Bear Paw Creek Helps Enrich Lives Through Music and Movement Products

Miller MO: January 14, 2021 - As the coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt communities, entrepreneur Janet Stephens is stepping up her efforts to enhance lives with her innovative music and movement products.

Through her Bear Paw Creek business, Mrs Stephens is helping to inspire and educate children by equipping teachers, therapists, and parents with a host of products to promote an environment of learning and enjoyment through creative movement and music.

And with the advent of the global pandemic leading to social distancing and virtual classrooms, Bear Paw Creek is now offering all-inclusive individual student kits.

Mrs Stephens started the business more than 20 years ago and has developed all of their products based on customer feedback. "Music and movement helps to develop healthy minds and bodies of all ages," she said. "At Bear Paw Creek, we offer products proudly made in the USA, that seek to enrich the lives of others."

Their colorful products include tactile-friendly music and movement props such as Stretchy Bands to balloon balls, beanbags, scarves, ribbon and chiffon streamers, classroom sets, music and instruments, bags and totes.

One of their innovations is the Connect-a-Stretchy Band which has a buckle system that allows you to use their popular stretchy bands either straight or buckled into a circle. 

"Music stimulates both sides of the brain, lifts our spirits and makes tedious activities seem fun. Incorporating our products with motion and music brings all the excellent physical and emotional benefits of exercise, strengthening our muscles, and improving coordination," added Mrs Stephens.

The company was initially created and inspired by her sister, Kathy Schumacher MT-BC, a traveling music therapist who expressed the need for higher quality music therapy props. Janet opened the business in 2000, meshing her love of sewing with the creation of a unique line of music and movement props in addition to solutions for organizing and transporting them. 

Bear Paw Creek’s core values have remained the same over the years: commitment to the people who use their products and enthusiasm for how their customers improve others' lives. 

For more information, give them a call at (417) 823-0259 or email: iThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To learn more about their products visit https://BearPawCreek.com.

Allergenic Fragrance Requirements Strengthened in EU Toy Safety Directive

On December 15, 2020, the European Union (EU) published two directives to revise the two lists regulating the presence of allergenic fragrances in toys. The provisions in the directives will strengthen EU requirements on allergenic fragrances under Directive 2009/48/EC, the Toy Safety Directive (TSD).

The two directives – (EU) 2020/2088 and (EU) 2020/2089 – update the lists under Point 11 of Part III in Annex II of the TSD. These lists are:

  • ‘Prohibited List’ – contains 55 allergenic fragrances. Their presence is allowed if it is technically unavoidable under good manufacturing practice (GMP) and each fragrance is no more than 100 mg/kg. These substances should not be used intentionally
  • ‘Labeling List’ – contains 11 allergenic fragrances. These require their name to be listed on the toy, on an affixed label, on the packaging, or in the accompanying leaflet if their concentrations are greater than 100 mg/kg

The changes brought in by the two directives are:

Directive (EU) 2020/2089:

  • Deletes methyl heptine carbonate (CAS 111-12-6, entry 10) from the ‘Labeling List’
  • Three allergenic fragrances added to the ‘Prohibited List’:
    1. Atranol (CAS 526-37-4)
    2. Chloroatranol (CAS 57074-21-2)
    3. Methyl heptane carbonate (CAS 111-12-6)

Directive (EU) 2020/2088:

  • Two additional enantiomers (CAS 1117-61-9 and 7540-51-4) added to citronellol under Entry 4 of the ‘Labeling List’
  • 61 new entries added to the ‘Labeling List’ – some of which contain more than one CAS number

Following these changes, the ‘Prohibited List’ now contains 58 fragrances and the ‘Labeling List’ now contains 71 entries.

Member States are required to transpose these provisions into their national laws by July 4, 2022, with the provisions becoming effective on July 5, 2022.

SGS EU Toy Directive Services

SGS offers a wide range of services to ensure that products comply with the EU Toy Safety Directive. They offer training, safety/risk assessment, technical documentation check, labelling review, testing according to harmonized standards, SVHC screening, inspections and audits. They have the world’s largest network of toy experts and testing facilities, including around 20 toy laboratories and three 3 EU Notified Bodies (France, Germany and Netherlands). In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested. Learn more about SGS’s EU Toy Directive Services. 

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full EU Strengthens Requirements on Allergenic Fragrances in Toy Safety Directive SafeGuardS. ]

Subscribe here to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.

