Poor fabric quality results in Colorful Hearts Build-a-Bear recall

Build-A-Bear Workshops have some work to do on their reputation for safety.  While they do produce an adorable line of self-stuff soft animal pals, their record of assuring product safety has been tarnished in the past six months.

Just before Christmas, on December 23, 2011, Build-a-Bear Workshops issued their third product safety recall since August 2011.  The most recent recall is due to a potential choking hazard on certain production runs of the 16” Colorful Hearts Teddy Bears.  According to their website, the company advised consumers that the production runs involved in the recall used “substandard fabric which can tear around the eye possibly resulting in the eye falling out of the bear.”

The plastic eyeball, if released, would be a small part that could create a choking hazard for young children.  No injuries have been reported, but Build-a-Bear is recalling the products in an act of due caution and concern for the safety of the consumers who have purchased the bears.

Sales of affected product in the USA include 284,000 bears, with another 13,200 sold in Canada.  Produced in China, the bears in the USA and Canada were sold in Build-a-Bear retail and online (www.buildabear.com) stores between April and December 2011.

Consumers who identify that their bear is involved in the recall should stop using the bear immediately and return the product to their local Build-a-Bear Workshop location for an in-store exchange coupon.  The company can be contacted directly by phone at 866-236-5683, or on their website www.buildabear.com.

To see other Build-a-Bear recalls in 2011, see below.

Build-A-Bear Recalls Colorful Hearts Teddy Bears Due to Choking Hazard (December 23, 2011)

Build-A-Bear Recalls Teddy Bear Swimwear Set Due to Strangulation Hazard (November 16, 2011)

Build-A-Bear Workshop Recalls Lapel Pins Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard (August 4, 2011)

BUG BOOTIES GET THE BOOT!

An infant as young as 4 months is mastering the ability to grasp and hold objects in their hands for extended lengths of time.  Almost everything they grasp goes into their mouth. If the child isn't holding a toy, rattle, or teether, he or she will find the next closest thing - their foot, clothing, or anything within their sphere of babyhood. 

When choosing clothing for young children, care should be taken to consider that while little ornaments and doo-dads are indeed fun and cute - they may also be quite deadly to a child who doesn't know the consequences of putting a small part in the mouth. It is best to keep ornamentation on infant and preschool clothing to embroidery or prints.  This is one way to decrease a child's unintentional access to small points.

On May 11th, another example of cute and potentially harmful clothing was take off the market.  Meijer Inc., a retailer headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan has joined with the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) to voluntarily recall their Bumble Bee and Lady Bug Infant Slipper Socks.   

About 17,400 of these slippers were sold in Meijer stores in five mid-western and southern states - Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio.  The affected product, manufactured in China and retailed for $4.00, was sold from June 2009 through March 2011.

These little booties are adorable, but the concern is with the small pompoms that are sewn onto the bug’s antennae.  The soft balls may be able to be detached, posing a potential choking hazard to children under three years of age. These slippers were designed to fit infants from birth to 12 months of age.  The recall was initiated after Meijer became aware of one incident of a ball separating from the bug antennae and was found in the child’s crib. Fortunately, the ball was removed and no injury occurred.

photo from Meijer

CPSC describes the details of the items in there press release as:

“Falls Creek brand infant slipper socks, including yellow and black Bumble Bee Slipper Socks, UPC 80640907401, and red and black Lady Bug Slipper Socks, UPC 80640907402. The UPC is located on the sock’s hangtag. They were sold in infant size 0-12 months.” 

Consumers are warned to remove these booties immediately so children do not have access to them.  Call Meijer at (800) 927-8699 for refund.  For further details check the company website.