| oliday season is upon us and that means new toys | | | | cutting back on the packaging parents and children will |
| under the tree. The joyous Christmas wonder in a | | | | need to open to get their hands on the goodies inside. |
| child’s eye as he or she unwraps a coveted | | | | “The Seattle-based company plans to start |
| gift, however, can soon turn harmful—even | | | | shipping items in plain brown cardboard boxes, instead |
| deadly—if toy safety concerns aren’t | | | | of putting a pre-boxed or plastically sealed item inside |
| taken into consideration. Unless you’ve got a | | | | another box.” |
| shrink labeled product from a reputable American | | | | Children's toys will now be shipped from this particular |
| manufacturer in your hands, what you get may not be | | | | Internet retailer’s warehouses “in a plain |
| what you hoped for. | | | | brown box with cardboard padding and a plastic bag |
| Shrink wrap labels can ensure that a | | | | holding the toy people and whatnot.” A shrink |
| package’s content originates from its | | | | label adhered to the outside of the brown paper box |
| designated source. That’s good news given | | | | or a hermetically sealed shrink bag inside can verify |
| that “three times as many foreign-made | | | | the safety and security of the contents. |
| products than American-made products were recalled | | | | It is anticipated that other retailers and manufacturers |
| by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) | | | | will soon follow suit in this environmentally friendly |
| in 2008,” according to the Web site | | | | packaging cutback. As they do so, they will turn to the |
| What’s more, toys manufactured in China led | | | | latest shrink label technology. |
| to a widespread lead-contaminant scare in 2007. | | | | Showpack® flat bottom bags, for instance, offer |
| But what further complicates the toy safety situation is | | | | the latest technology in pre-made, side gusseted, true |
| the very packaging that aims at securing the | | | | flat bottom shrink label bags. Their unique format is |
| gift’s contents can quickly become an injury | | | | sure to differentiate a retailer’s product and, |
| trap in and of itself. Indeed, HealthDay reports, | | | | unlike the current brown bag approach, generate |
| “There’s one other hazard parents | | | | attention at the point of purchase. |
| should keep in mind: the packaging the toys come in. | | | | With their wide seals and a stable base, |
| They should move quickly on Christmas morning to | | | | Showpack® bags look great displayed standing up |
| clean up all the mounds of debris left in the wake of | | | | on the shelf, and with registered print on all five panels, |
| gift-giving. | | | | they provide excellent graphics when displayed lying |
| ‘The adult really needs to take away those | | | | down as well. Hermetic shrink seals eliminate |
| packaging materials,’ [the U.S. Consumer | | | | infestation issues and extend shelf life. |
| Product Safety Commission spokesperson] Fleming | | | | Compared to other packaging formats, like multi-wall |
| says, noting such choking hazards as twist-ties, shrink | | | | paper bags, Showpack® bags’ plastic |
| wrap and small plastic anchors. ‘We | | | | construction is sturdy. The bags are also available with |
| don’t want any of the packaging to turn into a | | | | value-added features like press-to-close reclose, slider |
| deadly plaything, so the adult really needs to clean all | | | | reclose and carrying handles. These additional shrink |
| of that up.’” | | | | label measures further ensure the safety integrity of |
| This year, thankfully, one of the top online retailers is | | | | the contents. |