FEATURE ECO TOYS
Keel Toys
Keeleco Eco Range
Keep it green As the interest in eco-friendly and sustainable product continues to grow, TnP finds out how retailers and suppliers are joining the green revolution
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hen we think about eco-friendly and sustainably-sourced toys, we probably consider what parents are looking for, and if you read the comments from our retailers on these pages you’ll see that the eco-trend appears to be led by parents in their 20s and 30s. However, according to Kids Insights, experts in kids market intelligence, the environment also rates highly among kids’ concerns. Over the past 12 months, Kids Insights has seen the environment rank as the fifth biggest concern among three to 12-year-olds (15 per cent). And a whopping 53 per cent of under 13s think about their effect on the environment. According to the Toy Association of the US, ‘woke’ toys will be bigger than ever this year, with parents looking to engage their children in socially conscious play (eco-friendly toys and toys that promote both diversity and inclusion).
So what is driving this trend? “TV programmes such as Sir David Attenborough’s Our Planet have very much highlighted the effects of climate change and how it is impacting the future of the young generation,’’ says
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We are launching Keeleco Baby to coincide with a possible lockdown baby boom
Steve Cox, Keel Toys
Julia Loeser, science kit sales, marketing & PR manager at Thames & Kosmos. “Young activists such as Greta Thunberg have also highlighted the plight of our planet, and children are more aware and curious on such issues as they are brought home through social media, YouTube and other channels. Thames & Kosmos has long had an Alternative Energy series, which enables children to learn about how to harness energy without using fossil fuels, and will always support the learning of science that empowers the next generation to make the changes necessary for the planet’s survival.’’ Keel Toys UK sales director Steve Cox agrees: “People are becoming increasingly concerned about the planet and starting to make positive changes to buying behaviours to reduce personal impact on the planet. They are actively looking for the eco option.’’ “The green conversation is going on everywhere,’’ adds Judith Dayus, director at Great Gizmos. “Green technology is the industry of the future and kids are excited to be a part of it today. They feel proud to be green, proud to solve eco-problems and proud to do it themselves. Our Green Science range teaches the principles of renewable solar, hydro, magnetic, gravity, and wind power and teaches
kids to build cool, clean machines that really work!’’ Debra Tiffany, marketing manager at Brainstorm, agrees: “As a sector we are already seeing a reduction in plastic in toys and packaging and this quite naturally leads buyers to look for more alternative sustainable product ranges as well as how they market them. Our Eugy range [cardboard model kits] comes with a selection of eco-friendly POS options so that retailers can even display them in a sustainable format in store.’’
So how are our toy suppliers joining the green revolution? “As with all Gibsons jigsaws, we use 100 per cent recycled puzzle board, and FSC paper,’’ says marketing executive Rebecca Hersee. “We now use biodegradable clear labels to secure the lid instead of shrink-wrap and no longer pack our Little Gibsons puzzle pieces in a plastic bag. Also, our game, Rockpool, helps children to understand the impact of littering on beaches and the destructive effect of plastic waste in our oceans.’’ Alternative energy is on the menu at Thames & Kosmos, says Julia Loeser. “Along with our Alternative Energy series, in 2020 we introduced the Solar Powered Rovers into our FEAK range.
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