The Green Elephant in the Room

TLDR: I don’t own any GE products nor am I any version of a shareholder of the GE company itself. However, I reserve the right for caregivers to purchase what they want and think we should be able to talk about it.

I’ve written the beginning of this article five times. Every time I think I have the wearwithal to explore this issue, I run out of emotional steam. After the fifth failed attempt and .doc purge, I decided the next time I tried to write this, it would be as analytical as possible. When I tried to insert information about bullying and exclusion, I lost the ability to continue. My therapist says that’s a type of coping behavior. I say it’s officially taken me four months to finish something and that’s irritating.

What’s This About a Green Elephant?

Green Elephant is an importer. Just like The Wooden Wagon is based in the Northeast, imports from the United Kingdom and the European continent, Green Elephant is based out of Texas and imports from China and other Asian markets. This post will make no claims on safety, wages, or import law. It’s important to be sure, but I’m not very well versed in those areas and leave that to smarter individuals than I.

Green Elephant has been around for several years. Vets of the wooden toy industry recognize the name and have seen their product line expand over time. What used to be extremely glossy, almost comical incarnations of fan favorites, has turned into high quality replicas that are in direct competition with The Big Boys.

However, while there wasn’t much pushback when GE replicated wooden balls and rainbows, the wooden toy community was extremely divided when GE began creating replicas of Ostheimer figures, both current and retired offerings. On one hand, less affluent wooden toy friends could finally afford a troll family. On the other hand, others decried what they saw as blatant plagiarism and the ripping off of a beloved brand.

Personally, I was torn.

My specific feelings on this issue have been much maligned. I actually haven’t said much, beyond the rules I defined for my Facebook group. However, the grapevine has purported that not only do I love GE, but I also own GE.

As if I had the time?! Friends, I wash my hair…maybe twice a week. Running a secret toy shop…I’d need at least four more days added to each weekend. Kthx. All I wanted was to speak about Green Elephant in a way that allowed caregivers the ability to discuss the reasons why they would or would not be purchasing. Personally, I plan on buying from them, I just haven’t yet because I’m trying to Marie Kondo some toys. It’s been…less than successful.

So, here I will try to showcase the main arguments against the patronization of Green Elephant. And why I think they don’t hold water. Mind you, this isn’t ALL the arguments, just the bigger ones and the ones I feel qualified to speak about.

Green Elephant is made in China

This is usually the reason most people fall back to. “It’s made in China” is the rallying point and lots of blanket generalizations fall under the umbrella. From gross stereotypes to misleading facts, this “argument” doesn’t hold water.

Your Iphone is made in China. Your Prada purse is made in China. Most of the fashion we wear, the technology we utilize…made in China. When it comes down to it, it’s extremely xenophobic to proclaim you don’t purchase anything “made in China”. It’s not specific and it creates mass generalizations that are harmful to both Chinese people and Asian people, overall. If you’re against low wages and harmful working conditions, more power to you. But when you equate those things with an entire country and people, it’s xenophobic.

Green Elephant is making money off other company’s designs.

I hate to start with a whatboutism, but literally, so does everyone else. There is nothing new under the sun. The wooden rainbow? You better sue Myers! The acrylic cubes? You better sue Bauspiel! Tiny Dollhouse furniture? Better sue BuildnKnock!

My point is that the wooden toy world allows for dupes, but only when it is our friends doing the duping. There are countless makers who make replica versions of retired Grimm’s puzzles and absolutely no one is calling for their heads. So why do we fault Green Elephant for it?

Green Elephant doesn’t produce safety and wage information for its workers.

What workers? Again GE imports and white labels its toys. What’s white labelling you ask?

White-labeling, also known as private labeling, is a business practice in which a manufacturer creates a product that is then rebranded and sold by another company under their own label. This concept has become increasingly popular in the toy industry as retailers look for ways to offer unique products to their customers while reducing costs and minimizing risk. In the toy industry, white-labeling typically involves a manufacturer creating a toy and selling it to a retailer who then applies their own branding and packaging to the product before selling it in their stores or online. This allows retailers to offer exclusive products to their customers without having to invest in the research and development, design, or manufacturing of the toy.

