Quality & Safety of our products
So that the joy of our creations lasts for a long time, we not only place high demands on the quality and safety of our products, but also on their production. We work with accredited suppliers, subject our products to independent testing procedures and carry out the final quality check ourselves. On this page you will find out exactly what we value when it comes to product quality and safety.
Production with responsibility
From the first product idea to illustration and purchasing, we develop our products at our headquarters near Hamburg. By contrast, we outsource our production. As a member of the leading international business association amfori, which is committed to improving working conditions in global supply chains, all our production facilities are subject to social standards, such as the BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative), SEDEX, ICTI or SA8000.
However, we see ourselves as partners, and advise our production facilities on new and further certifications, providing organisational or monetary support for this. In doing so, we can keep track of abnormalities in the report and personally ensure that the requirements are being properly implemented by visiting our Depesche employees on site. Because we stand for fair wages and working conditions as well as environmentally friendly production standards. With these shared values in mind, we are proud that we can look back on a long-term and fair cooperation with our national and international partners and look forward to many more years.
Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC
Developing and illustrating toy ideas is one of the best tasks in our industry. Producing them is a sensitive issue where strict legal requirements must be met to ensure health and safety. So that children can use our products worry-free, all our toys comply with the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC. As certified specialists for toy safety, our product managers carry out a conformity assessment and have the articles tested by external testing institutes. We provide our customers with statement to this effect in their customer account for download. In addition, our toy items are marked with the required UKCE mark, the manufacturer's instructions and any necessary warnings on the product or packaging.
European toy standard DIN EN71
Whether plush, hand puppet or rubber ball, our toys comply with DIN EN 71-1 and 2 and therefore meet the requirements of the test methods for mechanical and physical properties and flammability.
In 2019, DIN EN71-3, relating to the release of harmful substances from children's toys, was published, according to which all our toys are tested. Toys from our company that are intended for children under 3 years of age also comply with EN71-12. In addition, depending on the nature of our products, we have them tested for SVHCs and, if necessary, also subject them to a CLP test, a microbial test or a check for plasticisers and heavy metals. We have the results documented in a test report and, upon request, can make these available, along with the safety data sheets of corresponding products.
Other standards, guidelines & quality tests
- Electronic toy items as well as electronic items for children that come from our company comply with the Electronic Toy Safety Standard DIN EN IEC 62115:2020 and the A11:2020
- Products from our company that are intended for food contact are produced with no BPA and PFAS. They comply with Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004 and the German § 31 LFGB (Food, Commodities and Feed Code). We always comply with the material-specific limit values for plastic, porcelain and stainless steel and have them independently tested.
- The formula of all products in our beauty range for children is subject to strict criteria. The products also undergo stability tests and safety assessments carried out by independent third parties. We do not use parabens in this range and comply with all limit values of the EU Cosmetics Directive. In addition, all cosmetics items from our company are gluten-free, are tested for critical allergens and the ingredients are listed on the packaging. All suppliers of cosmetic products are accredited.
- We ensure compliance with REACH
- Products that are intended for children but are not toys are also manufactured and tested in accordance with the aforementioned standards and guidelines.
- A final quality check is carried out at our Geesthachter headquarters for our internal quality assurance.
Deutscher Verband der Spielwarenindustrie e.V.
To make sure we are always up to date with toy safety, we make use of the DVSI's expertise. As a member of the German Toy Industry Association, we take advantage of events such as Safety Day or Sustainability Day, as well as numerous webinars, to inform ourselves in good time about changes and improvements to guidelines, regulations and laws, and to optimise our processes.