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Toy Safety Statement from Creative Whack Company
In response to recent consumer concerns about toys manufactured in China, Creative Whack Company would like to clarify several safety issues for our customers and retailers and reassure them that the Ball of Whacks is not affected by the recent recalls in the toy industry.
From the very beginning, our goal with the Ball of Whacks has been to provide the user with a product that is both fun and mentally stimulating, and also safe. These criteria have been our top priorities in the design and manufacture of this product.
The two main areas of concern with toys relate to lead paint and loose magnets.
Addressing the color issue first, the problems with lead paint pertain mostly to toys made of wood and metal, which have been painted in factories where lead has been used. The Ball of Whacks' colorful pieces are constructed entirely of standard ABS plastic. ABS is a very common and safe material used in many of our everyday household products ranging from mobile phones to toothbrushes and ballpoint pens. The plastic is colored with standard plastic dye (non-lead). Our manufacturer, Intex, uses the same molding process that companies such as Lego use to make their products. No lead paint is used by Intex, which was selected to manufacture the Ball for Whacks because of its record of quality and safety.
Roger von Oech, who created and designed the Ball of Whacks, personally inspected the Intex manufacturing facilities in Dongguan, China to emphasize the importance of safety in this new product. Roger is confident about the factory site and the production process. "I was impressed with what I saw there. Intex (head-quartered in Hong Kong) is a good manufacturing partner, and I'm proud to be associated with them." He invites Creative Whack Company customers to read the report on his visit. http://blog.creativethink.com/2006/10/manufacturing_i.html
Concern has also come from reports of magnets coming loose from toys and products manufactured by other companies. This can cause a safety issue especially for small children who might ingest more than one magnet. Because of its design, the Ball of Whacks again does not fall into this category. All magnets in the Ball of Whacks are encased in plastic and are ultrasonically-welded inside each piece. Incidents of magnets coming loose typically occur in products in which the magnets are exposed, i.e., not covered by plastic.
The Wall Street Journal recently ran an editorial (August 13, 2007) stating that shoddy manufacturing (especially in magnet products) can happen in products made anywhere, not just China. They go on to correctly point out that the vital issue in the safety of a product is its design. After careful and extensive review, the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued a patent in July 2007 for the unique design of the Ball of Whacks (US Patent 7,247,075).
In spite of the fact that the Ball of Whacks is not intended for children under the age of eight -- as stated on the package -- Creative Whack Company has nonetheless proactively gone to considerable lengths to ensure that the design and manufacture of its Ball of Whacks surpass all consumer safety standards. The Ball of Whacks is a premium product. It takes more time to manufacture and assemble. That is because we care deeply about quality and safety. The higher price tag for the Ball of Whacks reflects the carefully monitored manufacturing process and quality components. In turn, the product you receive is not only well-designed, but also fun and safe.
For more information contact:
Kathryn Cooperman
Director, Sales and Marketing
Creative Whack Company
kcooperman@creativewhack.com
Roger von Oech
President
Creative Whack Company
www.creativethink.com
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Elkhorn, Nebraska USA 68022