One of the main benefits of white-labeling in the toy industry is cost savings. By outsourcing the design and manufacturing process to a third-party manufacturer, retailers can reduce their overhead costs and avoid the risks associated with producing their own toys. They can also take advantage of economies of scale by purchasing larger quantities of the toy from the manufacturer, which can result in lower per-unit costs. A lot of our fan favorites, Bella Luna Toys, The Wooden Wagon,etc. utilize white labeling to bring some delightful additions to the market. And yet, we criticize Green Elephant for the same practice.

Green Elephant is ruining the wooden/open ended toy market

I would argue GE is allowing more people to access the wooden/open ended toy market. In a world where the Grimm’s Large Stepped Pyramid costs over $200 (BEFORE SHIPPING), GE allows a similar product to be purchased at a savings of nearly $50! Comparable Ostheimer figures sell via BST for 4 or 5 times their retail cost, compared to more accessible and similar figures on the GE website. If anyone is ruining the open ended toy market, I think the main villains are our beloved BST groups. We continue to create walls that only money can scale, when we resell our retired figures for mortgage payments. I include myself in this condemnation.

I think we need to stop pretending that we champion inclusivity and diversity, when the largest barrier of access into this world is money. All the business initiatives and good intentions in the world can’t make up for a systemic lack of the resources required to purchase these toys.

Want to know what all the Facebook groups and companies that ban GE sales/conversations have in common? They purport to be “inclusive” in their rules or founding documents. I find it hard to reconcile that with eliminating one of the lower cost retailers in the market.

The Blowback

I faced several repercussions for speaking my mind, all of them falling under the umbrella of being ostracized.

One of the main ways that this manifests in Facebook groups is through the use of public shaming. When a member of a Facebook group expresses an opinion or behavior that is deemed unacceptable by other members, they may be publicly called out and criticized. This can lead to a snowball effect, where more and more members join in the criticism, creating a culture of public shaming and ostracism. From being told I “used my child for clout”, to calls for me to be personally and professionally sued, a mob mentality still persists every time the topic is brought up. I find the former accusation laughable as we have a strict policy of never including her likeness in photos. The latter…that did chill my soul. I did consult an attorney to ensure my actions going forward were legal.

Another way that a toxic culture can impact Facebook groups is through the creation of echo chambers. When members of a group all share the same opinions and perspectives, it can become difficult for dissenting views to be expressed. This can create a culture where any deviation from the accepted norm is met with swift and severe punishment, leading to a chilling effect on free speech and open discussion. This occurred when I was kicked out of several Facebook groups, some I had been active in, others no. Both the large Ostheimer BST group and a smaller maker called Little Hedgehog Toys have removed me from their groups. Both the admins of the former and the small maker admin of the latter, Genevieve Hansen, have left me on read as of my publication date. I’ve never purchased from Ms. Hansen, who purports to champion inclusivity and social justice. The Ostheimer admins have not deigned a response. I’ve also been completely blocked from the official corporate Ostheimer instagram.

By creating a culture of fear and intolerance, this behavior can stifle free speech and prevent individuals from expressing their opinions and ideas in these Facebook groups and on Instagram. It can also create a cycle of fear and anger, leading to further polarization and division in our community.

The Green Elephant debate is multi-layered and complex. It is only prudent to ask questions about a company making products for our families and friends. But when we boil it down to one sound-byte or talking point, we do a disservice both to ourselves and our children. When we follow the crowd about caregiving choices, we often can’t see the looming cliff ahead. I encourage you to think about this on your own, thoughtfully and carefully. After that, whatever parenting or caregiving decision you make, it will be the right one.

Editor’s Note: Comments are still on an approval system. If you come to the comments to personally insult me, it probably won’t make it through. I have a language filter that should catch most of it, unless you’re a really creative lint licker.