The Cookware & Bakeware Alliance (CBA) has released an updated edition of its “Engineering Standards for Cookware and Bakeware,” a technical reference for product safety, performance testing and materials compliance.
The most significant addition to the 2026 edition is a dedicated, 32-page chapter on nonstick coatings, a topic that has grown in regulatory and consumer importance in recent years, according to CBA.
The new Section 21, titled “Manufacturers Testing for Nonstick Finishes on Cookware and Bakeware,” outlines standardized test methods to help manufacturers evaluate the performance and durability of nonstick coatings across a simulated product lifecycle. The nonstick chapter arrives as the category faces heightened scrutiny from regulators and consumers alike, with federal and state-level legislation targeting PFAS and other chemical compounds associated with certain coating chemistries. Having a standardized testing framework gives manufacturers and retailers a consistent benchmark for evaluating products and for demonstrating that products meet established safety criteria, according to CBA.
Recognizing the chapter’s standalone relevance, the CBA is, for the first time, making it available as a separate purchase. The nonstick chapter can be downloaded as a PDF ($250) or obtained as a PDF plus printed copy ($350), giving companies the option to access that section without purchasing the full manual.
Beyond the nonstick additions, the 2026 manual spans 25 sections covering the full range of cookware and bakeware materials and construction methods, including aluminum, stainless steel, cast iron, porcelain enamel, silicone, glass and clad materials. Sections address everything from handle and fitting specifications and metric sizing procedures to mechanical safety guidelines, induction compatibility, and organic thermoset exterior finishes, according to CBA.
The standards are developed and maintained by volunteer representatives from CBA member companies who serve on the Engineering Standards Committee and its subcommittees. The committee meets regularly, CBA stated, to evaluate emerging materials, technologies, and regulatory developments and to update or create new standards accordingly.
The revised standards are now available for purchase at cookwareandbakeware.org/engineering-standards. For CBA members, the full Engineering Standards manual is available at no additional cost through the member portal at cookwareandbakeware.org. Non-members can purchase the complete manual in two formats: a PDF-only download ($1,000) or a PDF plus printed copy ($1,100).
While CBA membership is open only to companies with substantial operations and headquarters in the United States, the CBA noted that overseas factories supplying the U.S. market have equal reason to adhere to the same standards. Compliance with U.S. safety and quality benchmarks has become a practical necessity, driven by consumer demand for transparency, and by an expanding body of state and federal product safety legislation, according to CBA.
For overseas factories, purchasing and implementing the CBA Engineering Standards signals to U.S. brands, importers, and retailers a commitment to the same safety and quality framework their domestic partners follow, said Fran Attilio, CBA managing director
“Factories around the world can show their dedication to quality and product performance by purchasing and following the engineering standards,” Attilio said. “This is an incredible message to U.S. manufacturers and retailers showing their commitment to coming together as one industry to create safe consumer products.”
Overseas factories can purchase the standards through the same non-member pricing structure available to any non-member organization, CBA stated.
