Learn how to choose and the risks of Made in China toys

China manufactures about 80% of all toys sold in the world and more than half of everything sold in Brazilian stores is ‘Made in China’, and the reason is quite simple: the very low price. But few pay attention to the problems some of these toys can cause.

O Incredible.club listed important data to consider when it comes to imported toys without national certification.

Check with us the risks and learn how to choose the gift for your little ones.

INMETRO (National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology) is the Brazilian body that regulates and carries out periodic safety tests on the most varied products, including toys. And, even though there are a series of rules and regulations in relation to certain quality standards, many companies try to circumvent these rules, marketing products (and, in this case, toys) that can pose risks to children.

It is important to remember that the fact that a toy is produced in China does not necessarily mean that it causes risks. The danger is when this toy is imported without observing minimum quality standards, as we will show below.

Some famous brands like Mattel, which is American, but has a factory in China, had to make several requests for review and exchange of products (recall), due to defects or manufacturing problems. One such review would be because of the ink and its high toxicity.

Lead paint is widely used as it is up to three times cheaper than safer paints. Studies show that handling toys with this type of paint can cause mental and behavioral problems. In addition to lead, studies by researchers from Greenpeace and IPEN found that more than 30% of these toys also contained arsenic, chromium, cadmium and mercury, which are dangerous and toxic metals.

The products that, according to the tests, receive lead paint in their composition range from doll accessories (earrings, bracelets, shoes and clothes) to makeup and ‘jewelry’ for children. In addition to the more serious risks — which we have already mentioned — paint can cause various types of allergies.

In 2007, the South China Morning Post published a worrying report. Chinese officials found that toy factories in the northeast of the country were using materials ranging from strips of paper and newspaper, plastic, sand and even Styrofoam scraps from instant noodle bowls as stuffing to stuffed toys. According to experts, these ‘fillings’ were causing prickly heat, diarrhea and even respiratory problems in children.

Another problem with some of the ‘made in China’ toys is related to the way eyes and noses are attached to plush dolls; as the quality of the glue used is not the best, there is a risk that these pieces will come off and be swallowed by younger children. The cost factor (cheaper glue) may be, once again, the cause of these problems. And cheap can be very expensive.

Also due to the use of low-cost raw material (and, in general, of inferior quality), other parts can come loose, putting the lives of younger children at risk, especially those who are in the so-called ‘oral phase’, characterized , among other factors, due to the fact that babies take any object to their mouths.

costs

As most people know, China’s production costs are very low. That is why even American companies such as Disney, Hasbro and Mattel stopped producing in the United States and set up factories in China themselves. As the US market is heavily regulated and supervised, the quality of these Chinese-made products is unlikely to pose a risk to American children.

So, as we said, the fact that a toy is made in China does not necessarily mean that it is of poor quality. But how do you know, then, if the toy is safe or not?

The INMETRO technicians advise you to always look for the institution’s seal that must be on the toy box and look for reliable stores and manufacturers so that your children’s safety is guaranteed.

The seal guarantees that the toy, whether produced here in Brazil or imported, meets a list of almost 20 INMETRO standards, which establish, for example, that the parts cannot be made of toxic material, that the instruction manual is in Portuguese and that the material does not break easily. The complete list of requirements can be found here.

Did you find the tips interesting? Have you ever had a problem with toys? Tell us.