From Silence to Strategy — Why Manufacturers Can’t Stay Passive Anymore

For a long time, many tattoo and cosmetic product manufacturers have treated regulation as something that happens “to” the industry, not something the industry helps shape. That approach might have worked when oversight was inconsistent, enforcement was slow, and the public conversation was limited. It does not work anymore.

Over the last decade, the global regulatory environment has changed. Enforcement has expanded across borders. Documentation expectations have increased. And adverse event awareness—both formal and informal—has created a new kind of accountability that can escalate quickly, regardless of whether a manufacturer has ever had an issue before.

This is not about fear. It’s about reality.

When manufacturers remain silent, decisions still get made. Standards still get drafted. Rules still get written. The only difference is who gets to define what is “reasonable,” what is “safe,” and what is “acceptable” in practice.

Manufacturers are uniquely positioned to contribute what most conversations lack: technical feasibility, real-world factory constraints, accurate knowledge of raw materials and formulations, and the operational reality of how products move through the market. Without that input, regulation tends to default to models borrowed from pharmaceuticals, medical devices, or conventional cosmetics—frameworks that often fail to fit body art products and how they are actually used.

The outcome is predictable: unrealistic compliance demands, broad restrictions on materials without workable alternatives, and “one-size-fits-all” requirements that punish small and mid-sized producers the hardest.

Participation is no longer a luxury. It is now a survival requirement.

In practical terms, participation means showing up. It means joining trade groups and industry alliances. It means supporting research and surveillance models. It means contributing to safety standards development. It means having a seat at the table before the table is set without you.

The goal is not to slow progress. The goal is to ensure progress is accurate, science-based, and grounded in manufacturing reality—so that responsible companies can continue operating and the public can benefit from improved standards without destroying the industry that supplies the products.