CPSC Neck Float Rule: What Otteroo Tested
LUMI 2026 Testing Update
What we tested, and when.
Otteroo is a baby neck float designed for adult-supervised water play. It comfortably supports a baby's head, giving them the freedom to kick, stretch, and splash in a sensory-rich environment while exploring movement and playing with their caregiver right beside them.
In 2026, a new federal safety standard for infant neck floats took effect. It's the first of its kind, and we think it's worth explaining plainly where LUMI 2026 stands with it. Here's the full picture, dates included.
The dates, plainly
December 15, 2025
CPSC publishes the new federal safety standard for infant neck floats (16 CFR 1250.5). It applies to neck floats manufactured after June 15, 2026.
April 2026
This LUMI 2026 batch is manufactured. Because it was made before June 15, 2026, the new neck float requirements don't apply to it. It meets the toy safety requirements that were already in force, including the federal lead and phthalate limits.
June 15, 2026
The new standard takes effect for neck floats manufactured after this date. At the time, no testing labs had yet been accepted by CPSC to test to the new requirements, and CPSC extended its testing and certification deadline for that reason. We asked CPSC how to proceed and were advised to work with a testing lab once one was accredited.
Summer 2026
When a CPSC-accepted lab became available, we sent LUMI 2026 samples in for testing anyway. Not because the standard required it for this batch. Because we wanted the data.
Tested on this batch
The new standard addresses four hazard patterns. We tested this batch to two of them, using the test methods from the new standard, at a CPSC-accepted lab.
Neck opening test
Measures whether a baby can slip through the opening of the float.
Restraint system test
Measures the security and strength of the buckles and their attachment points.
Lead-free and phthalate-free
Certified by a CPSC-accepted lab.
Our next production run: full testing in progress
Floats manufactured after June 15, 2026 must meet the complete federal standard. Our next production run is going through the full test suite at a CPSC-accepted lab, start to finish. Here's what that covers.
- ConditioningProlonged UV exposure, chlorinated salt water, and temperature extremes from 14°F to 140°F, before any other test begins.
- BuoyancyTested against the float's rated weight capacity.
- Neck openingThe same slip-through test the current batch passed.
- Restraint systemThe same buckle and attachment test the current batch passed.
- Labeling and warningsOn-float warnings, packaging, and instructions per the new standard.
- CertificationTesting is underway now. This ring closes when it's done.
Otteroo is designed to provide buoyancy during water play. This article is general information, not medical advice. Every baby grows at their own pace. For questions about your baby, talk with your pediatrician.
Does an adult need to stay with the baby the whole time?
Yes, always. An adult stays actively watching and within immediate reach for the entire session, start to finish. It's a commitment we take seriously enough to ask for at checkout, print on the packaging, and print on the float itself.