NEW YORK, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Toy companies from around the world have expressed optimism that Chinese manufacturers would soon resume full production, adding that supply chains have not been rattled.
Luc Schwartau, director of the France-based Dolce Toys, said the company's major partner factory in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen has already resumed operation.
"I personally feel China should get a lot more credit as in how they fight against the coronavirus," Schwartau told Xinhua at the annual Toy Fair in New York City.
Christopher Tidwell, CEO of Magformers, said some major partner factories in south China's Guangdong Province produces approximately two million sets of toys for the company. While production was delayed for three to four weeks because of the COVID-19 outbreak, he is optimistic now that factory workers have returned.
"If they (factories) start now and continue to resume production, we are talking about loss in the slowest period of the year, that's the silver lining," he noted.
Tidwell said the company, which specializes in magnetic children's toys, is now managing inventory more carefully in order to tackle temporary production shortages.
The 2020 Toy Fair New York, a four-day event that concluded Tuesday, has drawn more than 1,000 exhibitors from around the world to showcase some 150,000 toys, games and youth entertainment products.
Dolce Toys' new product Safari Adventure, an educational plush set that includes a monkey, a lion, a hippopotamus and an elephant, is a finalist for this year's Toy of the Year Awards, also known at the "Oscars" of the toy industry. With various colors, sounds and textures, the set offers children entertainment as well as visual and auditory learning opportunities.
Although a toy like that looks simple to make, the manufacturing process is a sophisticated one, as the toy is made of dozens of different fabrics, and many of the details are handmade, according to Schwartau.
He said only China has the whole supply chain to produce such high quality products at relatively low costs, making China irreplaceable in the industry.
"Almost everything is made in China here (at the Toy fair). It's naive to say (we could) move production to another country," he added.
Data showed that Chinese toy manufacturers produce around 75 percent of global toys annually.
Using the United States as an example, Schwartau said the price of his products would double or even triple if manufactured by U.S. factories. Consumers would then be turned away by the high retail price.
"Ultimately, China is making all the toys for our children," he said. "The world depends on China very much."
Echoing Schwartau, Andrew Sparkes, SVP & general manager of Playview Brands, said he had looked at other countries to source goods before the COVID-19 outbreak, but taking quality, timing and pricing all into account, he could not find an alternative.
One of the company's main products is BUNKR Battle Zones, a line of inflatable battlefield obstacles that can be stacked together to create fighting positions or fortified hiding spots for Nerf battles.
"I'm not sure we are ready to move just because of this. It is not that big of an issue for me," said Sparkes, adding that the company has developed great relationships in China.
