Embroider Buddy® has been in the toy business for 70 years, and for much of that time we’ve sold stuffed toys. Generations of happy children have played with our plush animals over the years.
We’ve always prided ourselves in self-regulating toy safety. Secure eyes, good seams and good quality plush— it's always been common sense.
In the past 10 years or so, the governments of many countries have become more involved in regulating toys. Now it is necessary to invest in expensive laboratory tests and reports. At this time, unfortunately there is no standard for worldwide testing. Since children are the same all around the world, we think that would make a lot of sense. But until that happens we have to do our due diligence when testing toys, be it for USA, Canada, Europe or Australia – the countries where we sell the most Embroider Buddy® and other plush toy products.
So, how do you know if a stuffed animal is safe for children?
When purchasing stuffed toys always look to see if they’re from a reputable company. A reputable company will answer your questions. As a reseller of toys you need to know that YOU are distributing a quality product that meets safety standards in order to protect your reputation and prevent you from liability.
Here’s a four-point checklist to help you know if the product your buying is safe:
1. Look for seams that are secure. No stuffing should be exposed. Loose stuffing is a child hazard if swallowed.
2. Ensure the eyes and nose are secure. (By the way, our Embroider Buddy® eyes and noses are all embroidered).
3. Make sure there are no loose threads or strings.
4. Toys should be washable (Embroider Buddy® skins and pods are machine washable and, can be go in both the washer and dryer).
Check out our FAQs for more information.
Do you have a question or comment about toy safety? Please leave it in the comments!