Early Light Industrial Co., Ltd. is a major toy manufacturer based in Shaoguan, Guangdong Province, China. Early Light was contracted by Tiger Electronics and Hasbro to produce a variety of Furby products, including the Generation 3 Furbys from 1999, and Furby Furblets.
Furby Involvement[]
Early Light produced Furbys under the vendor code C031. Older units may show the legacy two-letter code EL.
Known Codes[]
- EL — Legacy vendor code
- C031B, C031G — Vendor + Factory code
Factories[]
Early Light Industrial Co., Ltd. operates several manufacturing facilities in China, primarily in Shenzhen and Shaoguan:
- Xinnán Factory: Established in 1984
- Woha Factory: Opened in 1991
- Renwu Factory: Established in 1994
- Shanha Factory: Opened in 1997
- Shaoguan Early Light International Co., Ltd.: Established in 2006 (Shaoguan City, Guangdong Province)
Notes[]
Early Light-produced Furbys are considered rarer in the United States, being more commonly distributed in Europe and Asia. Collectors prize Early Light Furbys for their often different voice chips and slightly varied mechanical tuning.
Controversies[]
In 2017 and 2018, China Labor Watch (CLW) published investigations into working conditions at Early Light factories. The reports highlighted serious labor rights concerns, including:
- Excessive overtime beyond legal limits.
- Inadequate safety measures and poor worker protections.
- Low wages forcing workers to rely heavily on overtime hours.
- Discriminatory hiring practices.
Although Early Light made some improvements (such as enhancing fire safety and increasing social insurance contributions), concerns remained regarding compliance with multinational companies' supplier standards.
References:
- China Labor Watch, 2017: "The Dark Side of the Toy World"
- China Labor Watch, 2018: "Follow-up Investigative Report on Early Light"
External Links[]
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