Buyer guides for outdoor string lights and LED filament bulbs
Short answers to the questions importers ask before a first order: which US and EU rules apply, what a listing card or declaration shows, how bulb shapes and dimmers are specified, and what to test on a sample. Each guide names the standard it relies on and the date it was reviewed.
Seasonal or all-year string lights under UL 588
What Supplement SD separates, why the 90-day rule matters, and what a listing card should show for an all-year product.
Read the guideCE marking, ecodesign and energy labels for string lights
Which directives apply to a 230 V festoon or a low-voltage string, when a chain is itself a light source, and what to ask a supplier for.
Read the guideDimmable LED filament bulbs and dimmer compatibility
What dimmable means on a spec sheet, which dimmer the factory tested, and the five checks to run on your sample.
Read the guideS14, G40, ST38 and G45 bulb shapes explained
How the shape codes read, which shape suits which setting, and the socket spacing and counts the factory prints per length.
Read the guideHow many string lights can you connect end to end?
The arithmetic behind a connection limit, why the tested maximum comes from the maker, and what to specify for a long run.
Read the guideDocuments and certification by family and market
The register of what exists, what is requested, and what each market asks for before a first shipment.
Open the register