In this thought-provoking episode of Making It in The Toy Industry, host Azhelle Wade and returning guest Marjorie Spitalnik dive into a sensitive but crucial topic - the impact of toy guns on children and the potential connection to real-life gun violence. Given the alarming statistics of gun violence in the U.S., they explore the responsibility of toy makers and the toy industry as a whole in shaping children's perceptions of violence and gun use. They discuss potential solutions and draw comparisons to a problematic toy from years ago.  The goal of this episode is not to provide definitive answers, but to spark a conversation about an issue that directly affects our children.

Remember Brexit? Well, back in late January when that the UK left the EU, I reached out to a Toy Safety expert friend of mine and asked, “What is this going to do to our labeling requirements?” The answer was a little when it comes to testing and a lot when it comes to paperwork. Today’s podcast episode is our Toy Safety 102 lesson, and we spend about 90% of this conversation focusing on the cost, complication, and changes in labeling and testing requirements brought about once the UK split from the EU. At the end of the episode, you’ll gain a little bit of perspective around accepting international orders for your product line too soon. If you don’t know anything at all about toy safety, you might want to check out episode number 43, Toy Safety 101.

When you are creating your toy, you want to make sure it is safe for everyone and that it follows all regulations. This can be a bit complicated for who's beginning and even for more experienced toy veterans. Bill Baxter will walk us through everything you need to pay attention to when creating your toy.