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SeaStar
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| Posted: June 18 2007 at 5:20pm | IP Logged
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I'm starting a new thread to continue the one in the Adena post about lead in children's toys and materials.
I did a google search and found that you can buy test kits for items painted red- the one one I saw was called the Lead Detective.
I also called Alison's, and the owner told me that he has not tested his products per se, but he uses the materials at home with his own four children, and no one has called in to say that a home test was positive for lead.
In addition, he said he has visited the factories in China he orders from and, at least on the days he was there, he saw compliance with standard safety guidelines. In other words, he didn't see anything suspicious to make him worry about using the products in his own home. He also told me that many companies prefer wooden products from China because the wood used is a good quality. He said higher end products produced in China often have paint imported from Italy.
And, as an aside, he said he has a ton of stuff to list in the Bargain Basement section (because I said I appreciate that they have one), but has to find the time to do it. He said he has a lot of boxes, especially for the three part cards, he plans to post in the BB soon.
Any way, he stressed to use reasonable precautions- ie, discourage children from putting pieces in their mouths, etc.
If anyone has any info from other companies on this topic, please let us know!
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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Meredith
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| Posted: June 18 2007 at 6:07pm | IP Logged
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Melinda, you are awesome!! Thanks for much for delving deeper here. I had a very busy weekend with dh home and I also still have some little ones sick, so I didn't really get a chance to dig deeper here.
I am inclined to purchase from a company such as Alison's just for the reason he says that he's using the materials with his own kids and has done some first hand research via his visits, that's great and I know that none of us want to endanger our little sweeties with inappropriate materials and not really know what they are made of. Appreciate the heads up and please anyone else do share if you come across some useful information!
Blessings!
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Meredith
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SeaStar
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| Posted: June 18 2007 at 8:51pm | IP Logged
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I had some free time this afternoon- ds was still pretty sedate after his procedure this morning, and both dc were happy to pile into the big recliner with dad and watch Clifford 
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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Mackfam
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| Posted: June 18 2007 at 9:31pm | IP Logged
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Melinda-
That is really helpful information!!! And very comforting too!!! I'm calling Montessori Concepts tomorrow, and I'll be asking them some questions. I hope I get the same level of customer service as you did. They've been very helpful so far and in everything else. Let you know what I find out.
I will say that everything I have gotten from KidAdvance and Montessori Concepts has been just beautiful in terms of paint quality and wood quality! Really impressive!
I think most of these companies - Adena, KidAdvance, Montessori Concepts - are using the same overseas supplier. Not too sure about Alison's though because I think some, if not all of their merchandise might be higher quality. Still, they are purchasing from overseas, so maybe?? It is really comforting to hear how much involvement they have in selecting and monitoring suppliers. Another gold star for Alison's!
Thanks for starting this thread!
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Jen Mackintosh
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SeaStar
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| Posted: June 19 2007 at 5:45am | IP Logged
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Jennifer-
Alison's did mention that a lot of the companies all use the same supplier. And he said, ironically, that they like the Chinese wood products over American wood products because the American companies go for cheaper wood. He said he asked one supplier why they do that and was told that the American producers don't care so much about quality- they just want to be able to sell for a cheaper price, since they think that is most important to consumers.
I'm not sure how I feel about that. I can't spend a fortune, but at the same time I don't want to buy junk, you know?
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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JennGM
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| Posted: June 19 2007 at 8:28am | IP Logged
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Thanks for this discussion. Currently I'm mailing back some Wooden Railway Thomas & Friends pieces because of lead paint, so it's a wake up call to me.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Mackfam
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| Posted: June 19 2007 at 2:01pm | IP Logged
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I just posted on this thread my findings on lead paint and KidAdvance. Just thought I'd link here on this thread too in case somebody was searching.
It looks like we're all safe! Heavy sigh of relief!
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Jen Mackintosh
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AndreaG
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| Posted: June 19 2007 at 2:17pm | IP Logged
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Thanks everyone for doing this research- I feel much more at ease!
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Andrea
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Kristin
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| Posted: June 19 2007 at 8:06pm | IP Logged
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FYI - I tested my blue geometric solids for lead paint today (they are inexpensive and some of them have chipped) and the test was negative.  I don't remember where I bought them from but I'm pretty sure it was one of the companies everyone has been talking about. I am relieved by the information that you ladies have found and thank you for the time and effort! 
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Kristee
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| Posted: July 13 2007 at 2:55am | IP Logged
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I've been doing alot of reading, and many of your posts have been so helpful, and I'm so happy. I'm so glad I saw this thread, even though a little late, as I've been concerned about the same thing, esp. about our painted blocks, and other painted wood toys. Some that were used, or given and I have no idea of the source. I have been wondering if it would do any good to apply some kind of non-toxic child safe varnish to them, but I like the idea of having them tested better if not too expensive. Is there a way to test to be sure that the paints used are non-toxic as well as not having lead? I'd sure feel better knowing.
Kristee
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Celeste
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| Posted: July 13 2007 at 9:04am | IP Logged
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This is from an article about the quality of Chinese-made violins:
"And because China is home to some of the planet's last great stands of old-growth forests, the tonewoods used in the instruments also get good reviews both for durability—Zeller admires the tight grain of the spruce tops, the flame of the maple backs, and the warp-free necks on the instruments he's seen and for sound."
I thought this was interesting in light of this discussion about the wood from China.
Thanks for doing the legwork on the paint issues!
