How HABA pacifier chains are made

The anticipation of a baby is the greatest joy. And it comes with many small and large preparations – among them the question of baby starter equipment. In addition to clothing, a crib and a stroller, pacifiers of course must not be missing. One or more are usually always with you – whether the little ones are at home or on the go. If the favorite pacifier is lost or has fallen and become dirty, tears often follow. A simple remedy are pacifier chains made of wood or textile, which can be attached quickly and securely to the child's clothing with a clip.

But pacifier chains are not only practical everyday companions and lovely gifts for a birth, they also playfully stimulate the senses of the little ones: the colorful parts made of wood or textile invite grasping and thus provide first tactile experiences. Particularly exciting for babies is discovering acoustic elements like little bells or rattling plastic rings. In short: pacifier chains are small but versatile all-rounders. However, their development and production are considerably more complex than they appear at first glance, because many months pass from the designer's first idea to the finished product that arrives at the little customers' homes.

But not only the development of a pacifier chain is a very complex process; even the word itself has a lot going on, as our big pacifier-chain ABC shows:

S like safety tests

C like having passed chemical testing

H like high-quality wood and manufactured in Germany

N like standards

U like non-hazardous

L like solvent-free water-based paints and stains

L like many years of experience

E like starter equipment for babies

R like raw materials from sustainable cultivation

K like child-friendly design

Elike external testing procedures

T like testing, testing, testing

T like textiles

E like easy to attach

Idea generation with the little ones

Many creative minds are at work in HABA's design department. They draw, design, craft, test and continuously optimize … until the designers and the product managers are satisfied with the drafts for the new products. But before that, it first needs a spark of an idea – and that is different for each designer. 'I get ideas when I play with children or watch them interact with things, build and stack, knock things over or “repurpose” them. I learn a lot from that – above all, to keep or try to see things through a child's eyes. I then incorporate that into my designs,' explains Mirka Schröder, who has been working in HABA's design department since 2013. She develops, among other things, wooden and textile products for the baby/toddler sector.

Extensive testing

Based on sketches and construction drawings, first self-made prototypes are finally created. And already here it is: test, test, test. 'Pacifier chains, they've really got it,' says Mirka Schröder from years of experience. 'They look so simple: a few little figures and beads strung together, finished. Not at all! You wouldn't believe how many different tests a pacifier chain has to pass before it is ready for series production.' Already in the design department the prototypes are tested not only for play value but also for safety, e.g. with template and impact tests. Afterwards the prototypes are thoroughly tested by the strict in-house quality assurance as well as by external independent testing institutes. Each HABA product thus goes through several stages of quality assurance and is constantly optimized.

HABA's all-round high quality

Wood from sustainable forestry

At HABA we have a principle: toys are only as good as their material and workmanship. That is why we pay attention to high quality when selecting materials. And we continuously check their processing – both in our own production and at our suppliers. This also applies, for example, to HABA pacifier chains made of textile, which are developed in-house and manufactured by external long-term partner companies that we have carefully selected and whose production we regularly visit on site. HABA pacifier chains made of wood are produced exclusively at the company site in Bad Rodach.

Wood is one of the most beautiful and natural raw materials there is for us. That is why wooden products have been an indispensable part of the HABA range since the company was founded 80 years ago. The robust beech wood that we use, among other things, for our pacifier chains comes from sustainable forestry in German forests located within a radius of 150 km around our company site.

Solvent-free paints and stains

In almost all toddler toys, shape and color form an inseparable unit – and the same goes for pacifier chains. The finely worked wooden elements only get their distinctive appearance through the bright colors and printed, lovingly designed motifs. That we use exclusively solvent-free, water-based paints and stains here is a matter of course. 'Toddlers explore many things with their mouths. Toys get slobbered on and nibbled. Everything here simply has to be absolutely safe,' explains Matthias Löhnert, who is responsible for quality safety of HABA toys. 'All HABA toddler toys – whether made of wood, plastic, fabric or other materials – go through strict in-house quality assurance as well as external testing procedures by TÜV Rheinland.'

Safety is a priority

Trust is good, control is better, as the saying goes. We believe: many years of experience are very good, strict controls are essential and maximum safety is the be-all and end-all. This means that HABA products have to endure quite a bit before they make it to customers' homes: chemical testing procedures, for example, but also template tests and mechanical safety tests.

Template tests

Both HABA designers and the staff of the in-house quality assurance carry out template tests. These ensure two things: first, that the elements of a product are large enough that children under three years old cannot put them into their mouths and thus possibly swallow them.

Second, they check that elements – such as the plastic clip of the pacifier chains – always have a diameter of less than 25 mm, so that there is no choking hazard even if they get into the mouth.

Furthermore, the testers of course also ensure that the overall length of the products is chosen so that there is no risk of strangulation. In the case of pacifier chains this means: they are not longer than 22 cm.

Soak test and pull test

Before all other tests the so-called soaking test is carried out. The wooden toys or pacifier chains made of wood are fully immersed in water a total of 4 times for 4 minutes each, with a 10-minute pause in between. 'Afterwards every graspable part is pulled with a tool with 10 kg for 10 seconds,' explains Matthias Löhnert. 'The standard actually requires only 9 kg for toddler toys and pacifier chains. For us it is an additional safety aspect to add another kilogram on top. After all the tests no swallowable small parts may come off.'

Impact and drop tests

In the so-called impact test a weight of 1 kg is dropped once from a height of 10 cm onto the toy. When pacifier chains are tested, the same weight from the same height is dropped a total of 5 times. In the drop test pacifier chains – and toys in general – are dropped a total of 5 times from a height of 137 cm. With this HABA goes beyond the requirement of the European standard, which only prescribes a drop height of 85 cm, and follows the stricter US requirements. Since both the impact and the drop tests are always carried out at HABA, the products have to withstand quite a lot.

Check for saliva and sweat resistance

In principle all grasping toys, building blocks and pacifier chains are tested by TÜV Rheinland LGA Nuremberg for saliva and sweat resistance according to DIN 53160. 'Internally we monitor the requirements by soaking a cloth with a saliva and sweat simulation and rubbing it several times under pressure over the polished wooden parts,' explains Matthias Löhnert.

Compliance with all relevant standards

Our products, in terms of material and workmanship, comply with all European and national regulations for toy safety and also meet the US standards, specifically the ASTM Standard Consumer Safety Specification on Toy Safety (F 963).

They comply with the European Toy Directive (2009/48/EC) and meet the requirements of the EU General Product Safety Directive (2001/95/EC) and the EU standard for toy safety (EN 71). Another important standard in the production of baby and toddler products is the pacifier-holder standard EN 12586. Every HABA pacifier chain is externally tested by TÜV Rheinland.

HABA pacifier chains feature clips made of high-quality, sturdy plastic that fully meet the applicable standards. The clips have a diameter of less than 25 mm, which means that no additional ventilation openings are required.

Other accessories for the baby

The HABA pacifier-chain ABC has made it clear: a lot more effort goes into developing a pacifier chain than appears at first glance. But also stroller chains or grasping toys, play gyms or mobiles experience a lot as part of the elaborate production and testing process. Once they have gotten through this well, however, they can devote themselves to their real task: accompanying the little ones well through everyday life from the very beginning, entertaining them, creating good moods and bringing a smile to their faces.