Baby bathtubs: R&D emphasizes functionality

Under efforts to boost exports, China makers of baby potties and bathtubs are releasing more user-friendly and ergonomic designs while keeping prices stable and maintaining quality.

This comes even as the industry remains primarily OEM-driven and suppliers are generally unwilling to invest in product development due to prohibitive costs, including that of molds.

In fact, most manufacturers resort to basic one-piece injection-molded items.

Nevertheless, makers continue to expand selections by introducing models with improved convenience and comfort.

For instance, they consider how products can assist parents, particularly with clean up.

Potties can feature drawer-style constructions that allow easy pull out and replacement of receptacles. Guards protect the body and clothes from splashes. Some are even equipped with light or music indicators that signal when the toilet has just been used.

Multifunction tubs, meanwhile, have sections with plastic plates or baskets for storage and a portion that can be converted into a changing table by attaching the included pad. Such designs also have steel tubular stands.

As regards ergonomics, companies have released tubs with specially designed bottoms that allow for better sitting and reclining.

Baby potties from China commonly come in ABS and PP. Items may be classified as stools or ride-on designs.

The most basic are one-piece injection-molded models with or without lids that go for $0.50 to $1.50. Straddle-type versions with backrests and handles are priced between $1.50 and $3. Quoted at $3 and above, multifunction pieces usually have KD constructions. Some double as toys or play furniture.

To make products more attractive to children, suppliers have introduced potties in novelty shapes such as horses, rabbits, sheep, pandas, bears and frogs, while others are printed with cartoon images. Ride-on animal designs have wheels. Moreover, some pieces entice babies with music.

In addition, new items emphasize practicality.

Ningbo Beibeile Baby Products Co. Ltd has released a model with four separate sections, namely, the base, seat with side handles, receptacle and cover. The seat can be affixed atop a regular toilet when the child outgrows the potty, while the remaining parts can be converted into a stool or ladder.

Meanwhile, bathtubs from China are typically classified according to the material used. Hard or compact models are made of ABS, PP or PE. Inflatable designs come in PVC or PE. Most products have flat bottoms, detachable support inserts, slip-resistant backs and seats, and stands.

Simpler items are $1 to $2, while those with more features exceed $3. Many midrange and high-end models have add-ons such as drain plugs, a temperature indicator, an anti-slip handle, a nonskid surface, and an internal mesh sling or cradle.

Prices of baby potties and bathtubs depend primarily on the cost of plastic and molding. Low-end pieces are expected to remain stable in the next six months unless spending for the material rises significantly. A 5 to 10 percent increase in quotes of midrange and high-end models, on the other hand, is likely.

The last comes as suppliers extend material options to include safer variations in response to heightened environmental awareness. Such inputs are procured in South Korea, Taiwan or Japan and undergo additional testing. This naturally brings up manufacturing costs and, consequently, prices.

Most suppliers in mainland China consider baby potties and bathtubs as secondary categories accounting for 5 to 15 percent of total output. Many of these companies have high chairs, playpens or inflatable toys as their primary products.

Given the ease of entry into the line, it is difficult to estimate the number of businesses in the industry. Most are composed of fewer than 100 workers and have a capacity topping 30,000 pieces per month. It is also common in these factories to use recycled materials to lower manufacturing outlay by about 20 to 30 percent.

Midsize and large companies are stricter regarding sourcing, production, QC and certification.

This article "Baby bathtubs: R&D emphasizes functionality" is originally posted in Global Sources.

Shantou Zhisheng Plastics Co. Ltd
Ningbo Beibeile Baby Products Co. Ltd