Celeste
ETA: link to article
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Mackfam
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| Posted: July 13 2007 at 9:13am | IP Logged
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Thought I'd add as well, that most Montessori suppliers I spoke with prefer Chinese made products if they are wood, because the Chinese wood is superior in quality. Also, most Chinese factories are importing paint from Italy! I think the materials we have purchased are ok in terms of the lead paint issue. The concern for lead paint is in case something chips. If you have a little one who is mouthing objects, I'd keep all my painted things up higher, and provide lots of natural objects for the little one to mouth until they move out of that "investigation through the mouth" stage.
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Jen Mackintosh
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Kristee
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| Posted: July 14 2007 at 1:52am | IP Logged
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Good points. That makes alot of sense to keep the painted things out of reach for the little one. I've been wanting to purchase a few things for my 2 1/2 ds to leave out on a shelf such as the Pink Tower,the Brown Stair, and poss the red rods, etc. What should I do about having them out in light of the little one who is in the "investigating through the mouth" stage?
Do I let him play with those (larger) materials? or keep him occupied with other natural products until he is out of that stage. How long does that usually last? We actually don't have very many natural toys that are not painted, mostly plastic or foam  , but I've been wanting some from Michael Olaf.
Should I be considering getting the Pink Tower in natural wood or just keep the pink painted ones out of reach of my little guy. Sorry if I repeated this, must have sleeep. I guess I'm entering into the keep-the-younger-one-away-from-the-older-child's-work zone.
Kristee
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Mackfam
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| Posted: July 14 2007 at 8:16am | IP Logged
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How big is your little guy? Crawling? Toddling? If he's still just crawling, I'd probably get a really nice basket, something that doesn't have really tall sides, a nice fabric lined basket would be good. Provide a soft, beautiful blanket for baby to sit on with his basket on the blanket, and he will begin to associate this as "his special space." I love the Michael Olaf catalog! They have so many wonderful things in their catalog for the 0-3 space...I'd spend a lot of my time and money there...beautiful things!!! Do you have their catalogs??? Also, I love Magic Cabin Dolls. They have a number of beautiful things in their catalog for little guys. Some of the Haba items are good if you are familiar with that brand, but they are pricey!
Sometime around 2, little ones' worlds start opening up and they begin realizing that they can use their hands and feet to help them explore, and less goes into the mouth. Until then, I'd for sure keep the Pink Tower up (because of the small top cube) and keep the others up on a shelf that your toddler can reach, but is less accessible for the baby. Or perhaps you can put your sensorial items on a cart or in a cabinet and open them up when the baby naps. I know this isn't in keeping with Montessori's ideal for accessibility, but we all have to make some modifications to make this work in a home setting with little ones!
My suggestion would be to purchase some lovely, natural items. If you can sew, you can make many lovely items for the baby's basket - texture blankets, crinkly fabrics, balls, simple dolls, etc. I would divide the group in half and rotate the groups often, that way they always seem fresh and new to the little one.
Keep your area simple for a couple of reasons. Too much stuff will overwhelm the kids and you. You're going to have to do the tidying with the little people, and I have found that if there is too much available, babies get overstimulated and very cranky! That won't be as much of a problem without all of the flashing lights and obnoxious noises, but they still have to process all of the stimuli.
HTH! Have fun setting up your little one's area! How exciting!
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Jen Mackintosh
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Eleanor
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| Posted: July 14 2007 at 10:37am | IP Logged
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Celeste wrote:
This is from an article about the quality of Chinese-made violins:
"And because China is home to some of the planet's last great stands of old-growth forests, the tonewoods used in the instruments also get good reviews both for durability—Zeller admires the tight grain of the spruce tops, the flame of the maple backs, and the warp-free necks on the instruments he's seen and for sound." |
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See, that would be a red flag for our family, rather than a selling point. They're cutting down some of the world's last remaining large old-growth forests, probably on a massive scale (since everything in China seems to happen on a massive scale). Are they replanting and tending enough trees, in the right varieties, to replenish God's gift of the beautiful forests? Or are they just disregarding the need for this?
Countries that are undergoing rapid economic and technological advancement -- especially communist and former-communist countries -- tend to have the worst environmental track records. In fact, the strict environmental regulations in western Europe and the USA are one reason why goods made in those countries cost so much more (and, I'd guess, why manufacturers are inclined to cut corners in other areas, to try to keep prices competitive). While the value of each specific regulation is a prudential judgment, in a more general sense, ecological stewardship is something we can't ignore -- either as Catholics, or as Montessorians. It would seem highly ironic to be using, say, a botany cabinet that's made out of wood from forests that aren't being responsibly harvested.
Of course, we can't spend more than our budgets will allow. And I appreciate a bargain as much as anyone. Just wanted to point out that there are often hidden "costs" that need to be considered.
Some related news articles:
China's Floods: Is Deforestation to Blame? - BBC, 1999
Battling China's Deforestation -- The Guardian, 2001
China is Black Hole of Asia's Deforestation -- AsiaNews.it (Vatican affiliate), 2006
Chinese Demand Drives Global Deforestation -- Reuters, 2007
From the AsiaNews article:
China is the main channel for illegal logging in Asia while the United States, Europe and Japan are the key markets for timber products and furniture coming from countries where the illicit practice is widespread and human rights are ignored.
This was revealed in a report issued in Jakarta today, 24 March, by Forest Trends, the Centre for International Forestry Research, and the Centre for Chinese Agricultural Policy. The report is entitled "China and the Global Market for Forest Products" and is based on five years of research.
It found that about 70 per cent of all timber imported to China, the largest consumer in the world, was converted into furniture, plywood and other processed products for export. Beijing has captured 33 per cent of the global furniture trade over the past eight years, and the thriving business, coupled with its domestic demand for paper and wood products, is devastating forests and forest communities around the world.
"Few consumers realise that the cheap prices they pay are directly linked to the exploitation of some of the poorest people on earth," author Andy White said.
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Topic: Lead paint
