Backlash on Toys Made in China...

Thomas the Tank toys are popular in our household. "Choo-Choo" is often heard coming out of Hunter's mouth, and I was a wee bit cross that I had to take some toys away from Hunter because of lead contamination.

Then, Mattel came out with their extensive recall. Fisher Price toys, "Cars" Character toys, Polly Pocket toys, Dora and Diego toys, Sesame Street Character toys, Batman toys, Barbie toys...

Wait ... did you hear about the bibs being recalled by WalMart? How about the ones being recalled by Toys R Us? Guess what I've thrown away?

And, let's not forget about the massive dog-food recall, and the toothpaste recall.

Then, there's the investigative report ABC came out with that said that most hoses contain extremely high levels of lead (a stabilizing agent used in the PVC when making hoses). We've replaced our hoses with marine hoses that specifically say "safe for drinking." They are made of a medical-grade vinyl which does not contain lead.

Where does it stop?

"Nearly 1-in-3 Moms Surveyed Say They Will Not Buy Any Products from China According to a Poll From Online Toy Retailer eBeanstalk.com"

eBeanstalk.com

"Nearly 1-in-3 Moms" -- 1/3 of moms across the nation -- will not buy ANY products from China (not just toys). That's a lot of households in America! That's a lot of lost income for China.

Recently, I participated in this survey for eBeanstalk.com, and I must say that when I read the results, I was surprised that so many moms felt the same way I do... more than just leery about the quality of merchandise they are getting from China. After all, no one wants to give their child a loaded gun, do they? So, why would we hand them a "loaded toy?" Okay, maybe that was a bit severe, but the safety and well-being of my child is so important to me and my husband, and it really upsets me the more I think of the unsafe manufacturing practices by overseas manufacturer's, and the lax followup by the toy giants once the toys are back in America and ready to go out to the toy stores, sales shelves, your home, and the hands and mouth of your child.

It almost makes me want to go out and get a lead test and test all of Hunter's toys. AND, it makes me want to throw away all items that are made in Asia. The frustrating thing is ... it's not just the cheap dollar store toys that are made in China! It's Mattel! Fisher Price! Thomas the Tank (which are very expensive)!

I, for one, will have my eyes open wide when I shop for Hunter's birthday presents (October) and for Christmas, and you can bet that I'll lovingly encourage my extended family to do the same, although, I doubt I'll have to, because they are all so concerned about safety anyway.

One thing that will make it easier for me is that eBeanstalk.com has a commitment to their consumers:

"Given the scope of all products from all categories that come from China, we as retailers, must be stronger advocates for our customers and not just rely on the manufacturers", says Brian Gordon, co-founder of eBeanstalk. "First, we are working with all of our manufactures to ensure all safety steps have been made in the manufacturing process. If we are not satisfied, we remove the manufacturer from our site. Second, we lead-test all the toys ourselves. And third, we are offering free lead testing of any toy from any retailer that is brought into our store." Adds Gordon, "We recognize the seriousness of moms’ concerns and are trying to be proactive and helpful. I’m a new parent too, and I know when it comes to your child’s safety and health you never compromise."

Brian Gordon, co-founder of eBeanstalk

I URGE you to go over to eBeanstalk.com -- check out the results of the survey, and more importantly, check out their toys (they have great gift kits, too!).

Also, here is a website where you can get lead tests to test your toys, etc.

So, what are your feelings on this? What will you be doing to ensure your child's health and safety? Will you boycott purchasing products/toys made in China/Asia? Do you think you'll test the toys? Do you think you'll throw away toys made in China?

I'm not trying to sound like Chicken Little, or all gloom and doom... so, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Leave them in the comments or leave a link to your own post. Please remember ... this is not an opportunity to "bash Chinese or Asian manufacturers."

By the way ... NONE of the recalled toys from Mattel or Fisher Price have ever been sold at eBeanstalk. NOT ONE. Thought you might want to know!