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Disney pixar cars and toys made in China

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As most of you already know, I have two boys, ages 3 and 4.  Therefore it follows naturally that we own the movie 'Cars' and have every die-cast car in the collection.  I was most alarmed today when the first thing I see on CNN is one of their cars has been recalled.  For those not aware of this, the particular car is "Sarge" and you can go here to send the product back and receive a voucher.  This comes only a short time after we had to go through their toys and remove all of the Diego toys because they were recalled and only a few months after having to do the same with their Thomas train set.

I cringe at thinking the amount of times my kids put these cars in their mouths.  Even though the recall affected only one of the die-cast cars, I have pulled all of them for several days to make sure only one car was affected.  I had actually already ceased buying the cars before this occurred, because EBay sellers here comb the stores (as they have no lives) and prevent kids from playing with these toys so they can make a measely profit - not that I am bitter.

What is becoming increasingly obvious is the question of cost savings in outsourcing toy production to China.  Those who have looked at the Thomas train sets know how expensive they are.  A train set can run many hundreds of dollars - yet they are almost exclusively made in China.  I do not have an issue with production in China and I have long believed that, if paid correctly, the Chinese can make toys every good as those in the US or Europe.  However, I find myself rethinking this assumption.  For all the profit that RC2 must make from the Thomas trains, couldn't they have had the production standards in place to prevent this?  I would expect a lead paint issue from toy trains like Imaginarium - which obviously operates on much lower margins.  But I would not expect an issue from a toy that claims as high a quality as Thomas.

I am now rethinking what toys I should get my children.  In an ironic sense, I feel better that my older son now plays the Wii alot because at least he won't get lead poisoning!  It is unfortunate that simply not buying toys from China is not a solution - practically everything is made there right now.  I may, however, boycott the smaller toys that may be put in the mouth for the next several years.  In their place, I would buy technology solutions like computer games, outdoor play objects (balls, sports equipment, etc), and larger indoor toys that I know they won't put in their mouths.  I may also look for wooden toys produced in the US or Europe.  Sometimes I even think of doing what my father did for me when I was young - he started up his table saw and router and made me some wooden toys himself.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    August 14, 2007
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    August 14, 2007
    This is exactly what I don't get about big business.  They have the money, the resources, and the ability to make their products with safe materials.  I wanted to get my 2 year old a pair of child safety scissors and could not find one pair without a warning about the possibility of the product causing cancer and reproductive harm.  (And these a CHILD scissors).  If lead is known to be so bad----WHY ARE THEY STILL USING IT?????????????

  • Anonymous
    August 15, 2007
    We have the above named Disney that we have had for about 2 years.  We bought this for our granddaughters to play house with serving cookies etc.  I have not been able to find out if this is also on the recalled list.  On the bottom of the plates it is stamped made in China.  Will you please advise me about this product.  Thank you.

  • Anonymous
    August 15, 2007
    my daughter loves the Disney figurines. They are the 2 to 2 1/2 inch diecast figures. Were these on the list? She has played with and chewed on them for the last few years. Please let me know! Thank you.

  • Anonymous
    August 15, 2007
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    August 16, 2007
    i like many concerned parents i'm outraged by all of this. when are we (the american) people going to stand up and make a difference? my son loves matchbox and hotwheels and i'm trying to find diecast cars made in the us.

  • Anonymous
    August 16, 2007
    It's funny how the posts you least think attract the most attention. My blog earlier this week about

  • Anonymous
    August 16, 2007
    Is there any other car recalls we have alot of them but not sarge. PLEASE LET US KNOW if there is any others on recall. rosie_brandon2@hotmail.com

  • Anonymous
    August 16, 2007
    I just went to a store today and found Dinoco Tex and they would not let me purchase it because of the recall. Yet I don't see that one on any list. Is it or not?

  • Anonymous
    August 17, 2007
    I like most parents have a child that loves the disney princesses.  I am also trying to find out if the little die-cast dolls where also on the recall list.  I am fortunate that she is old enough not to put the toys in her mouth but it does get all over her hands and when she goes to snack on something she puts her hand all over what is going into her mouth.  I am so tired of big businesses putting peoples lives in danger so they can save a buck.  I am really considering boycotting  Mattel, Disney all of them until they put the consumer and the american people first.

  • Anonymous
    August 17, 2007
    I would just like to remind people that if you have any questions about the recall the best way to find information is from Mattel at the URL that is in my post. Although I think the Pixar Cars die-cast cars are cute, that is not the subject of this blog. This blog is actually a blog from a Microsoft employee on Office Communications Server. Recently I have digressed a bit because nothing I am working on can be made public but now I realize I should go back to the main aim of the blog.

  • Anonymous
    September 06, 2007
    Like many other parents I am baffled by the number of recalls.  Maybe IT IS time to start making our own toys so that they may be better regulated to keep our children(and future) SAFE!!! I believe if we all pull together we can make a difference and make the world a safer place for all....BUT in the end the almighty buck rules. Maybe we should all look back to the basics and stop funding the mass of toys the industry TELLS us we NEED!

  • Anonymous
    October 10, 2007
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    October 28, 2007
    Do you know where I can find a list of all the die cast cars made?