Demand Grows For Toys Made In The U.S.A.

Recalls Of Chinese-Made Toys Send Parents Shopping For Domestic, Safe Alternatives

(CBS)  These workers aren't elves, and their workshop isn't that far north. But Vermont's "Maple Landmark" toymakers are working overtime in a holiday season unlike any they've seen before.

They're hammering parts in place late into the night. The staff's doubled, and they're still hiring. But, as CBS News correspondent Joie Chen reports, it may not be enough.

"Um, we don't, we hope we don't run out," says Michael Rainville. "But there clearly are limits to what we can produce."

He can pinpoint the moment when his orders suddenly hit overdrive: When parents learned foreign-made toys might be dangerous.

"It was like a dam broke or something. It was clear, it was obvious," Rainville says. "It's all about the recalls."

Shopkeepers, too, find themselves facing a question parents rarely posed before the recalls:

"They ask specifically now, 'are your toys made in this country?'" says Polly Brooks of Appalachian Spring.

Toymakers and retailers are playing up the 'made in the USA' label. But analysts warn it could be a tough holiday season.

One of every three Americans polled will buy fewer toys because of safety worries and 45 percent will avoid buying toys from Chinese factories, a Harris Interactive poll found.

Parents who go looking for made in the U.S.A discover it can be hard to find. Even some American classics are among the 85 percent of toys sold in this country made in China.

Chen asks Dennis Smyth, a father shopping in Washington, if he ever thinks about where toys come from?

"I think not as much," he says. "You know when you talk to like, older, or like my parents' generation, they say, 'who knows? Back then maybe everything had lead.'"

Not at Maple Landmark where everything from lumber to lacquer comes from Vermont suppliers. Which is what parents and grandparents want, says Rainville.

"Right now they just want safe toys," he says. "Suddenly this has become aware to them that there are some that aren't safe. People are frightened."

But after years of being passed over for cheap imports, U.S. toymakers doubt their reversal of fortune will last.

They fear that, like so many Christmas playthings, the fun and safety they have to offer will quickly be forgotten.

[kennedy7955]

I was at Sam''s Club yesterday and they had Chinese farmed salmon and shrimp. I won''t buy Chinese toys or food products. Sam''s Club/Wal-Mart better take notice as I am not the only one.

[gce651]

How about buying kids fewer toys and more things they can actually use? Toys have relatively few uses. How about things like fishing rods, or a pair of hiking boots, or art supplies?

[mattcbsmatt]

You must do whatever it takes to appease the Hineses, the Asians anal eye, love, adoration and appeasement of the Chinese Hineses, and dine in asian anal places.
You must prove and be proud and explain you enjoyment.
You must prove these things, for this is the way.
President Bush One of the greatest Butt licker of Mexico in history
President Bush is a RELENTLESS Butt licker of Mexico. For some stinky reason : ) I guess he is afraid and terrorized for himself and family. I fear that other presidential candidate will po the same

[carlylaine]

GSCOTT

What I do is copypaste into MS Word. That misspelled word jumps right out.

Anyway, about the toys. Always buy American. And stop buying so much cr@p for your kids. They don''t need every new toy from China. It doesn''t hurt for them to wish for something special and then not get it. Parents are too indulgent. "My kid must have the most and the best" is BS parenting.

[americandave]

The demand is growing by leaps and bounds. I operate a website that is a directory of American Made Products and my traffic has tripled from the same time last year. The most traffic is American Made Clothes, followed by Toys. The site is http://www.americansworking.com

The other poster is partly right there are not enough High Tech American Made toys, but if we all create a demand for American Made the supply will follow regardless of hi or low tech. But it would not make sense for an American business person to go sink a bunch of money into it without the prospect of a sustainable business! So help creat that business model by demanding US made where you shop!

Thanks