California Prop 65 Basics for Etsy Sellers (When Warnings Apply)

California Prop 65 is California’s “right to know” warning law, and it can affect Etsy shops that sell products to California buyers. A warning is generally needed when your item can expose someone to a listed chemical at a level that requires notice, so it is less about where you live and more about who you sell to and what the product contains. For sellers, the practical work is figuring out likely exposure (not just ingredients), checking whether you qualify as a covered business, and placing the Proposition 65 warning so it’s visible before purchase on the listing and included with the item when delivered. The most common misstep is relying on vague supplier claims instead of confirming what, exactly, triggers the warning.

Proposition 65 in California and why Etsy sellers see it

What Prop 65 warnings are meant to do

Proposition 65 (Prop 65) is a California law designed to give people a clear warning before they’re exposed to certain chemicals that California has listed as causing cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. The key idea is exposure, not just whether a chemical exists somewhere in your supply chain.

A Prop 65 warning does not automatically mean a product is illegal or “unsafe.” It usually means the business believes a listed chemical could expose a California consumer above the state’s warning thresholds, unless an exemption applies. In practical Etsy terms, this is why you may see warnings even on everyday items like jewelry parts or craft supplies.

Etsy sellers run into Prop 65 because Etsy makes it easy to sell nationwide, and California is a huge share of U.S. ecommerce. If you ship a physical product to a California address, you may need to show a clear warning to that buyer before purchase, depending on the item. Etsy’s overview is a solid starting point in the Etsy Seller Handbook.

Common product categories that trigger warnings

Prop 65 can come up in many categories, but Etsy sellers most often see it around:

• Jewelry and metal components (for example, pieces that may contain lead, cadmium, or nickel in alloys or coatings).
• Cables, cords, and electronics accessories (plastics and coatings can involve listed chemicals).
• Cosmetics, skincare, and personal care (preservatives, pigments, and fragrance materials can be relevant).
• Candles, fragrance oils, and home scent products (due to fragrance ingredients and combustion-related exposure).
• Leather, vinyl, and coated fabrics (treated materials, dyes, and plasticizers can be triggers).
• Wood, resin, and craft materials like epoxy or solvent-based finishes (especially when sanding, curing, or off-gassing is part of normal use).

If your product category is on this “usual suspects” list, the next step is confirming what materials and chemicals are actually present and how a customer is likely to use the item.

When does a Prop 65 warning apply to an Etsy order?

Shipping to a California address vs buyer location

For Etsy sellers, the simplest rule of thumb is this: Prop 65 is triggered by exposing a person in California. In ecommerce, that usually lines up with whether the order is shipped to a California address, because that is where the product will be received, used, stored, or handled.

The buyer’s profile location, billing address, or where you live as the seller is not the practical deciding factor. What matters is whether your listing is offered to California consumers and whether your product can create a covered exposure for someone in California.

That is why Prop 65 warnings show up on Etsy listings even when the shop is outside California. If you ship physical products to California, you should treat Prop 65 as part of your listing compliance workflow, just like taxes or restricted materials. Etsy’s overview is in the Etsy Seller Handbook, and the state’s “safe harbor” warning rules (including for internet sales) are maintained by OEHHA.

Exposure basics: use, handling, ingestion, inhalation

Prop 65 warnings are about how someone is exposed in normal, foreseeable use, not just what a lab could detect in trace amounts.

Common exposure routes to think through for Etsy products include:

• Use and handling (skin contact): wearing jewelry, holding tools, handling craft supplies, touching coated surfaces.
• Ingestion: children’s items that could be mouthed, cosmetics and lip products, food-contact items, or residues that can transfer hand-to-mouth.
• Inhalation: sanding wood or resin, using solvent-based finishes, burning candles or incense, or any product that can release vapors or dust.

When you evaluate whether a warning applies, focus on the realistic customer scenario: who uses it, how often, and whether contact, dust, or fumes are part of expected use.

Who is responsible for Prop 65 warnings on Etsy listings?

