I'll be honest, I'm just here for the bootlegs! I don't know why, but I've been entranced by them since my teen years thanks to Pokémon, retro pc, and video game channels showing them to me. Side note, modern bootleg plushes are *seldom if ever* toxic. This is because most of the cheapest materials available for them are generally non-toxic to begin with. Cards/paper/carboard products are also generally safe for the same reason, so long as no food/water is involved. (Please don't eat out of any non-food safe container... especially ones of dubious origins, LOL.) Figurines, plastic toys, anything painted, electronics bootlegs are generally considered potentially unsafe as sometimes it is cheaper to cut out safety guidelines or use toxic materials. Admittedly, the incidence in lead has gone down a lot over the years. This is because it's actually really expensive to use lead paint in a lot of countries now. Other heavy metals are also getting somewhat rare... Usually, it's other toxic compounds (often in the pigments, plastic, or adhesives) that are the culprit now. Therefore, it's not a good idea to deem a bootleg product "non-toxic" just because it passes a lead test.... I've seen people make that assumption online before, so I figured I'd mentioned it here. Medicine, food, and cosmetic bootlegs are to be considered hazards at *ALL TIMES AND SHOULD NEVER BE CONSUMED OR HANDLED WITHOUT GLOVES.* Honestly, I'm not sure if I would encourage even buying them for awareness videos due to how dangerous they tend to be.😰 Another note, generic brand foods are NOT actually bootlegs and are protected under all the FDA/other countries' equivalent's guidelines. They might be "knock-offs" but they are not unregulated or illegal, plus you can always trace back to the companies who produce them. Actual bootlegged food products are not going to be found in a well-established grocery store unless a really bad, rare mishap happens. These are usually produced cheaply by unqualified scammers looking to get a quick buck... and generally they claim to be big brand products (like the Colgate toothpaste fiasco that resulted in several grocery stores and dollar stores recalling all Colgate products until the bootlegger supplier was properly dealt with). The real draws with bootleg pushes are: * The obvious legal and ethical problems surrounding them * The overall build and material quality is generally really bad * You usually CANNOT trace back their origin, so go luck figuring out who made them * They are often not the correct size * Really, really weird colors (though that's a plus for us weirdos who like studying bootlegs as a whole. LOL) * Good luck getting refunded on your counterfeit product... Most online stores tend to have hidden practices that favor the bootleggers * It's just not a good way to go about collecting, now is it?
Dude, after years of having a old carebear plush that younger me named penny, I finally found which care bear it was (it’s been years😭) it was best friend bear, pretty sure it’s from the 2000’s, love that bear with my life😔
![Lets redesign Marinette!! [this took 3 years to make]](/img/n.gif)
Awesome care bears 🎉🎉🎉🎉❤😊
I'll be honest, I'm just here for the bootlegs! I don't know why, but I've been entranced by them since my teen years thanks to Pokémon, retro pc, and video game channels showing them to me.
Side note, modern bootleg plushes are *seldom if ever* toxic. This is because most of the cheapest materials available for them are generally non-toxic to begin with. Cards/paper/carboard products are also generally safe for the same reason, so long as no food/water is involved. (Please don't eat out of any non-food safe container... especially ones of dubious origins, LOL.)
Figurines, plastic toys, anything painted, electronics bootlegs are generally considered potentially unsafe as sometimes it is cheaper to cut out safety guidelines or use toxic materials. Admittedly, the incidence in lead has gone down a lot over the years. This is because it's actually really expensive to use lead paint in a lot of countries now. Other heavy metals are also getting somewhat rare... Usually, it's other toxic compounds (often in the pigments, plastic, or adhesives) that are the culprit now. Therefore, it's not a good idea to deem a bootleg product "non-toxic" just because it passes a lead test.... I've seen people make that assumption online before, so I figured I'd mentioned it here.
Medicine, food, and cosmetic bootlegs are to be considered hazards at *ALL TIMES AND SHOULD NEVER BE CONSUMED OR HANDLED WITHOUT GLOVES.* Honestly, I'm not sure if I would encourage even buying them for awareness videos due to how dangerous they tend to be.😰
Another note, generic brand foods are NOT actually bootlegs and are protected under all the FDA/other countries' equivalent's guidelines. They might be "knock-offs" but they are not unregulated or illegal, plus you can always trace back to the companies who produce them. Actual bootlegged food products are not going to be found in a well-established grocery store unless a really bad, rare mishap happens. These are usually produced cheaply by unqualified scammers looking to get a quick buck... and generally they claim to be big brand products (like the Colgate toothpaste fiasco that resulted in several grocery stores and dollar stores recalling all Colgate products until the bootlegger supplier was properly dealt with).
The real draws with bootleg pushes are:
* The obvious legal and ethical problems surrounding them
* The overall build and material quality is generally really bad
* You usually CANNOT trace back their origin, so go luck figuring out who made them
* They are often not the correct size
* Really, really weird colors (though that's a plus for us weirdos who like studying bootlegs as a whole. LOL)
* Good luck getting refunded on your counterfeit product... Most online stores tend to have hidden practices that favor the bootleggers
* It's just not a good way to go about collecting, now is it?
Dude, after years of having a old carebear plush that younger me named penny, I finally found which care bear it was (it’s been years😭) it was best friend bear, pretty sure it’s from the 2000’s, love that bear with my life😔
Thats Awesome! Glad the video was helpful
Thanks for telling me this information my share bear is an official care bear from 1985
You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. 😊
Do you have any of the MiniSo Care Bears?
The ones from the miniso store? No I don't. I wish I did.
I have a 2004 cheer bear, but she doesn’t have her name on the tag, does it mean it’s fake? (Sorry if it sounds dumb I’m just curious)🎀
If it has the other things, then probably not. It might be a 20th anniversary, which didn't have names on their tags.
I can't stand fake toys 😠
I can't, either. It takes away from the originals.