For further information contact:

Hingwo Tsang

Global Information and Innovation Manager

Tel: (+852) 2774 7420

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: www.sgs.com/hardlines

LinkedIn: sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail

About SGS

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 89,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world.​

UK Announces Standards Showing Presumption of Conformity with Toy Safety Legislation

On December 9, 2020, the United Kingdom (UK) Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) published a list of designated toy safety standards that demonstrate presumption of conformity with Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011.

The list includes:

  • Mechanical and physical – EN 71-1:2014+A1:2018
  • Flammability – EN 71-2:2011+A1:2014
  • Migration of certain elements – EN 71-3:2019
  • Experimental sets for chemistry and related activities – EN 71-4:2013
  • Chemical toys (sets) other than experimental sets – EN 71-5:2015
  • Finger paints – EN 71-7:2014+A2:2018
  • Activity toys for domestic use – EN 71-8:2018
  • N-Nitrosamines and N-nitrosatable substances – EN 71-12:2013
  • Olfactory board games, cosmetic kits and gustative games – EN 71-13:2014
  • Trampolines for domestic use – EN 71-14
  • Electric toys:

-   EN 62115:2005

-   EN 62115:2005/A2:2011

-   EN 62115:2005/A11:2012

-   EN 62115:2005/A12:2015

-   EN 62115:2005/A2:2011/AC:2011

-   EN 62115:2005/A11:2012/AC:2013

Stakeholders should be aware, in relation to finger paints, that the limit for climbazole (entry 22 in Table B.1 to Annex B) has been revised from 0.5% to 0.2%. This revision was based on opinion SSC/1506/13 of the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS), which was adopted after the standard was published.  

The UK has published the list following the end of the transition period following Brexit – the UK officially left the European Union (EU) in January 2020 with a transition period that ended on December 31, 2020.

The BEIS has previously published guidance to stakeholders about placing products onto the market in Great Britain (Wales, Scotland and England). For more information, review SGS SafeGuard 143/20.

SGS Toy & Juvenile Product Services

SGS offers a wide range of services to ensure that products comply with relevant standards for toys, whatever market the manufacturer is targeting. They provide consulting, training, product development, testing, audit, and inspection services to ensure that products comply with strict regulations, demonstrating the safety and quality of toy products being brought to the market. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested. Learn more about SGS’s Global Toy Safety Services. 

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full UK Announces Toy Safety Standards for Great Britain SafeGuardS. 

Subscribe here to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.

For further information contact:

Hingwo Tsang

Global Information and Innovation Manager

Tel: (+852) 2774 7420

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: www.sgs.com/hardlines

LinkedIn: sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail

About SGS

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 89,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world.​

Alaska Structures Purchases StaticStop ESD Flooring Temporary Facilities

Anchorage, AK and Avon, MA, Jan 12, 2021 -- SelecTech, Inc., a leader in the manufacture of innovative flooring products with long-term value and immediate benefits, recently announced the purchase of 5,000 square feet of its StaticStop tile, SelecTile ESD to Alaska Structures for a variety of its customers who purchase or lease temporary structures.

Since 1975, Alaska Structures has created more than 65,000 engineered fabric buildings used for turnkey camp systems, modular buildings for workforce housing, field offices, aircraft hangars, on-site warehouses, etc. Many of these structures utilize computers and other electronic equipment, which require static control protection flooring.

“We’ve had an ongoing relationship with Alaska Structures because our ESD flooring, specifically the SelecTile ESD, meets the needs of a temporary structure requiring static control,” said Thomas Ricciardelli, president of SelecTech, Inc. “Our interlocking technology makes installation and removal a breeze with very little down time. Add in the fact that our tiles our 100 percent recyclable. If Alaska Structures cannot re-use the tiles for future customers, we can recycle them. It’s easy to see how this is a win-win for everybody.”

StaticStop ESD tiles employ a patented glue less “zipper” interlocking system that enables the flooring to be installed over existing flooring with minimal subfloor preparation. There’s no need for messy, toxic adhesive and down-time is significantly reduced—often times without need to close off an area.

Made with 70 percent recycled materials and 100 percent recyclable, SelecTile ESD meets CA 1350 Indoor Air Quality and is MAS Certified Green.

SelecTile ESD is available in black and gray. To request a sample of SelecTile ESD, please call 508-583-3200 or visit www.selectech.com.

About SelecTech, Inc.:
FreeStyle is a division of SelecTech, Inc., which was founded in 1993 with the mission of creating valuable products from scrap plastics. The company has become a leader in the manufacture of flooring products from recycled materials and uses one million pounds of recycled materials annually. Their products are made with up to 100 percent recycled content, are 100 percent recyclable and installed without adhesives making them some of the “greenest” and most cost-effective flooring products available. The unique interlock system on SelecTech’s flooring products enable them to be installed at a much lower cost, without a lot of costly downtime, which provides significant value to customers.

