2013 Toy Fair To Host Digital Kids Conference

November 15, 2012 By

In partnership with Engage Digital, the Toy Industry Association (TIA) has announced that the 7th Annual Digital Kids Conference will be held in February with the American International Toy Fair. The conference, which will be held on February 12 and February 13, will bring youth-focused digital media executives, brand owners, and licensors together to learn how to engage children online and through digital devices. The conference will also feature information on how to produce inspiring products, establish successful online and mobile revenue generation strategies, and leverage the social media best practices.

All Toy Fair attendees will have a chance to attend the conference and listen to more than 25 speakers who will share tips about digital media. For more information, visit www.ToyFairNY.com.

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TIA Educational Webinars To Cover Green Guides, Toy Fair PR Strategies

November 14, 2012 By

Courtesy of The Toy Industry Association

The Toy Industry Association (TIA) will be holding two educational webinars as part of the TIA’s Knowledge Network, the Association’s year-round educational program that aims to educate and inform toy industry members. [Read more...]

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ISO Meetings Explore Toy Safety Guidelines

November 13, 2012 By

Courtesy of the Toy Industry Association

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee on Toy Safety recently held meetings to discuss the development of global age determination guidelines for toys, based largely on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s guidelines from 2002. The meetings, which were held in Tokyo, also discussed magnets, cords, impaction, phthalates, total concentration of certain elements, and the alignment of toy standards.

Technical experts from the U.S.—including representatives from toy manufacturers and importers, testing labs, and the Toy Industry Association (TIA)—and industry and product safety agencies from more than a dozen countries also attended the discussions.

ASTM International held its third annual meeting with ISO to share information and work for further alignment. Issues such as battery and magnet ingestion were discussed. A detailed report from the U.S delegation will be available for viewing on the TIA Website upon completion.

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Toy Industry Foundation Crosses Pacific, Brings Play to U.S. Military Families in Japan

November 7, 2012 By

Nearly 1,000 boys and girls stationed with their parents on Kadena U.S. Air Force Base in Japan were treated to an extraordinary day of gifts and play on November 1 by the Toy Industry Foundation (TIF) and partner Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) Military Services. Joined by Marine families stationed in nearby Okinawa, the children experienced a toy giveaway event, providing relief and a reminder of home to kids living with their parents so far away from what is familiar.

The TIF/BGCA Play Comforts program is the first-ever national toy distribution program to serve every branch of the military and is now in its third year of operation. Since the partnership launched, TIF has provided more than 200,000 toys to BGCA for children on U.S. military bases.

Through the Play Comforts program, toys donated to TIF’s Toy Bank by generous toy makers and merchants are delivered to families on dozens of U.S. military installations at home and abroad all year long.

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TIF Annual Holiday Toy Drive Opens Nov. 1

October 31, 2012 By

The Toy Industry Foundation’s annual Holiday Toy Drive will be open from November 1 to December 31. The Holiday Toy Drive may be supported in three ways:

  • TODAY Show Holiday Toy Drive: Each year, TIF partners with TODAY to share the toy industry’s generosity with the nation. Companies that donate toys to this program are listed on the TODAY Show website; if $150,000 worth of toys are collected, TIF will appear on-air to speak about what the Foundation does and how toy companies are making a difference.
  • Play Comforts: In partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America Military Services, TIF will have helped 50,000 children of military families throughout 2012. Approximately 600 more toys are needed to finish the year.
  • General Donation to Toy Bank Network of 1,000 Charities: The Toy Bank works with children’s charities across the globe that help kids who are sick, living in disaster zones, underprivileged, or otherwise in need. Toys donated to the general network of charities will be matched with the appropriate recipients.

While the Toy Drive remains open through Dec. 31, donation forms must be submitted by Dec. 1 to ensure that the toys make it into the hands of children in time for the holidays.

For information on how to make a gift, contact thetoybank@toyindustryfoundation.org. Donation forms for the TODAY Show giving option can be accessed online.

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New EU Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive Goes Into Effect in January

October 17, 2012 By

Courtesy of Toy Industry Association

On January 2, toys that have a major E&E component must meet the European Union New Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS 2) limits. E&E equipment includes equipment dependent on electric current or electromagnetic fields in order to work properly. Under the new definition in RoHS 2, toys that need electric currents, or electromagnetic fields to fulfill at least one intended function are included. Compliance with RoHS 2 must be met by July 22 for toys where E&E component is minor or secondary such as a plush toy that sings. For more information, visit the European Commission website.

