Two materials.
Both chosen for one reason.
Every purepixxi earring is built from S316L Surgical Steel and Bonded 24K Pure Gold. Nothing else is in the mix. This page explains exactly what those materials are, why they matter, and what independent SGS laboratory testing confirmed.
No hidden components.
No vague certificates.
Most children's jewelry does not tell you what is inside. purepixxi tells you everything. Two materials. Named, graded, and tested.
S316L Surgical Steel
Type 316 Stainless Steel, Low Carbon Variant
S316L is the specific grade used in surgical implants, bone screws, and medical instruments. Classified as biocompatible under ISO 10993. Its surface is dense and non-porous. On the Surgical Steel collection styles, this is the material in direct contact with her ear — precision-polished to a bright mirror finish that gives it its clean, silver appearance.
Bonded 24K Pure Gold
24 Karat Gold Electroplating, 99.9% Pure Gold
24K gold contains no alloying metals. Lower karat alternatives used by most jewelry brands are diluted with nickel, copper, cobalt, and zinc. Those metals are the primary cause of contact dermatitis in children. On Gold collection styles, pure 24 karat gold is bonded directly to the S316L core, so every point of skin contact is pure gold and nothing else.
What the SGS lab found.
Or rather, did not find.
purepixxi earrings were submitted to SGS United Kingdom Ltd for independent testing. Testing ran from 25 March to 29 April 2026. The sample was the 4mm 24K Gold Electroplated Ball Stud, assessed for the 6 years and older age group.
All three specimens tested across three trials each. Every result: Not Detected — below the 0.1 μg/cm²/week detection limit. The regulatory limit is 0.2. Not a trace found.
Both the earring and the back tested below 10 ppm. The CPSIA permissible limit is 100 ppm. The result was not just within limits — it was undetectable.
Both specimens below the method detection limit of 10 mg/kg. The permissible limit under ASTM F2923 and REACH is 100 mg/kg. Undetectable on both.
20 elements tested including antimony, arsenic, cobalt, copper, mercury, and zinc. Every element came back below Category III limits — the most stringent category. Chromium VI confirmed below 0.053 mg/kg.
Lead (Cl.5), cadmium in substrate (Cl.9), nickel in metal (Cl.10), sharp points and edges (Cl.13.3) — all returned a Pass. Specimen declared as 24K Gold, meeting listed materials of Table 3.
Total lead under CPSIA Section 101: both specimens below 10 ppm against a 100 ppm limit. Cadmium and nickel release also confirmed compliant across all applicable CPSC methods.
S316L Surgical Steel:
what the grade actually means.
The same classification
used inside the body.
Type 316 stainless steel has two variants: 316 and 316L. The L stands for low carbon. Lower carbon content reduces chromium carbide precipitation at grain boundaries during manufacturing, which can degrade corrosion resistance in the standard 316 grade.
In practice, S316L is the steel cleared for use in surgical implants, bone plates, and spinal hardware. Classified as biocompatible by ISO 10993. Its use in jewelry is a direct application of a medical material standard to a consumer product — which is exactly what sets it apart from generic stainless labeling.
On Surgical Steel styles, the S316L itself is the material in direct contact with her ear. It is precision-polished to a bright mirror finish — smooth, non-porous, and corrosion-resistant. The steel is the surface. SGS laboratory testing confirmed zero detectable nickel release from the steel across all specimens tested.
On nickel content in S316L: S316L does contain trace nickel within its alloy composition, typically 10 to 14%. The dense passive oxide layer on S316L's surface prevents nickel from migrating through to skin contact. The nickel is bound within the steel matrix, not free to release. SGS testing confirmed this: zero detectable nickel release across all nine trials.
Biocompatible — ISO 10993
The international standard for medical device materials. S316L meets this classification. Used in surgical implants and hip replacements. Not a marketing claim. A tested classification.
Non-Porous Surface
Dense, smooth, and non-porous. Bacteria cannot bind to it. The reason it is used for surgical instruments that require sterilisation.
Chloride-Resistant
Molybdenum in the alloy provides resistance to chloride corrosion. purepixxi earrings can be worn during swimming without degradation.
CNC Precision Milled
Each post is milled to exact tolerances. Milled steel has no surface imperfections. No rough edges against her skin.
Nickel is present in the alloy composition. It is not present at the skin contact surface. SGS testing confirmed zero detectable nickel release across all specimens and all trials.
Specific commitments.
Not general promises.