Maker, brand owner, reseller, and drop shipper scenarios

Prop 65 responsibility depends on your role in the supply chain, but Etsy sellers should assume they may be on the hook if a warning is needed and it is not shown before purchase.

In California’s warning regulations, primary responsibility usually sits upstream with the manufacturer, producer, packager, importer, supplier, or distributor. Retail sellers typically become responsible when they receive warning materials and do not post them, or in a handful of other scenarios. The state’s plain-English overview is worth reading on the Proposition 65 Warnings FAQ for businesses.

How that maps to common Etsy setups:

• Maker (you manufacture the product): You are the manufacturer. If the product can expose California customers to listed chemicals above warning thresholds, it’s generally your job to make sure the listing and the shipment carry a compliant warning.
• Brand owner / private label: If the item is sold under your brand, treat it like you are responsible end-to-end, even if a factory makes it.
• Reseller (you buy finished goods and resell): The upstream supplier may be expected to provide warning language or labels, but you can still face problems if the warning never reaches the buyer.
• Drop shipper: Drop shipping does not shift Prop 65 exposure risk away. You still control the Etsy listing, so you often control whether a buyer sees an online warning.

Etsy also places compliance expectations on sellers. Their summary is in the Etsy Seller Handbook.

Working with suppliers to confirm materials and chemicals

Supplier conversations go best when they are specific. Ask for:

The exact materials and coatings (base metal, plating, pigments, finishes, fragrance ingredients, etc.), not just “Prop 65 compliant.”
Current documentation they can share (SDS for chemicals, material specs, test reports when available).
Whether they already use Prop 65 warning labels or have standard warning text for online listings and packaging.

If a supplier cannot clearly identify materials or refuses to provide any documentation, that is a risk signal. In that case, consider switching suppliers, limiting sales to California, or getting qualified compliance help before you scale that product.

Products and situations where Prop 65 warnings usually are not needed

Digital items and services with no physical exposure

Most digital-only Etsy products do not create a Prop 65 issue because there is no physical item and no chemical exposure. That includes things like digital downloads, printable art, crochet patterns, SVG files, templates, and editing services.

The line can blur if a “digital” purchase results in a physical output you also provide. For example, a design service is usually digital, but if you also manufacture and ship printed decals, apparel, or signage, Prop 65 can come back into play for the physical goods.

Items that never enter California

If you do not offer shipping to California, and your products are not otherwise distributed into California, Prop 65 warnings are typically not needed because the law is tied to exposures in California.

In real Etsy operations, be careful with this in two common scenarios:

• International sellers shipping to the U.S.: If California is enabled as a destination, assume Prop 65 could apply to physical items shipped there.
• Address changes after checkout: Have a plan for how you’ll handle a buyer who asks to reroute an order to a California address.

If you decide to restrict California shipping for specific items, make sure your Etsy shipping settings and listing details are consistent so buyers are not surprised at checkout.

Low or no exposure scenarios and documentation basics

Even when a listed chemical is present somewhere in a product, a warning is not always required. Many situations hinge on whether exposure is low or effectively none in normal use. Examples can include fully sealed components that are not touched, coatings that prevent contact, or products where the chemical is not reasonably released during intended use.

Because Prop 65 is exposure-focused, it helps to keep basic documentation for your records, especially for higher-risk categories like jewelry, cosmetics, candles, and electronics accessories. Practical documentation can include supplier material specs, SDS sheets for raw materials, and any test reports you have. You do not need a giant compliance binder for every listing, but you do want enough info to explain why you did or did not add a Prop 65 warning if questions come up later.

Prop 65 warning language requirements: clear and reasonable content

Safe harbor warning elements you must include

If you decide to use a “safe harbor” Prop 65 warning (the format California regulators consider “clear and reasonable”), the warning needs a few core pieces. For most consumer products, that means:

• The warning symbol (a yellow triangle with an exclamation point in it) when the warning is printed on a label.
• A signal word: “WARNING,” “CA WARNING,” or “CALIFORNIA WARNING.”
• The hazard statement that matches the endpoint: cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm (or both, if applicable).
• A reference to the Prop 65 website: www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
• For short-form warnings, specific chemical name rules apply (see below).

