The Iran War Could Increase Costs for Petroleum-derived Products Like Clothes and Crayons

It might be hard to imagine the Iran war weighing on stuffed toys with names like Snuggle Glove, Bizzikins and Wobblies, but even plush playthings are not immune when oil shipments from the Middle East are constrained.

Like many soft toys, the creatures developed by a manufacturer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, are made with polyester and acrylic, synthetic fibers derived from petroleum. Three weeks after the war started, suppliers in China notified Aleni Brands that getting the materials already was costing them 10 percent to 15 percent more, CEO Ricardo Venegas said. 

"I think this situation demonstrates how much oil permeates throughout our system, and we can't get away from it," said Venegas, who founded Aleni Brands last year and is in the process of adding product lines. "Who would have thought that the price of a toy would have a direct relationship with oil?"

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Associated Press.