GPSR for Handmade Sellers: A Practical Guide with a Label Template
Anyone selling handmade products has been hearing a term with an industrial ring to it more and more often since 2024: the General Product Safety Regulation, or GPSR. Many handmade sellers assume that rules written for factory goods do not apply to a hand-sewn cushion or a hand-thrown mug. That is a misconception — and one that has already led to suspended listings on Etsy and other platforms.
Does the GPSR apply to handmade products as well?
The short answer is yes, without exception. The GPSR (Regulation (EU) 2023/988), which has applied since 13 December 2024, draws no distinction by production method, business size or unit volume. As soon as a product is sold to consumers in the EU it falls under the regulation, whether it comes from a factory in Asia or from a kitchen table in Anatolia. Jewellery, candles, toys, cosmetic accessories, clothing, baby items — the typical handmade categories are all covered.
The one genuine relief that does exist is this: the extent of the required documentation follows the risk profile of the product, not the size of the business. A handmade candle with an open flame calls for a more thorough risk assessment than a decorative wooden board — regardless of who makes it.
Who is the Responsible Person, and why is one needed?
If you are established outside the EU and sell to EU customers through Etsy, your own shop or other channels, Article 16 GPSR requires a Responsible Person established in the EU. That person or company is the point of contact for market surveillance authorities, keeps the technical documentation available and is named on the product.
The Responsible Person does not replace your own responsibility as the manufacturer — you remain accountable for the safety of your product and the accuracy of the information you provide. The Responsible Person takes on the formal EU contact function that the law prescribes for every product sold into the EU.
Which contact details of the Responsible Person must be shown?
Once a mandate is signed, you receive the specific details that must appear on the product, its packaging or an accompanying document:
- The name of the Responsible Person (in our case: Grüner Baum GmbH),
- A postal address in the EU (Vorstädter Str. 32, 55276 Oppenheim, Germany),
- An email address at which the Responsible Person can be reached.
These three details are exactly what Etsy asks for in Shop Manager under "Partners you work with" and what Amazon requires in the compliance fields of Seller Central. They are the same contact details — not different requirements per platform.
Label template for handmade products
A simple, GPSR-compliant label for a handmade product typically contains the following lines. You can adopt this scheme directly for your own labels, tags or insert cards:
[Product name]
Manufactured by:
[Your name / company name]
[Your address]
Responsible Person (EU):
Grüner Baum GmbH
Vorstädter Str. 32, 55276 Oppenheim, Germany
hello@eugpsr.de
Batch/serial number: [e.g. 2026-08-A]
Warning: [product-specific, e.g. "Not suitable for children under 3 years – contains small parts that can be swallowed"]
The specific warnings depend entirely on the product — a candle needs a different notice than a child's bracelet. As part of the risk assessment we review which warnings are actually required for your product.
Practical steps for Etsy and handmade sellers
- Compile your product list. Note which materials you use and whether test reports or material certificates are already available.
- Clarify the risk profile. Candles, children's products and jewellery with small parts require more thorough review than decorative items or textiles without a safety risk.
- Appoint a Responsible Person. With a signed mandate you receive the EU contact details that appear on the label and in the listing.
- Update the label and the Etsy listing. Enter the details both on the physical label and under "Manufacturer and safety information" in Shop Manager.
If you sell specifically on Etsy, the platform-specific workflow — including digital and print-on-demand products — is set out in our Etsy GPSR guide. Details on the scope and cost of our service are on the Responsible Person overview page.
30-Minute GPSR Assessment
Whether your brand is entering the EU market or already selling, eugpsr.de supports you with GPSR gap assessment, documentation preparation, labelling and warning reviews, traceability structure and Responsible Person services.