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Polyurethane (PU) is a polymeric material with excellent physical and chemical properties and can be used to make various toy products such as stuffed and elastic ones. In other words, polyurethane and thermoplastic polyurethane are essential components to children’s and pet’s toys. Not only do they have great durability, but they also have an easy processing method.
In the following paper, some characteristics of polyurethane foams and their popularity in toy production industry are discussed.
Flexible polyurethane foam toys
Flexible PU foam is a versatile compound, designed for various applications. Since PU foams have low density, softness and good elasticity, can be used to make stuffed toys, such as dolls and mats. In the following, some bold characteristics of polyurethanes that have made them a selective choice in the toy industry are discussed:
- Light and soft: The PU foam material is very light and soft, and it will not bring harm to children when using it.
- Good elasticity: The PU foam toy ball has good elasticity, can be used in various sports and games, and can also return to its original shape after being squeezed or twisted.
- Rich colors: The PU foam toy balls are very rich in colors, allowing children to play visual stimulation and color recognition games. Also, the foam can be painted after production process.
- Safety and environmental protection: PU foam toy ball is an environmentally friendly material that does not contain harmful substances and is not harmful to children’s health.
- High durability: PU foam toy balls are very durable, can withstand long-term use and repeated pressing operations, and have a long service life.
- Great moldability and processing conditions: Polyurethane foam toys can process different shape according to the difference of mold. Also, their properties such as color and hardness can be adjusted according to different needs.
Types of polyurethane foam toys
As mentioned just before, polyurethane materials particularly polyurethane foams have gained special attention in the toy industry. Since they are versatile materials, with slight changes in formulation, different properties can be achieved. Following this, characteristics of different types of popular polyurethane foams are considered.
- Cold cure flexible foam: High resilience polyurethane foams, also known as cold cure foams, have an open cell structure and offer excellent physical and mechanical properties, including high resilience, good long-term durability, and fine load bearing capabilities. In other words, these foams are durable even after applying cyclic loading.
- Memory foam: Memory foams are made from viscoelastic polyurethane foams. This foam exhibits a responsive behavior to temperature, meaning it can easily change its shape under body heat and applied pressure. Therefore, they are mainly used to make squishy toys (stress relief). Generally, the higher the foam density, the better its durability.
- Integral skin (self-skinning) foam: Prior to the production of integral foams, soft foams were primarily used for manufacturing various toys. Flexible polyurethane foams had a thin skin that would get damaged under high forces. However, in certain applications, including pet toys, higher properties such as abrasion resistance and resistance to chemicals were required. This is where integral foams came into play. These polyurethane foams, due to their durable skin, exhibited better longevity compared to flexible foams.
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Stress relief toys (squishy toys)
Stress relief is one of the biggest benefits of squishy toys. These toys can be produced in various shapes and sizes and they are suitable for people of all ages. There are various types of toys produced with polyurethane foams that can be used in different situations, including for play, education, sports, decorative objects, pet accessories, etc. Each of these toys has its own specific characteristics and advantages. Therefore, it can confidently be said that polyurethane toys are unique compared to other toys in terms of various aspects such as softness, texture, tear resistance, durability, recyclability, etc.
It is worth mentioning that these PU foam toys can be cast by hand as well as by machine in silicone or metal molds and meet various international testing standards, such as EN71, phthalate, ROHS, etc.
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In the end, it can be said that polyurethanes have unique characteristics such as softness and comfortable feel, beautiful and cute appearance, durability and resiliency that have made them one of the toys that children love. These toys are safe and non-toxic, harmless and cost-effective, which meet various international testing standards.
