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I experienced two LEGO "firsts" a couple of weeks ago - I visited the local
Zany Brainy store for the first time to check out their LEGO selection and
while there I discovered the first sets that I had seen stamped with the
words I cringe at, "MADE IN CHINA".
Before proceeding, let me say that I am not any kind of strident political
activist or anyone of any particular high morals or principles. However,
avoiding items that are "MADE IN CHINA" is the one "protest" act that I
actively pursue. This is mainly due to the proddings of my much-more-aware
wife who's interests are more humanitarian and political. While I certainly
see the problems inherent in a society that forces it's population to work
under virtual "slave labor" conditions, for me the botton line is that
products made in China are inevitably cheap, inferior crap.
And to me, that's not what LEGO toys and products should be about.
The two DUPLO sets I found at Zany Brainy that were "MADE IN CHINA" are
http://guide.lugnet.com/set/3263 and http://guide.lugnet.com/set/3264.
These Tez and Google creatures are abominations in and of themselves but
that's a whole other rant that's been worked over many times in these forums.
Obviously, these are not regular LEGO bricks and so perhaps that is the
hair-splitting justification TLC has for farming out the manufacturing to
China. It does make me wonder though if LEGO is making non-Brick/System
pieces in China how much longer will it be before they move ALL their
manufacturing there? And what's that going to mean for the overall quality
of their products? (at this point I could launch into another old favorite
and start lamenting about the fact that newer bricks don't seem to connect
together as well as old ones do, etc.)
At this point I'll end with a couple of questions and comments for my fellow
LEGO-loving fans:
- Does anyone know how prevalent LEGO's use of China based manufacturing is
at the moment? Anyone familiar with other TLC products made there? (I'm
guessing at least some of the LEGOLand souvenir stuff is made there). For
all I know LEGO may have been making things in China for years.
- Am I just being jingo-istic (and euro-centric) in thinking that if LEGO
products across the board begin to be made in China that there will be an
overall reduction in quality?
- Does anyone think LEGO is the kind of company that would NOT move to China
if people raised a stink about it? Or do you think that they'll just be
more concerned with the bottom line - especially considering their earnings
reports from the last couple of years?
Anyway, I've been wanting to vent my mild frustration and dismay at
discovering LEGO products were now being MADE IN CHINA. Wouldn't surprise
me to find out that no one else gives a brick but hey, that's the great
thing about the Internet - any crackpot can moan, grumble and whine about
any old thing they want. But where there's one crank there's usually at
least one more...
So there's my BotW.
Greg
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Message has 11 Replies:
 | | Re: Bummer of the Week: LEGO Made in China
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| (...) I don't see how is that even possible today, unless you live without electricity. (...) Huh? This is not 1970. (...) Please explain. (...) In fact the new one sometimes have very poor connections. That's why the guns on the X-Wing are so (...) (23 years ago, 6-Sep-01, to lugnet.general)
| | | Re: Bummer of the Week: LEGO Made in China
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| As far as quality goes, the same things have been said in the past about manufacturing in Japan, Taiwan and Korea (and probably Singapore, Maylasia, Thailand and the Philippines). The truth is, if cheap crap is going to be made, it will be made (...) (23 years ago, 6-Sep-01, to lugnet.general, lugnet.duplo, lugnet.dear-lego)
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