We should say welcome back; it’s been far too long since our last newsletter. We hope to be publishing The Zipper more regularly, posting it on our site, of course, and emailing to those who have registered or signed up and opted-in.

This issue shares exciting news about new products. But first we’d like to let you know that our products are officially patented (with more patents pending). This is your guarantee that there’ll be no lower quality copies.

New and Interesting ZipBin® Products.

Two new products were introduced at the International Toy Fair in NYC, February 17-20, 2008 and at The International Home & Housewares Show in Chicago, March 16-18, 2008. ZipBin® Softie™ Wheelie looks like and is shaped like a mag wheel and opens to reveal a side-by-side race track for stirring road action. The play mat includes a garage area, a winner’s circle and built in parking for 12 vehicles. Two sturdy die cast sports cars are included! It retails for just $19.99. This is a perfect way to transport, store and play with lots of vehicles!

And ZipBin® Softie™ Racer looks like and is shaped like a race car. It opens to reveal a small villagescape with drivable roadways. It, too, includes two die cast vehicles and can be carried on the back. The retail price is $19.99.

Where to Buy ZipBin® Products?

ZipBin® products are available around the globe at specialty toy and gift stores, in chain stores, at discerning mail and e-cataloguers and on our site www.neat-oh.com. Find a retailer near you, by visiting www.zipbin.com/zipbin_localretailerinfo.html and filling out the form and we’ll get right back to you with a list of retailers near the zipcode you specify.

We’re GREEN!

The Products--The main items manufactured by Neat-Oh! International, LLC are the ZipBin® family of products. These products, known as “The Toy Box That’s Also A Toy™,” function at the intersection between a storage bin and a play mat and transform back and forth by being zipped and unzipped. They are available in four sizes and come with and without small toys/accessories.

The products are typically manufactured by covering sections of cardboard with strata of printed and clear polypropylene and then sewing and folding these materials into the desired shapes. Included are four small polyester zippers affixed with one or more zinc zipper pulls, woven polypropylene carrying handles and edging.

By weight, about three-fourths of the material is completely recyclable cardboard and most of the remainder is polypropylene (recyclable as plastic #5). By weight, the ink and other materials represent traces of the total.

Many of the toys/accessories, which again typically are a small proportion of the total product weight, are of wood or metal and recyclable. The remainder consists of varieties of mostly recyclable plastic.

The Package--The “package” for these products is usually a narrow, printed e-flute sleeve a few inches wide that wraps around the product. This minimizes the use of packaging materials and, not incidentally, showcases the product itself to consumers. The cardboard is completely recyclable and is affixed with a small plastic (lenticular) card printed on both sides. It, too, is comprised of recyclable plastic.

Conclusion--Both the products and their packaging are nearly entirely recyclable and, because the minimal packaging is designed to showcase the product, we can actually say: “The Real Package Is The Toy Itself™.”

Did You Know? Over 20 (!) Awards and Counting.

ZipBin® products have now won over 20 (!) awards for product excellence. They are coming in faster than we can post them to our site. For example, on March 31, 2008 ZipBin® Softie™ Racer won the “Most Innovative Toy” Award at the Middle East Toy Fair in Dubai, United Arab Emirates .Some awards are from new grantors like the Innovate Illinois Small Business Challenge (2007), the Editors’ Choice Award from Family Review Magazine, and an “Innovative Toy of the Year” designation from TD Monthly Magazine. And some are from the same grantors we’ve won from before, like the Design Defined Award from the International Housewares Association, but are for different products.

We look at these awards not as a reason for boasting and bragging, but rather as a validation of our hard work in first discerning unmet consumer needs and then fulfilling them with high quality, efficiently manufactured products.

Spread the Word and Don’t Be a Stranger.

Neat-Oh! International, LLC began in February of 2005. As far as companies go, we’re still quite young and could benefit from word-of-mouth from satisfied customers. So please do spread the word among friends, neighbors, relatives and favorite retailers, who may not yet carry our line. And, you won’t be surprised to learn, we’d love to hear from you, too,--about how well we’re doing in satisfying you with our products and service, and our website and this newsletter.

Drop me an email at gayle@neat-oh.com.

Speak to you soon!
Gayle