Consumers who rely on secondhand shops for low-cost children's items might face bare shelves next month -- or risk buying toys, clothing and other items that fall short of new federal safety standards.

The new rules, which impose stricter limits on lead allowed in children's products, also make it illegal to sell recalled products. But it is difficult for thrift shops to verify whether the items they sell comply with safety regulations, says the National Association of Resale & Thrift Shops, which represents 1,000 stores in the multibillion-dollar secondhand retail industry. Stores can be fined up to $100,000 per violation. And many shops are in danger of going out of business or suffering significant losses when the standards go into effect on Feb. 10, says the group.

Unlike mainstream retailers and manufacturers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Mattel Inc., resale shops don't have the financial resources to test their inventory to ensure it complies with the new standards. Even if they could afford it, they tend to sell one-of-a-kind products and don't have samples that can be destroyed, as is often necessary to get accurate test results for lead.

The change comes as many stores in the resale industry have seen increased business from consumers seeking to stretch their dollars on everything from toys to children's clothing in the strained economy. Some 16% to 18% of Americans now shop at a thrift store at least once during a given year, an increase of two percentage points from two years ago, according to America's Research Group, a consumer research firm based in Charleston, S.C.

Stores say the quick implementation of the new limits on lead will leave cash-strapped consumers with limited options at a time when they need choices the most.