Principles only mean something when they translate into specifics you can actually check. Here's exactly what every purepixxi product is held to.
Every purepixxi design uses materials with zero active metal content, not trace amounts, not within regulatory limits. Surgical Steel is the only stainless steel that is good enough. Our 24K gold is bonded directly onto the surgical base. There's no active metal-containing layer anywhere in the construction.
We use Surgical Grade Stainless Steel and 24K Pure Gold. Both are listed on every single product page, in full. If a product doesn't carry that specification, it's not a purepixxi product.
All purepixxi products are tested against ASTM F2923, the US safety standard for children's jewelry. This covers nickel release, lead content, cadmium content, and surface finish safety. Testing is done by an independent laboratory.
Kids' ears are smaller, more active, and more easily hurt by a snag. purepixxi earring backs are sized specifically for young and sensitive skin. Our unique pin notch keeps them secure through a full day, smooth enough to take off without catching skin.
Every purepixxi earring carries a lifetime guarantee against craftsmanship defects and material failure. It doesn't cover loss or accidental damage. Email orders@purepixxi.com with your order number. You will receive our immediate attention.
We don't take adult jewelry and resize it. Every piece is built specifically for young and sensitive skin: light enough for all-day comfort, low-profile enough to avoid catching in hair and clothing, and sized to suit smaller, more delicate ear anatomy from the very start.
Bonded 24K Pure Gold:
why karat number matters.
The only gold with
no alloy in the mix.
The karat system measures gold purity as a fraction of 24 parts. 24 karat means all 24 parts are gold. Every karat below 24 means that fraction is replaced with other metals — typically nickel, copper, silver, zinc, or cobalt. Those metals are cheaper than gold and also harder, which helps with scratch resistance. Both are manufacturing advantages for the brand, not safety advantages for the child.
24K gold is softer than lower karat alternatives. It is also the only option that presents no reactive metals at the skin surface. purepixxi bonds 24 karat gold to the S316L core through electroplating, a process in which pure gold is molecularly deposited onto the steel surface under controlled electrical and chemical conditions.
On the term "gold plated": Gold plating is not a single process. Thickness, purity, and bonding method vary widely. purepixxi uses 24K Pure Gold bonded through electroplating, where gold ions are deposited at a molecular level. The result does not flake or peel under normal wear, and is covered by the lifetime guarantee.
Surface Preparation
The S316L steel post is cleaned and activated to ensure a uniform, contaminant-free surface.
Electroplating Bath
The steel is immersed in a 24K gold solution. An electrical current deposits pure gold ions onto the surface at a molecular level.
Bonded Surface Layer
The result is pure 24 karat gold — stable, chemically inert, and non-reactive. Every point of skin contact is gold.
What the SGS lab found.
Or rather, did not find.
purepixxi earrings were submitted to SGS United Kingdom Ltd for independent testing. Testing ran from 25 March to 29 April 2026. The sample was a 24K Gold Electroplated stud on a Surgical Steel (316L) base, assessed for the 6 years and older age group.
All three specimens were tested across three trials each. Every result came back Not Detected, below the 0.1 μg/cm²/week detection limit. The regulatory limit is 0.2. Not a trace found.
Both the earring and the back tested below 10 ppm. The CPSIA permissible limit is 100 ppm. The result was not just within limits, it was undetectable.
Both specimens came back below the method detection limit of 10 mg/kg. The permissible limit under ASTM F2923 and REACH is 100 mg/kg. Undetectable on both.
20 elements tested including antimony, arsenic, cobalt, copper, mercury, and zinc. Every element came back below Category III limits, the most stringent category. Chromium VI confirmed below 0.053 mg/kg.
Lead (Cl.5), cadmium in substrate (Cl.9), nickel in metal (Cl.10), sharp points and edges (Cl.13.3): all returned a Pass. Specimen declared as 24K Gold, meeting listed materials of Table 3.
Total lead under CPSIA Section 101: both specimens below 10 ppm against a 100 ppm limit. Cadmium and nickel release also confirmed compliant across all applicable CPSC methods.
Why we built this.
What we're building toward.
Straight answers.
No marketing language.
Questions we are asked most often about the materials inside every purepixxi earring.
Two materials. Both named. Both tested.
Both right for her skin.
purepixxi earrings are built from S316L Surgical Steel and Bonded 24K Pure Gold. Independent SGS laboratory testing confirmed what the material specifications already said: nothing harmful detected.