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The Federal Trade Commission Releases Revised Green Guides

October 17, 2012 By

Courtesy Of The Toy Industry Association

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) revised its Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims to make sure that marketers’ claims about the environmental attributes of their products are truthful. The revisions include updates, modifications, and clarifications to current guides. The FTC also added new sections featuring information on the usage of carbon offsets, green certifications and seals of approval, free-of and non-toxic claims, and renewable energy and materials claims. Other modifications include caution against making broad, unqualified claims about products that are environmentally friendly or eco-friendly.

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Fall Toy Preview Sees Increases in Total Attendance and Global Participation

October 15, 2012 By

Courtesy of Toy Industry Association

More than 700 buyers from around the world attended the Toy Industry Association’s Fall Toy Preview 2012 in Dallas. This is a 3 percent increase in total buyers who attended to look at the new toys and games for Holiday 2013. A 10 percent increase in foreign buyers was also noted.  The top five foreign countries represented by buyers were Canada, the UK, Mexico, Australia, and Hong Kong. Roughly 348 companies exhibited their latest product lines, including Alexander Doll Company, American Plastic Toys, Famosa, Hape, Inc., Melissa and Doug, Playmobil, Ohio Art, Blip Toys, Safari Ltd., and Razor USA. In sponsorship with Techno Source and presented by Carlin West Agency/NFL Rush Zone, the opening night party for the event raised funds for the Toy Industry Foundation and allowed participants to meet with Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware.

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TIA is Now Accepting Nominations for 2013 Toy of the Year Awards

September 21, 2012 By

Courtesy of Toy Industry Association

The Toy Industry Association is currently accepting toy, game, and property nominations for 12 product categories to be considered for the 2013 Toy of the Year Awards. Nominations must include a 75-word description of the product and a statement, up to 300 words, stating why the product should be on the ballot. A new category, e-Connected Toy of the Year, has been added this year to recognize toys that interact with smartphones, tablets, or gaming devices. Also new is the expanded definition for Innovative Toy of the Year award. This category will include toys that use the latest technology and have innovative designs and manufacturing processes.

A nomination committee–including play experts, journalists, academics, retailers, and other toy experts–will reveal the final nominations at a press conference in New York City in November. The committee will consider how creative, original, and innovative a product is. It will also look at a product’s design, promotion, and market acceptance. Five ballots will be available for consumers, mass retailers, specialty retailers, media, and TIA members. A new ballot form has been created this year that will allow the committee to find if a product is being considered cross-category. Voting will open on ToyAwards.org after the press conference and continue until mid-January.

The awards ceremony, in which winners will be announced, will be held on February 9 at the Plaza Hotel.

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TIA Guides Members in Compliance with Washington State Children’s Safe Products Act Annual Report Requirements

August 29, 2012 By

The Toy Industry Association (TIA) has developed two member-only resource documents that will assist its members in understanding and complying with annual reporting requirements under The Washington State Children’s Safe Products Act (CSPA) of 2008 and the regulations issued under its authority. The legislation and regulations require companies selling children’s products sold in the State to report the presence of any of 66 suspected “chemicals of high concern” (CHCC) that may be found in their products, whether through the intended inclusion for a functional purpose or as a contaminant that appears as a result of an impurity, byproduct, residual intermediate, or degradation product.

As previously reported, rollout of the requirements will continue through 2018. The first implementation deadline will be Friday, August 31, for any company with aggregate gross sales of more than $1 billion dollars inside and outside of Washington State and children’s products containing a CHCC that is intended to be placed in a child’s mouth, applied to a child’s body, or mouthable and intended for children ages 3 and under.

The following TIA resource documents (ID and password required for access) supplement guidance materials developed by the Washington State Department of Ecology:

Questions can be submitted via e-mail to safety@toyassociation.org.

This post was originally written by the Toy Industry Association and published at ToyAssociation.org. For more news, visit www.toybook.com, follow The Toy Book on Twitter, and like The Toy Book on Facebook. The Toy Book is a bimonthly trade magazine covering the toy industry, published by Adventure Publishing Group.

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