For online sales, the safe harbor method also expects the warning to be shown to the buyer before checkout, typically on the product display page or via a clearly marked hyperlink using the signal word. The state’s official summary of formats and placement is on OEHHA’s clear and reasonable warnings safe harbor page.

Long-form vs short-form warnings and current timelines

Long-form warnings are the more detailed style (often used when you want a fully tailored, chemical-specific warning). Short-form warnings are the compact version many small sellers prefer for labels and packaging.

California updated the short-form rules effective January 1, 2025, with a transition period running through January 1, 2028. During this window, you will see both old and new short-form warnings in the market, depending on when products were manufactured and labeled.

Short-form warning changes and transition windows

The big change is that, for products manufactured on or after January 1, 2028, a short-form warning must include at least one listed chemical name for each endpoint covered by the warning (cancer and/or reproductive harm) to claim safe harbor protection.

During the transition (2025 through 2027), businesses can begin using the updated short-form language. Products manufactured and labeled before January 1, 2028 can generally keep using the older short-form content, and online retailers have a limited window during the transition period to update online short-form warnings after receiving notice from a manufacturer.

Adding Prop 65 warnings to Etsy listings, photos, and packaging

Where to place the warning in an Etsy listing

On Etsy, the most straightforward place to add a Proposition 65 warning is in the item description, so it’s visible to a buyer before purchase on desktop, mobile web, and in the Etsy app. Etsy specifically notes that sellers can include the warning as part of the listing description in the Etsy Seller Handbook Prop 65 guidance.

Practically, place the warning high in the description, ideally in the first screenful of text. Avoid burying it after long shipping, sizing, or story content. If only certain variations require a warning (for example, a specific metal finish), call that out clearly next to the variation details, and repeat the warning in the description so the buyer does not miss it.

Using product photos to show warning labels

A photo-based warning can help because many Etsy shoppers skim images before they read. If you already apply a Prop 65 label to your packaging, consider adding one listing image that shows the label clearly.

Keep it readable on mobile. Use a simple, high-contrast shot. Do not rely on tiny text tucked into a collage. Photos are a helpful backup, but you should still include the warning in the listing text so it is accessible and easy to find.

Packaging inserts and labels for California shipments

For physical orders going to California, treat packaging as your second line of defense. Use a label on the product or packaging, or include a packing insert that repeats the same warning the buyer saw online.

Consistency matters. Match the wording across the Etsy listing and the package so you are not accidentally giving different warnings for the same item.

Copy-and-paste Prop 65 warning templates for common Etsy products

Jewelry and metal components warning text

Use this style in an Etsy listing description when you know the likely listed chemical (common examples in jewelry are lead or cadmium, depending on materials and plating):

⚠️ WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including [CHEMICAL NAME], which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to P65Warnings.ca.gov.

If you are warning for cancer only or reproductive harm only, tailor that middle phrase:

⚠️ WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including [CHEMICAL NAME], which is known to the State of California to cause [cancer] OR [birth defects or other reproductive harm]. For more information go to P65Warnings.ca.gov.

Wood, leather, and crafting materials warning text

These products often involve exposure through handling, dust, or vapors during normal use (sanding, cutting, finishing, curing). Keep the warning direct and, if helpful, add a short “how to reduce exposure” line after the warning (do not replace the warning with advice).

⚠️ WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including [CHEMICAL NAME], which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to P65Warnings.ca.gov.

Optional add-on line for certain DIY/crafting items:

To reduce exposure, use in a well-ventilated area and follow product use instructions.

Candles, fragrance, and home goods warning text

Candles, wax melts, room sprays, and fragrance products can involve inhalation exposure during typical use. If you are providing a Prop 65 warning, keep the listing warning easy to spot before checkout.

⚠️ WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including [CHEMICAL NAME], which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to P65Warnings.ca.gov.

If your packaging uses a short-form, remember the short-form rules are changing over time. Many Etsy sellers choose the fuller online wording in the description so the buyer sees a clear, specific warning at purchase.