Using state-of-the-art technology and innovative product design, SelecTech has also created the top performing Place N’ Go residential flooring products, which are available at Home Depot. They are also the creators and manufacturers of StaticStop ESD flooring products. SelecTech is a vendor partner of Health Care Institute (HCI), an International Facility Management Association (IFMA) alliance partner and Starnet, an international flooring contractor cooperative. The company is headquartered at 33 Wales Avenue, Suite F in Avon, MA. For more information about SelecTech, visit http://www.selectech.com.

Risk Placement Services Selects Cogitate Digital Insurance

California Mutual Insurance Company selected Invoice Cloud to implement a payment processing platform that significantly reduced administrative inefficiencies while greatly enhancing the user experience for policyholders. The premium payment process is an important and frequent touchpoint between insurance companies and their insured policyholders.

Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies selected IMS for a new commercial fleet insurance program, TrackMRI. TrackMRI is a safety-focused commercial fleet insurance telematics solution, powered by the DriveSync connected car and telematics platform to provide an easy-to-use fleet management portal, device logistics support, data collection, scoring, fleet behavior assessment and program analytics, as well as hands-on customer support to fleet manager customers.

Nationwide joined Verisk Cyber Data Exchange as part of a growing effort across the insurance industry to gain new insights into the rapidly changing world of cyber risk. By joining the Verisk Cyber Data Exchange, Nationwide will contribute premium and loss records to an expanding pool of aggregated, anonymized insurance data from participating cyber insurers around the world. In return, Nationwide will obtain access to an interactive platform powered by the exchange and be able to use its robust analytics to better manage risks, develop products, build models and guide strategic planning.

Orchid Underwriters Agency, LLC partnered with Betterview to gain access to the InsurTech’s remote property intelligence platform. The partnership aims to enhance Orchid’s CAT-exposed property underwriting operations. An early adopter of data-driven underwriting, Orchid’s Commercial Lines division has a history of teaming with InsureTech companies, such as Betterview, to deliver best-in-class underwriting results to its partner carriers.

America's Claims Executive Virtual Leadership Forum & Expo 2021EVENT

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925 Partners Insurance selected Applied‘s Analytics® data analytics solution built for independent agencies. Integrated with Applied Epic, 925 Partners Insurance will leverage data-driven dashboards to better track sales momentum, employee operations and insurer relationships, enabling them to make more informed decisions and reach business goals.

CompSource Mutual Insurance Company selected One Inc Digital Payments Platform to expand digital payment capabilities. CompSource Mutual has been serving Oklahoma’s business community for more than 80 years. Since transitioning to a mutual insurance company in 2015, CompSource Mutual has been building and implementing an innovation strategy to modernize processes and products, while fostering a corporate environment that fuels continual improvement and growth. As part of the company’s mission to deliver superior service and innovative solutions, CompSource Mutual chose One Inc’s inbound payment services product to upgrade payment capabilities and enhance the overall customer experience.

Transverse Insurance Group selected Cloverleaf‘s business intelligence solution. Transverse is a property and casualty insurance company specializing in program business and providing a broad range of commercial and personal lines products through partnerships with program administrators and reinsurers. Transverse provides admitted and non-admitted solutions and actively collaborates in all phases of program administration by engaging a team of insurance professionals with diverse backgrounds of technical skills including underwriting, product development, actuarial and financial analysis, compliance and claims administration.

Risk Placement Services selected Marietta, Ga.-based Cogitate to effect a digital transformation for RPS. As an add-on platform, Cogitate’s technology doesn’t replace RPS’s core systems, meaning there will be no down-time for RPS. This strategic partnership is designed to rapidly bring Risk Placement Services into an integrated, digital environment, enabling:

  • Improved channel partner connectivity
  • Enhanced end-user and customer experience
  • Seamless and uninterrupted business processes during the transition

TransUnion announced a partnership with The Floow, a leading telematics services provider. TransUnion will begin introducing The Floow’s four main telematics solutions — FloowDrive, FloowFleet, FloowKit and FloowScore — that capture real-time driving behavior, to help insurers create greater pricing sophistication, identify market risks and improve customer experiences.

Insurers also will benefit from The Floow’s seamless implementation process. The device-agnostic nature of The Floow’s telematics data refinery, coupled with Scoring as a Service solutions, limits friction by allowing customers to use telematics from any device, 3rd-party telematics program, or connected car. Further, the accuracy and predictive power of the solutions allow insurers to better measure risk and price policies compared to traditional risk models.