When it comes to business, you have to do everything possible to maintain your compliance. In the run up to Christmas, there’ll be lots of questions from children about how Santa and his elves make toys in the workshop, and if your business involves creating toys for children, then you’ll know that the stakes are incredibly high when it comes to compliance.

Not only do the toys that you create have to be fun, educational and engaging, but the safety standards and quality standards that they must meet should be adhered to at all times. The importance of compliance in toy manufacturing cannot be overstated because of the fact that you are dealing with children. Should something go wrong or a toy not be created in the right way, you could be looking at a massive lawsuit. 

Companies like MAS Test can help you to maintain your compliance, but only if you’re fully on board with how to keep children’s toys in high regard. Below, we explore 10 reasons why compliance is critical when you are creating children’s toys. We’re also going to discuss why ensuring adherence to these standards is essential as a business leader.

• Keeping children safe. First and foremost, the primary reason that compliance is vital in the toy industry is that children’s safety has to come first. If you buy toys for your children, you want them to be free from hazards that could harm them, which include anything from small parts such as choking hazards, sharp edges, or toxic chemicals. As a creator of toys, you should be doing the same thing for others. Compliance with safety regulations will ensure that your toys are manufactured and designed with risks in mind. Some toy safety regulations specify that toys have to be big enough so they can’t be swallowed. There are others that insist that toys should be made from non-toxic materials. Safety measures like these can help to prevent any accidents and injuries that could cause harm.
• Building trust. Parents need to be able to trust the brands that they buy from. If parents are purchasing toys for their children, they have to also trust that the toys are of a high quality and have passed rigorous safety testing. If you are not compliant with established safety and quality standards, then you’re not going to be able to build that consumer confidence or trust in your brand. You want to be the company that is known for producing toys that exceed regulatory requirements. This way, you’re more likely to gain repeat business from the customers who put safety first.
• You reduce your liability. When toys don’t meet safety standards and they cause harm to a child, you could face serious legal consequences. If you are adhering to compliance, you’ll be able to mitigate that risk and not have to worry about product recalls on a mass scale, lawsuits, or significant damage to your reputation as a toy business. If you’re ensuring that old safety requirements are met before the toys are released to the public, you’re going to be in better stead.
• Product recalls cost a lot of money. One of the most damaging events that a toy company can face as a product recall. Not only do they disrupt your sales and damage your trust from the consumer, but they can result in very critical financial loss that could see your business going out of business itself. Compliance will help your company to avoid recalls because your products will be tested appropriately in the right environment, carefully certified and deemed to meet safety requirements before public sale. Toys that don’t meet the standard have to be pulled from the shelves, and that forces you to incur a lot of costs for returns, logistics and then customer notification. With the right compliance in place, you can minimize all of these risks and ensure that your products are safe.
• Meeting legal requirements. Every single country has its own set of regulations when it comes to toys. Manufacturers have to ensure that their toys are meeting the relevant safety standards from the very beginning. So wherever it is that you want your toys to sell, you have to meet the safety standards in that country for it to be safe. It’s not just about covering your back for the result of a lawsuit, but making sure that the children you are selling to are able to play with toys carefully and safely.

• Protecting your reputation. Your reputation is invaluable, especially in the toy industry where it’s parents that you’ll be relying on. Parents need to be able to trust a brand to provide safe, high quality products for their children. If you’re a parent, you’ll understand how important this is. Parents are increasingly aware of toy safety and many will avoid any brands that have associated themselves with product recalls or any safety scandals. If you ensure that you are compliant with safety standards, you’ll be able to protect the image of your brand and reinforce your commitment to producing products that prioritize safety and well-being.
• You can improve your standards. Compliance doesn’t just help you to avoid a lawsuit in the result of something unsafe, it ensures that the toys have been made with the possible highest quality and that all materials have been tested. Standards will often include the guidelines on any toy durability things, and this is how they should hold up under normal use. Compliance with materials standards, for example, will ensure that toys are made from non-toxic, durable materials that don’t degrade or deteriorate over time or stress.
• You gain access to global markets. When it comes to compliance with international safety standards. You can open doors to global markets and push your toy brand in a big way. Toys-R-Us, for example, is one of the biggest toy brands in the world, and everybody from Europe to the Americas knows who Toys-R-Us is. Without proper compliance, entering those international markets can feel impossible. Some countries will require proof that products meet their local safety regulations, so you have to be on top of that.
• Supporting ethical practices. When you are undergoing compliance checks before your toys go on the market, you can ensure that you are upholding ethical manufacturing practices. This means toys should be made with a sustainable material base and manufactured under fair labor conditions. When you produce your toys in a way that minimizes environmental impact, you are going to appeal to parents who are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint.
• Keeping ahead of the changes. Toy regulations and safety standards are always evolving so that they can reflect new research that is always being done. As a business owner, you should want to be consistent in those trends and regulate chemical substances in your toys. As you know, this has become stricter in recent years and as a manufacturer they have to stay up to date on the changes to avoid any particular compliant issues.

These reasons tell you exactly why compliance is not something that is optional, and it’s definitely something that you have to invest in. It’s your responsibility to adhere to safety regulations, quality standards, and create a safe and more trusted marketplace for parents and their children. Put yourself in the position of a parent who’s looking to safeguard their child, and you’ll be able to safeguard your reputation. Safeguarding compliance is going to benefit manufacturers, consumers and the children who enjoy the toys.