Home sewing businesses have been around since needles and cloth were invented.  These small operations  are usually run by women and allow stay-at-home moms and working women alike to generate extra income.  Most of us know of someone who does sewing or altering of clothing.  We are likely to praise the seamstress for making our slacks fit better or for designing the exact dress we had in mind.  But what if instead of sewing a wedding gown our neighborhood sewer stitches up cloth diapers or fabric menstrual pads? 

The FDA regulates personal care items as “medical devices” and demands a minimum $4000 yearly fee of these small time entrepreneurs.  The fee is not new, but has been virtually unknown or enforced on home seamstresses before December 2014.  For small operators this fee threatens to run them out of business by sucking away a large portion, if not all, of their profits.  Several sewers report the FDA told them medical device regulations including fees, not only apply to products made for sale, but also to items made for gifts, charity or personal use.

Small business creation and ingenuity are core republican concepts.  It’s time to tell the FDA we can trust ourselves to create, purchase and care for cloth diapers and menstrual pads without their involvement.  Admittedly this is not the most pressing item of public policy, but nevertheless it represents a government grown too big and addicted to taxes and control at any cost to the taxpayer.  Tell our federal legislators to reign in the power of the FDA.  

Further reading: 

Government Reaches Into Ladies’ Undies To Shake Down Women-Owned Businesses

The FDA Gets in Women’s Panties: Reusable Menstrual Pads to be Subject to $4000 a Year in Extortion Fees

FDA Classifies Reusable Menstrual Pads As Medical Devices; Retailers Must Pay Fee To Sell Them

Days for Girls: Charity Empowering Girls Around the World