Looking for Toys NOT made in China

ruchiratripathi · Post by **ruchiratripathi** » Sat, 15 Sep 2007 10:27 pm

Hi All,

I have a 3 month old baby. Im looking for safe toys that are NOT 'Made in China'. All the shops that I have checked say that all the brands they carry have 'made in china' toys. Are there any shops in Singapore that carry toys made in countries that have more stringent standards??

Please Help!!

earthfriendly · Post by **earthfriendly** » Sun, 16 Sep 2007 5:33 am

Your best bet is to buy European and Japanese brands. We live in the age of global economy, you may find these brands in SG or shop online and some retailers may ship there. I live in the USA and here’s some brands that are non-China made. Even in the USA, they are hard to come by and available only from specialty toy store instead of mainstream like toysrus. Just be prepared to pay a few times more for European and Japanese goods.

Lego – USA I think
Berchet – French
Chicco – though I notice some are made in China. Toysrus carry this brand.
Stokke – though some are made in Thailand
Tupperware –limited line of toys, the most classic one’s the shape sorter that my sister bought for her son 17 yrs ago and still in production today
Playmobil – not entirely sure but is a British (?) brand
Japanese bibs - made in Japan. Not toy item but just as essential. Don't know if Takashimaya may be a good hunting ground for goods made in Japan. I don't shop for toys while in SG.

ruchiratripathi · Post by **ruchiratripathi** » Sun, 16 Sep 2007 2:56 pm

Thank you for your replies. As an answer to my own question, here is a link which has details on Non-Made in China Toys. I found it today. Posting it here incase anyone else wants to use it.

http://www.boycottmadeinchina.org/en/bo ... _shopping/

Thanks.

Post by **jpatokal** » Sun, 16 Sep 2007 8:14 pm

C'mon, don't get swept up in the ridiculous hysteria. You know what most toys are getting recalled for? Having too much lead in the paint. Now, if the toy is flaking off paint chips, and your kids are eating vast quantities of them, then you've got a problem, and it's a problem with an easy solution: throw away any toys that flake off paint. But everything else -- say, the 99.99% of toys these days that are made from colored plastic and thus aren't painted in the first place -- are perfectly fine.

Dolph · Post by **Dolph** » Wed, 19 Sep 2007 10:26 am

Plastic toys can in fact also be dangerous as many of them contain ptalates (to make plastic more flexible) which are so-called endocrine disrupters, i.e. they affect the body's hormones disrupting its normal functions. Not at all something to be taken lightly.

viajera · Post by **viajera** » Wed, 19 Sep 2007 11:09 am

besides, her child is 3 months old. at that age, and well beyond, kids are notorious for putting everything they can grab straight to their mouths.

there is a serious health reason why these toys are being recalled.

oh btw, lego is originally danish, and playmobil is german. but you can now get them worldwide.

Cheery · Post by **Cheery** » Wed, 19 Sep 2007 11:10 am

So many restrictions on the children these days!

Preschools and childcare centres are checking their toys as well. Making stringent checks on all toys.
Another criteria before placing out children in the schools.

Thaiclan · Post by **Thaiclan** » Wed, 19 Sep 2007 3:16 pm

I assume that the parents of the posts also refuse to use any disposable diaper of any kind too due to the copious amounts of chemicals (including estrogen) present, aside from the environmental impact? The answer is probably not (only 12% of parents do), its just too darn inconvenient!
I have no problem with China manufacturing 80% of our consumer goods as this is a world based on best price. Lego has recalled several of its toys in recent years due to safety aspects. Mistakes happen, in EVERY country. Are you going to address the other 80% of your household contents too, after all your growing child will be equally exposed to those items also.

Post by **jpatokal** » Wed, 19 Sep 2007 8:28 pm

Dolph wrote:Plastic toys can in fact also be dangerous as many of them contain ptalates (to make plastic more flexible) which are so-called endocrine disrupters, i.e. they affect the body's hormones disrupting its normal functions. Not at all something to be taken lightly.

Do you have any plastic flooring in your home, or paint on your walls? Better not let the baby touch either then, because they've got phthalates!

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Wed, 19 Sep 2007 9:00 pm

jpatokal wrote: Do you have any plastic flooring in your home, or paint on your walls? Better not let the baby touch either then, because they've got phthalates!

Learned something new today did we?

Dolph · Post by **Dolph** » Thu, 20 Sep 2007 9:34 am

Do you have any plastic flooring in your home, or paint on your walls? Better not let the baby touch either then, because they've got phthalates!

Indeed jpatokal. Why do you think so many couples have difficulties conceiving these days or so many people suffer from allergies of various kinds? Did you think it was all just God's will?

earthfriendly · Post by **earthfriendly** » Thu, 20 Sep 2007 2:23 pm

My post wasn't targeted specifically at China. I make a conscientious effort to use safer products whenever possible. To me, products manufactured in US, Europe and Japan are safer as they have stringent regulations in place and people more likely to follow it.

The greatest source of lead poisoning in US is from living in houses built before 1978. That's why I opted to live in newer house. The same reason why I buy organic even though there's no concrete evidence to suggest it is a better alternative. For the paranoid moms out there, the best toys are the ones made of wood without paint in them. And if you are really worried, there's always the option of having your kids tested for lead.

Post by **jpatokal** » Thu, 20 Sep 2007 8:42 pm

Dolph wrote:
Do you have any plastic flooring in your home, or paint on your walls? Better not let the baby touch either then, because they've got phthalates!
Indeed jpatokal. Why do you think so many couples have difficulties conceiving these days or so many people suffer from allergies of various kinds? Did you think it was all just God's will?

Actually, one of the predominant theories for why allergies are so common in the West and so rare in pestilent Third World hellholes is that kids who grow up in hyper-sanitized environments never "train" their immune systems with actual germs, which manifests in the body freaking out in response to all sorts of completely harmless things instead (== allergies). So you paranoid moms only have yourselves to blame

sprite · Post by **sprite** » Thu, 20 Sep 2007 9:06 pm

Yes, and sticking out your tongue:

really does make us feel better. NOT!

when all we are trying to do is our job

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Thu, 20 Sep 2007 10:06 pm

earthfriendly wrote:The same reason why I buy organic even though there's no concrete evidence to suggest it is a better alternative. For the paranoid moms out there, the best toys are the ones made of wood without paint in them. And if you are really worried, there's always the option of having your kids tested for lead.

Have you been keeping up with the scandals in the US this past year? What with the "Organic" Spinach and other more recent organic veggies?

Have you ever really looked when you see those thousands of workers on those huge tracts of land picking crops like spinach, potatoes, cabbage, asparagus, broccolli and so forth in both the US and other countries (lots of uneducated itinerant workers). You never see any rest facilities do you? Where do they defecate? Whizz? Throwup after a rough night? On your "organic" crops of course. Think about that the next time you pay a premium for them things. (The nasties found on the organic spinach was E Coli ).

Just as a side note, think about all the rice eaten in Asia. Have you ever seen a rest room in the rice padi?

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