JEWELLERY SAFETY

🇺🇸 The Association of Professional Piercers (APP)

Who they are:
United States based professional piercing association.

What they do:
Provide education, studio standards, peer verification, and jewellery guidance, including material benchmarks and sourcing policies.

Jurisdiction:
United States.

Alignment: ❌

Rationale:
The Association of Professional Piercers (APP) defines professional expectations for piercing jewellery in the United States, including the use of implant-grade materials manufactured to recognised ASTM standards.

Beyond governing law, APP guidance also incorporates additional DFARS (Defence Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement) requirements. DFARS is a United States defence procurement framework and is geopolitical by nature, and sits outside statutory consumer product safety law in the US and medical-adjacent material requirements applied internationally.

Verdict:
While AURICLE exceeds applicable United States legal requirements and recognised material safety standards for piercing jewellery in regional states. Our APP non-alignment relates to additional military policy rather than jewellery safety or biocompatibility. Hopefully this will change in the future.

🇬🇧 UK Association of Professional Piercers (UKAPP)

Who they are:
UK based professional piercing association.

What they do:
Provide studio standards, hygiene guidance, training, and operate a jewellery verification scheme for initial piercing jewellery.

Jurisdiction:
United Kingdom.

Alignment: ⏳

Rationale:
In addition to statutory UK and EU law governing jewellery safety, UKAPP defines specific requirements for jewellery used in initial piercings. These include the use of implant-grade titanium manufactured to ASTM F136 (and related standards).

At the time of writing, AURICLE has requested clarification twice with UKAPP regarding its requirements and await a response.

Verdict:
AURICLE exceeds statutory UK and EU legal requirements for jewellery safety and aligns with UKAPP’s published material criteria through independent third-party material testing and finished-product verification, providing evidence beyond supplier documentation alone.

As a UK company, AURICLE is keen to work with, support, and champion UKAPP, and intends to progress verification once alignment criteria are confirmed within the UK and EU legal framework.

🇧🇪 🇳🇱 🇱🇺 APP Benelux

Who they are:
Regional professional piercing association for Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

What they do:
Education, studio practice guidance, hygiene standards.

Jurisdiction:
Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg.

Alignment: ✔

Rationale:
In addition to statutory EU law governing jewellery safety, APP Benelux defines safe piercing jewellery through the use of implant-grade materials manufactured to recognised ASTM and ISO standards, including ASTM F136, and expects suppliers to be able to substantiate material claims through appropriate documentation.

Verdict:
AURICLE aligns with these requirements through independent third-party material testing and finished-product verification, providing evidence beyond supplier documentation alone.

🇩🇪 Verband professioneller Piercer (VPP)

Who they are:
German professional piercing association.

What they do:
Guidance on professional piercing practice, including jewellery materials and suitability.

Jurisdiction:
Germany.

Alignment: ✔

Rationale:
In addition to statutory EU law governing jewellery safety, VPP defines suitable piercing jewellery through guidance on material selection and compatibility for professional use within the German and EU context, referencing recognised material standards and applicable EU consumer product safety requirements, including ASTM F136 and EU Nickel Release.

Verdict:
AURICLE aligns with these requirements through independent third-party material testing and finished-product verification, providing evidence that jewellery supplied meets the professional and legal expectations outlined in VPP guidance.

🇫🇷 French Association Professionnal Piercers Education (F.R.A.P.P.E.)

Who they are:
French professional association focused on piercing education and professional development.

What they do:
Support professional piercers through education, knowledge sharing, and engagement on best practice within the French piercing community.

Jurisdiction:
France.

Alignment: ✔

Rationale:
F.R.A.P.P.E. represents a professional piercing community within France. At present, it does not publish formal jewellery material standards or operate a jewellery verification framework. Jewellery safety and supply in France are governed by national and EU consumer product law.

Verdict:
AURICLE meets applicable French and EU legal requirements for jewellery safety through independent testing and finished-product verification.

🇮🇹 Associazione Piercers e Tatuatori Professionisti Italiani (A.P.T.P.I.)

Who they are:
Italian professional association representing piercers and tattooists.

What they do:
Support professional practice, training, and safety protocols through education and member-led initiatives.

Jurisdiction:
Italy.

Alignment: ℹ

Rationale:
While A.P.T.P.I. contributes to professional practice and safety guidance within Italy, A.P.T.P.I. recognises jewellery safety and supply are governed by Italian and EU consumer product law. This legal framework defines material safety requirements for piercing jewellery placed on the market.

Verdict:
AURICLE meets these statutory Italian and EU requirements through independent material testing and finished-product verification.

🇪🇸 Asociación de Tatuadores y Anilladores Profesionales (ATAP)

Who they are:
Spanish professional association representing tattooists and piercers.

What they do:
Advocacy, hygiene guidance, professional training, and engagement with public health authorities on tattoo and piercing practice.

Jurisdiction:
Spain.

Alignment: ✔

Rationale:
ATAP promotes professional piercing practice within Spain’s public health and regulatory framework, including the use of jewellery subject to quality controls and compliant with EU consumer product safety law. In addition to statutory EU law governing jewellery safety, Its published positions highlight the importance of appropriate materials, control of substances such as nickel, and the use of EU-approved materials in professional settings.

Verdict:
AURICLE aligns with these principles through independent material testing and finished-product verification, ensuring jewellery supplied meets applicable EU consumer product law and professional expectations for safe use in piercing practice.

🇸🇪 Association of Safe Piercing (ASAP) — Sweden

Who they are:
A recognised Swedish professional body for safe piercing practice.

What they do:
Promote safety protocols, hygiene standards, and jewellery quality expectations within the Swedish piercing community.

Jurisdiction:
Sweden.

Alignment: ✔

Rationale:
ASAP supports professional piercing safety and jewellery quality within Sweden, but does not publish formal jewellery material standards or operate a jewellery verification framework publicly. ASAP recognises jewellery safety and supply in Sweden are governed by Swedish and EU consumer product law, including EU REACH, which defines material safety requirements for piercing jewellery.

Verdict:
AURICLE meets these statutory Swedish and EU requirements through independent material testing and finished-product verification.

🇪🇺 European Professional Piercing Association (EPPA)

Who they are:
A pan-European professional network supporting piercers and shared discussion across countries.

What they do:
Provide peer-led networking, education, and best practice exchange within the European piercing community.

Jurisdiction:
Pan-European.

Alignment: ✔

Rationale:
EPPA operates as a non-statutory professional network without published jewellery material standards or a jewellery verification framework. EPPA recognises jewellery safety and supply in the EU are governed by EU consumer product law, including REACH and the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), which define material safety requirements for piercing jewellery.

Verdict:
AURICLE meets applicable EU statutory requirements through independent material testing and finished-product verification.

🇦🇺 🇳🇿 The Australasian United Professional Piercers (AUPP)

Who they are:
Australasian professional piercing association.

What they do:
Support studio standards, hygiene guidance, education, and professional best practice within the Australian and New Zealand piercing industry.

Jurisdiction:
Australia, New Zealand.

Alignment: ✔

Rationale:
The Australasian United Professional Piercers (AUPP) defines safe body jewellery through published guidance on suitable materials and design, including the use of ASTM- and ISO-compliant metals, internally threaded or threadless jewellery, and smooth, mirror-finished surfaces appropriate for fresh and healed piercings.

Verdict:
AURICLE aligns with these professional expectations through independent material testing and finished-product verification, and supplies jewellery in accordance with applicable statutory safety frameworks in Australia and New Zealand.