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Product Magazines: Product Trends |
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CHILDREN love a teddy bear and Teddy WarmHeart loves them back. The innovative soft toy Ä made by PMS Int'l Far East Ltd Ä has a sewn-in, non-toxic, warming heart which gives out body heat for up to four hours.
Developed by a NASA research engineer to provide comfort for children in hospital, the toy's "heart" contains Thermal Ceramix, a patented product that heats up but never burns.
The cuddly, 12-inch-high plush Teddy WarmHeart works after a one-minute "hibernation" inside its own sleeping bag, inside a microwave oven. The soft toy retains its heat for up to four hours. No batteries, chemicals or wires are used. PMS offers a safety message in five languages, cautioning that an adult should heat the bear in the microwave.
Plush comes from Taiwan and Thermal Ceramix from the US. The teddy bear, which has undergone laboratory testing to ensure that it meets consumer safety standards, is packaged in an attractive open-touch box.
PMS has been producing toys, gifts and novelties since 1992. It has factories in China and Hong Kong. The company is seeking trading partners in a number of key markets in Europe, and Australasia, where it has exclusive rights to market the product. A commitment to a vigorous campaign of television advertising will be an essential part of any contract, says PMS managing director Paul Beverley.
The price of Teddy WarmHeart is US$8.90 FOB Hong Kong each. Minimum order size is 1,625 pieces and delivery takes 35 days.
Written by Roger Cave
PHYSIOTHERAPISTS recognise that correct posture is an important health issue for patients when asleep as well as when awake.
The Sunniport adjustable pillow was designed by Leung Shui-man, a physiotherapist in private practice in Hong Kong. Leung describes it as "the pillow to fit the user, easy to use and very
comfortable".
The pillow, made by Sun Trend Int'l Co, is an improvement on other models because it can be adjusted to the needs of individual users and because it is soft but supportive. It is manufactured from high-quality linen and fire-resistant, high-resilience polyester fibre from South Korea.
The company also manufactures joint-support products for use in rehabilitation and the treatment of sports injuries.
The Sunniport pillow has been tested by Leung and colleagues at his physiotherapy clinic and he says that patients report good results. The pillow features three chambers. Each is filled with a controlled quantity of non-allergenic polyester fibre. The middle chamber contains less polyester so that the neck is supported while the head is allowed to lie flat.
A zip at one side allows users to "customise" the pillow by moving fibre from chamber to chamber. Leung targets the US as the main market but he is prepared to export worldwide. He believes the Sunniport pillow will sell well through mail order.
Minimum order is one TEU (about 2,000 units). Delivery time is 60 days and the price is US$8 FOB Hong Kong each.
Written by Roger Cave
SEE and be seen is the motto for safety-conscious cyclists, especially at night. Trail Blazer is a revolutionary cycle safety light system produced by Ascot Pacific Ltd.
Trail Blazer lights are red strip lights in yellow plastic casings with fittings either end to attach to the bicycle wheels. They give other road users a clear visual warning of a cyclist approaching from the side. The lights should be used in conjunction with conventional front and rear lights and are not intended to replace them.
The Trail Blazer achieves maximum side-view visibility because the light is fixed on the spokes of the bicycle wheel and rotates with it as it turns, creating a large field of light. The unit attaches, at one end, to the wheel hub and the tyre valve. It is adjustable to fit most wheel sizes.
A series of battery-powered red lights is activated on both sides of the unit when the mode button is pressed. The light has three operating functions: the first turns all the lights on, the second pulses the lights and the third causes the lights to flash.
The Trail Blazer is made of ABS polycarbonate and nylon from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Manufacturing takes place in a 70,000-square-foot factory in China, which employs 800 workers. Development manager Paul Robbins says, "We oversee all production and quality control at our factory in China."
Minimum order is 3,000 pieces and delivery takes 30-45 days. Prices are available on request.
Written by Roger Cave
ULTRA Int'l Enterprises Co's Wedgie is an inflatable upright cushion that can be used in three positions to support the user's back and increase comfort.
It was invented by an American designer who found that he lacked support when lying on the carpet playing television games with his daughter. The wedge-shaped design features a flap, which the user sits or lies on and which anchors the chair in position. Each side of the Wedgie forms a different angle to aid muscular support. The product is hard-wearing and versatile and can be used both indoors and out.
Business executive Ginnie Wong says it can be used for "outdoor concerts, picnics, fishing, on the beach, sports and watching TV". Ultra, a subsidiary of Overnine Corpn, its 20-year-old Taiwanese parent, was formed in 1993 and has a worldwide sole manufacturing agreement with the US designer.
The company manufactures the Wedgie at its 165,000-square-foot factory in China with 250 workers. Flocked PVC, used to cover the cushion, is imported from Taiwan.
Wong says the Wedgie is patented in the US and other patents are pending. She says that Ultra is seeking for distribution in all areas of the world except the US, where an exclusive contract has already been established. "The Wedgie could make an ideal promotional aid", if a company logo or an event's symbol is printed on the material, Wong says.
The minimum order is 1,200 pieces and delivery time 60-75 days. Each chair sells for US$3.95 FOB Hong Kong.
Written by Roger Cave
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