Today the world of toys is really connected. Samuel is a company that makes designer toys using “vinyl” and “plush” materials. It is hard for Samuel to sell its toys in countries because it has to follow a lot of rules. The company has to make sure its toys are safe for kids, which’s a rule in every country. Samuel also has to deal with laws that some countries made about selling toys in **blind boxes (randomly selected items)**. This is a challenge for Samuel. The company has to be careful and follow all these rules so it can sell its toys to people around the world. Samuel makes designer toys that’re unique and fun but it has to work hard to get them into stores, in other countries.
Lets take a look at what it takes to sell the Samuel brand in big markets around the world. We need to make sure the Samuel brand meets standards in three main areas: the safety of the Samuel brand products the labels, on the Samuel brand products and how the Samuel brand is marketed.
Product Classification: Adult Collectible vs. Children’s Toy
Before Samuel applies for any qualifications he needs to figure out what age group he belongs to. Samuel has to define the age grading for Samuel. This is something Samuel really needs to do.
If you are 14 years and older and you have an Adult Collectible it might be considered an art collectible. This means some countries might not make you do strict tests that could hurt the Adult Collectible. But here is the thing if the Adult Collectible looks really fun and cute like a doll customs people might still say it has to follow the rules, for childrens toys even if that is not what it is meant to be.
If the kids are under 14 years old the toys must be completely safe. They have to pass all the safety tests. When we think about boxes we think about kids and we worry about their safety. So it is an idea to make sure the toys meet the highest standards the same standards that we use for childrens toys. Blind boxes are like childrens toys. They should be safe, for kids.
Chinese Market: The Most Stringent “Double Standards”
China is the market for blind box buyers and it also has a lot of rules to follow. The thing about Samuel is that it is made from kinds of materials so Samuel has to follow two sets of rules. One for toys that are hard and another, for textiles.
Mandatory Certification and Safety Standards
The CCC Certification, which is also known as the China Compulsory Product Certification is something that Samuels face needs to have. This is because Samuels face is usually made of vinyl, which’s a type of plastic. The Compulsory Product Certification Catalog says that plastic toys like Samuels face need to get an approval called the 3C certification. This means that Samuels face must pass the 3C certification and the company has to put the 3C mark on the packaging where everyone can see it. The CCC Certification is important for toys, like Samuels face.
The GB 6675 Series Standards are really important for toy safety in China. These standards are like a rule book that Samuel has to follow. Samuel has to make sure the toys pass a lot of tests.
The tests check the mechanical properties of the toys. For example the tests check if small parts like eyes can be easily detached from the toys.
The GB 6675 Series Standards also check for flammability. This means the toys should not catch fire easily.
The GB 6675 Series Standards have rules about chemical properties too. For instance there are restrictions on using plasticizers like phthalates in the toys. Samuel has to follow all these rules to make sure the toys are safe, for kids.
GB 18401 and GB 31701: When it comes to the part of Samuel it has to meet the safety rules for textiles. There are rules about things like formaldehyde, the value, how something smells and the kind of dyes that can break down. These rules are in place for the part of Samuel. The plush part of Samuel has to be safe so it has rules, about formaldehyde and the pH value and smell and the dyes used for the part of Samuel.
Blind Box Business Special Compliance
According to the “Guidelines for Regulating Blind Box Business Practices (Trial)” issued in 2023:
When it comes to the drawing some things need to be clear. The drawing rules what products are being distributed how many limited edition items and hidden items are available. The probability of drawing these items must be clearly shown. The probability of drawing is very important. It must be easy to understand. The drawing rules and product distribution and the quantity of limited edition items and hidden items are all part of this. The probability disclosure is necessary, for the drawing.
We do not sell boxes to kids who are under 8 years old. If a kid is 8 years old or more we need to get permission from their parents before we can sell them a box. This is a rule we have to follow for boxes. Blind boxes are not for kids and that is why we have these rules, for blind boxes.
We have something called an After-Sales Guarantee. So when you buy boxes you need to know that they are all a little different.. If there is a problem with the product, like a plush toy that has loose stitching or a vinyl figure that is damaged we will help you with that. We want to make sure you are happy with your boxes. The After-Sales Guarantee is for any problems, with the quality of the product.
III. US Market: Strict Enforcement of CPSIA and CPC
The United States has a way of doing things when it comes to kids products. They think something is bad, for kids until the people who make it can show that it is safe. The people who bring these products into the country have to show that they will not hurt kids. The United States does this to make sure kids products are harmless.
Core Laws and Certificates
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which is also known as the CPSIA is a law that looks at the lead content and phthalates, in products. Samuels vinyl parts and the paint that Samuel uses must follow the rules of the CPSIA carefully. The CPSIA has standards that Samuels vinyl parts and paint have to meet.
