Playing a New Game – How the Toy Industry Banded Together to Ensure Quality of Offshore Suppliers

IndustryWeek (8/19, Selko) – The Toy Industry Association (TIA), which represents over 500 manufacturers and toy importers who account for 85% of all toys distributed in North America, partnered with third-party accreditation body the American National Standards Institute to create the Toy Safety Certification Program. "The TIA put together a group, which included toy companies, retailers, factory auditors and conformity assessment experts which met over a six-month period and was tasked with analyzing recall information along with the production supply chain," explains Elizabeth Borrelli, executive director, Toy Safety Certification Program, TIA. U.S. government bodies and industry representatives from China and the European Union were part of the process as well.

To meet the requirements of the program, manufacturers are responsible for (1) Hazard and risk assessment for toy product design; (2) Factory process control audits by an independent audit body; and (3) Production sample testing by an accredited laboratory to validate that the factory is producing toys that meet U.S. safety standards.

These three elements will be verified or audited by accredited certification bodies and upon successful completion the product will carry a TSCP-accredited Toy Safety Mark. The fees for the program are an annual $65 per SKU charge for testing certification paid to TIA. Other costs would be the design analysis piece, which would be underwritten by the manufacturer, as well as validation for ISO 9001.

Whether it's the carbon footprint or the issue of safety, manufacturers must incorporate these concepts early into the design function. "You can't test safety into a product," Rubin says. It must be designed that way with quality control for components and suppliers watched carefully." Rubin offers this advice to other industries that might currently be looking into forming standards, instead of waiting until a crisis occurs: "Stay informed. Understand exactly what is going on in your supply chain. And keep an eye on any legislation or regulations that might be in the works. You don't want to be the last one on the block to know what's happening."