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Parents know that babies and children don’t just play with their favorite dolls and cute plushies; they also chew on them, sleep with them, bathe with them, and throw them. For these reasons, children’s toys and dolls need to be safe, non-toxic, and durable. Here is a helpful review of what it really means for toys - including stuffed animals and knitted dolls - to be safety certified, and why toy safety matters.
What are safety standards for toys?
Since kids' play things and garments are manufactured globally, there is no unified governing body to oversee and regulate safe, lawful production. Thus, independent safety testing institutes are crucial for ensuring that a product, regardless of which country it is being produced in and under what laws, is safe for every child. Standardized toy safety tests include physical testing for sharpness, choking hazards, and other risks of injury as well as flammability and presence of chemicals and heavy metals. These tests are what ensure that baby dolls are non-toxic and crib safe for infants.
What are the risks of unsafe toys?
There are a myriad of ways in which playthings, stuffed dolls, plush toys, or garments could potentially be unsafe for your child. There is a risk of injury and laceration from sharp points and edges, snapping elastic bands, or shattered or broken toys. In addition to external physical injury, toys of a certain size and shape cause a choking hazard and risk damaging internal organs if ingested. Depending on the material used, dangerous chemicals such as toxins and heavy metals can come into contact with the eyes, skin, or even be inhaled through offgassing.
Even if a toy does not immediately appear to be dangerous, it might contain chemicals, heavy metals, and allergens that are harmful over a long period of time. Uncertified manufacturers may also make false claims, such as their product being antimicrobial.
Children are especially vulnerable to injury during playtime due to their still-developing motor skills and their uncautious curiosity. Over 200,000 children are treated in hospitals annually for toy-related injuries. As a caregiver, in addition to careful, close supervision, you should also check to make sure their playthings and clothing is safety certified by a trusted testing institute. Keep reading to learn how to properly identify safe toys for infants and children by non-toxic toy brands.
How do I tell if a toy meets safety standards?
If you are curious about the safety certification of your child’s toy, check the packaging, label, or brand website for their safety standard. The certification should be issued by a third-party institute with their own website and point of contact. For example, Oeko-Tex® unites independent, worldwide institutes that specialize in textile safety research and testing. Products that meet the high standards of rigorous testing receive an Oeko-Tex® label to certify their safety. They certify for social and environmental sustainability, organic cotton, harmful substances, and more.
“If a textile article carries the STANDARD 100 label, you can be certain that every component of this article, i.e. every thread, button and other accessories, has been tested for harmful substances and that the article therefore is harmless for human health.” - Oeko-Tex®
There are several benefits of being an independent, third-party testing institute operating worldwide. Firstly, their standards go above and beyond established requirements, both nationally and internationally. Secondly, the test for substances that are both regulated and non-regulated; nothing slips through the cracks. Finally, they are on the leading edge of the latest scientific data and legal requirements. Oeko-Tex® certified products come with an easy-to-identify label. Remember that not just toys, but all products coming into contact with your baby should be safety certified; we recommend a non-toxic play mat and crib linens in addition to non-toxic dolls and safe toys.
Summary
Toys get thrown around, licked, and stepped on. It is important for your child’s safety that the object or garment being played with will not cause a physical injury or release a harmful, toxic substance. Individual manufacturers across the globe may or may not follow strict safety guidelines, which is why third-party safety testing is crucial for understanding the true standard of the product. Safety testing institutes are responsible for researching and testing products to meet the highest standard. Safety certified products are identifiable by a label or seal from an established and trusted institute.
Bishy Bishy Bash Positive Affirmation Friends are crib safe stuffed animal dolls that have been rigorously tested in independent laboratories and use premium cotton certified Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex®. Standard 100 certification means that the non toxic plushies are made with 100% premium cotton material that has been thoroughly tested for regulated and non-regulated harmful substances. You can be sure that our knit dolls are a guaranteed safe toy for your child to play with, cuddle, and smooch. Bishy Bishy Bash also offers the best non toxic play mats stuffed with GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified poly filling.