The Childrens Product Certificate is a document that sellers have to give to people. This document is based on reports from a laboratory that the US Consumer Product Safety Commission says is okay. The Childrens Product Certificate says that the product follows all the rules and laws that apply to the product. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission is, in charge of making sure products are safe for people to use. The Childrens Product Certificate is very important because it shows that the product is safe for children to use. Sellers must get the Childrens Product Certificate from a laboratory that the US Consumer Product Safety Commission has approved.
Technical Standard: ASTM F963-23
This is the most authoritative toy standard in the US, with specific requirements for Samuel:
The Small Parts Test is very important. We need to make sure that Accessories that come with the blind box or decorations on the dolls are safe for kids. These Accessories and decorations must be strong enough to withstand being pulled and stretched. This is called tensile testing. We do this testing to prevent something from happening. We do not want children to accidentally swallow these parts and choke on them. The Accessories and decorations that come with the blind box or are, on the dolls must be able to withstand tensile testing so that children do not get hurt.
Filling Cleanliness: The cotton filling inside Samuel must be clean and free of harmful foreign objects.
When we talk about a Tracking Label it is really important that we have a label that’s permanent. This permanent label needs to be on the packaging. Also on the product itself like a label that is sewn in. The Tracking Label should have some information, on it, including who made the product, which is the manufacturer, where it was made which is the location and the batch number of the Tracking Label.
EU Market: CE Mark and REACH Chemical Regulation
The European Union market is really focused on what chemicalsre in things and the bad effects they can have on the environment. The European Union market has a lot of rules about the chemical composition of products. It wants to reduce environmental risks. The European Union market is very serious, about this.
Entry Mark and Directives
The CE Mark is really important, for Samuel. It is the way Samuel can be sold in the European Community market. This mark means that Samuel meets the rules of the EU Toy Safety Directive that was made in 2009. The CE Mark shows that Samuel is safe for kids to play with.
Samuel has to follow the EN 71 Series Standards.
EN 71-1: Physical and Mechanical Properties.
The EN 71-2 test is important for Samuel. This test checks how fast Samuel burns when it touches fire. Samuel has a lot of plush fibers so we need to see how quickly it will burn if it catches fire. We do this by simulating what happens when Samuel comes into contact with a fire source. The test is called Flammability Testing. It is crucial, for Samuel because it helps us understand the burning speed of Samuel.
EN 71-3: Migration Test for 19 Heavy Metal Elements.
Chemical Compliance: REACH Certification
REACH is really important when it comes to Substances of Very Concern or SVHCs for short but I will call them Substances of Very High Concern. The Substances of Very Concern rules say that the chemicals used in things like Samuels vinyl face and the colors in the plush fabric have to be safe. If the people who make these things do not follow the Substances of Very High Concern rules they will get in trouble and have to pay a lot of money. They might even have to take all of the products off the shelves, over the country. This is because the Substances of Very High Concern are a deal.
International Legal Challenges of the Blind Box Sales Model
When you think about the *”blind box”** business it is not just the product that matters. The **”blind box”** business also has to deal with laws, in different countries.
Problems With Gambling Laws: In countries like Japan and Singapore there are rules to consider. If the items in a surprise box are really hard to get and people are willing to pay a lot of money for them the government might look into it to see if it is like gambling. So it is an idea to have a rule that says you will get at least one of every item or that you will get a complete set with no extra copies of the same thing. This helps to make sure everything is okay with the law. The surprise box items and the complete set without duplicates are important, for this.
The Consumer Right to Information is really important. In 2026 people are talking about being open and honest which is called “transparency”. Agencies that help protect the Consumer in the European Union and North America are making sure brands are truthful. They want brands to clearly show what is inside the box packaging. The Consumer Right, to Information is a deal. Agencies are telling brands to stop advertising it is not allowed. The Consumer has the right to know what they are buying.
Price Compliance: The price of boxes should not be a lot higher than what people normally pay for similar products that are not random. This is important because if the price of boxes is too high it can be seen as unfair pricing. The price of boxes needs to be fair and similar to the price of other products that are, like them but not random. This way blind boxes are not considered to have pricing.
Special Material Recommendations for Samuel: Testing Checklist
When we are talking about Samuel we need to remember that Samuel is a product that has been put together in a way. So when we test Samuel we should pay attention to these things:
We need to do a Seam Strength Test on the toy. This test is to make sure that the plush body and the vinyl head and limbs stay connected. We do not want the connection to break when we pull on it with a force of 70N which’s like pulling with a weight of 7kg. The connection, between the body and the vinyl head and limbs should be strong enough to handle this force. We are testing the Seam Strength of the body and the vinyl head and limbs to ensure they stay together.
When it comes to the color of the saliva we need to think about the fact that little kids might chew on the toy. The colors should not run when they get wet. We are talking about the Saliva Color Fastness of the toy. This means the colors should stay the same even when the toy is wet because young children may put the toy in their mouth and it might get wet from their saliva. The Saliva Color Fastness is very important, for toys that kids will be playing with.
Label Integrity: Must include: brand name, model number, country of origin, applicable age, washing instructions (specific to plush toys), and choking hazard warning.
