets