Mill & Test Certificates

Why Mill Certificates & REACH Compliance Matter When Buying ASTM F-136 Titanium Body Jewellery

When it comes to body jewellery, knowing exactly what material you're wearing matters. Terms such as “titanium” and even “implant grade” are easy to use, but without the right documentation, they don't necessarily tell you much about where that material has come from or what it actually contains.

At Custom Plugs, our ASTM F-136 titanium body jewellery is backed by material documentation, including Mill Certificates and REACH compliance documentation. But what are these documents, and why should you care?

What is ASTM F-136 Titanium?

ASTM F-136 is a recognised material specification for Ti-6Al-4V ELI titanium alloy used for surgical implant applications.

For body jewellery, ASTM F-136 titanium is valued for being lightweight, durable, highly corrosion resistant and biocompatible, making it an excellent material for high-quality piercings.

However, simply describing jewellery as “implant-grade titanium” isn't the same as being able to demonstrate what material was actually used. That's where documentation becomes important.

REACH Certificates

What is REACH Compliance?

REACH is legislation covering the use and restriction of certain chemical substances in products.

This is particularly relevant to jewellery because it is designed to be worn in prolonged, direct contact with the body. Applicable REACH restrictions can cover substances including nickel, lead and cadmium.

REACH documentation therefore provides another layer of confidence when we're sourcing body jewellery, helping us check that products meet applicable chemical requirements rather than relying solely on what a manufacturer tells us.

Mill Certificates

What is a Mill Certificate?

A Mill Certificate, also known as a Mill Test Certificate (MTC), is documentation relating to the raw material used to manufacture the jewellery.

Depending on the certificate supplied, it can include information such as:

The titanium grade and specification

Chemical composition

Batch or heat number

Material test results

Manufacturing or material traceability

For us, this is important because it provides supporting evidence that the titanium we've sourced is actually the material it is being sold as.

SGS Titanium Reports

Why Does Custom Plugs Ask for Both?

For us, it's about traceability and transparency.

A Mill Certificate helps provide evidence of what the titanium material is, while REACH documentation relates to applicable chemical restrictions and compliance.

Together, they give us a much clearer picture of the jewellery we're putting the Custom Plugs name behind.

We're constantly expanding our range of ASTM F-136 titanium body jewellery, so making sure we're confident in the materials we're sourcing is a big part of that process.

Don't Just Look for the Words “Implant Grade”

When shopping for titanium body jewellery, we'd always recommend looking beyond the product title.

Claims such as “implant grade titanium” are much more meaningful when there is documentation to support them. Knowing that a retailer has checked material certificates, traceability and relevant compliance documentation gives you greater confidence in what you're actually buying.

At Custom Plugs, we want you to know what you're putting in your piercings. That's why material quality, documentation and transparency are an important part of how we source our ASTM F-136 titanium jewellery.

Better materials. Better transparency. Body jewellery you can feel confident wearing.