What materials are used for toy building blocks? ——Revealing the manufacturing secrets of safety and environmental protection
In recent years, toy building blocks have become an important tool for early childhood education, and the safety of their materials has become the focus of parents' attention. With the improvement of environmental awareness and the improvement of industry standards, the material selection of toy building blocks has also gone through many iterations. This article will combine the hot topics on the Internet in the past 10 days to analyze the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages and applicable scenarios of the current mainstream building materials, and attach a structured data comparison.
1. Background of hot topics: Environmental protection and safety have become core concerns
Recently, on social platforms, topics such as #ArePlasticToys Toxic# and #Children’s Toys Environmental Protection Regulations have sparked heated discussions. The EU's latest toy safety directive (revised version 2023/9) puts forward stricter limits on plastic plasticizer content, and many domestic toy brands have also announced the use of degradable materials. The following are the top five types of building materials that are most discussed among netizens:
| Material type | Discuss the popularity index | main focus |
|---|---|---|
| ABS plastic | 4.8★ | Durability, chemical safety |
| Plant-based plastic | 4.5★ | degradability, cost |
| wood | 4.2★ | Natural materials, anti-mildew treatment |
| Silicone | 3.9★ | Flexibility, difficulty of cleaning |
| Recycled PET | 3.7★ | Environmental protection, color performance |
2. In-depth analysis of mainstream building materials
1.ABS plastic: An industrial standard material that currently accounts for over 60% of the market and is mainly used by brands such as Lego. Its features include:
| Project | parameters |
|---|---|
| Impact resistance | ≥50kJ/m² |
| working temperature | -20℃~80℃ |
| Security certification | Passed EN71-3 heavy metal test |
Advantages: High-precision injection molding, bright colors; Disadvantages: non-degradable, petroleum-based raw materials.
2.Plant-based plastic: Emerging environmentally friendly materials, using sugarcane fiber as the main raw material:
| Project | parameters |
|---|---|
| Biodegradation rate | 90% in 6 months |
| carbon footprint | 43% less than ABS |
| Unit price cost | 35-50% higher than ABS |
Representative brands: Green Toys (USA), Woobiboo (Sweden).
3. Material safety purchasing guide
According to data from the National Toy Quality Supervision and Inspection Center, qualified building blocks should meet the following standards:
| Test items | safety threshold | Test method |
|---|---|---|
| Phthalates | ≤0.1% | GB/T 22048 |
| Lead content | ≤90mg/kg | GB 6675.4 |
| Formaldehyde release | ≤1.5mg/L | GB 18580 |
4. Expert advice and industry trends
Li Ming, secretary-general of the China Toy Association, pointed out: "In 2024, more brands will adopt mixed material solutions, such as ABS + plant fiber composite materials, which can maintain strength and improve environmental protection." Consumers should pay attention to the following when purchasing:
• Look for the CCC certification mark on the packaging
• Give priority to wooden building blocks with "FSC certification"
• Avoid buying low-priced products with pungent smells
With the development of biotechnology, new materials such as mushroom mycelium and algae plastic have entered the experimental stage. In the future, toy building blocks will develop in a safer and more sustainable direction.
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