Feature - Eco friendly/sustainable toys

Oh so eco!

Scrutiny on our impact on the environment continues to grow, as do the calls for meaningful change that can lessen it in the form of innovative new materials, packaging solutions and play patterns. Rachael Simpson-Jones investigates how the toy industry is playing its part and speaks to some of those leading the way.

If, like me, you closely followed the goings-on at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) late last year, you’re probably already the sort of consumer to whom eco-friendly, sustainable and renewable products, technologies and resources appeal. Our apparently snoozing PM aside (one too many Downing Street parties, perhaps?), COP26 certainly drew its fair share of attention. The resulting agreement has been widely criticised as being far too lax on the issue of fossil fuels - it was reported that there were some 500+ fossil fuel lobbyists at the climate summit- while other issues viewed as particularly pressing, such as the role of food production on the climate, were left off the table. Still, as frustrating as the outcome may have been, there remains a growing, optimism-inspiring demographic of consumers keen to reduce their individual and familial impact on the planet via more thoughtful, responsible purchasing decisions, and toys are very much part of that picture.

“It’s no secret that we are seeing increasing consumer demand for better sustainability within the toy industry,” notes David Allan, managing director Toynamics UK & Ireland. “As customers are becoming more conscious of their eco-footprint, we’re noticing the trend for ‘quality over quantity’, with customers looking for toys they can pass down through the generations.”

Toynamics UK & Ireland distributes eco-friendly toys from Hape. The brand makes use of the more obvious renewable and sustainable materials, such as FSC-certified wood, alongside less common ones such as rice husk and bamboo. Putting its money where its mouth is, Hape China manages a substantial bamboo forest in Gongtong, in the Beilun district of Ningbo, and runs workshops and competitions that inspire design students to explore the merits of bamboo as a construction material. Not only are rice husk and bamboo better for the environment than virgin plastics, they also add unique characteristics to Hape’s toys. David explains: “For example, our Japanese rice teething toys, which are made using the outside husk of rice, possess a natural and appealing rice smell. This soothing scent increases sensory development when playing.”

Of course, it’s naive to imagine that, as it stands, the majority of toys can be made from renewable natural plant-based resources. Wood, for example, though beautiful and tactile and perfect for creating everything from skittles and shape-sorters to dolls houses and themed play sets, cannot be moulded like plastic can, reducing its potential for intricate parts and interlocking pieces, and in terms of weight, tends to sit at the heavier end of the spectrum. Plastic, on the other hand, is light, durable and hugely versatile – but if we’re talking virgin plastics, not that great for the environment.

Happily, a number of toy companies are opting for recycled or biobased plastics that offer all the pros of virgin without the big con. In 2020, STEM and construction specialist Geomag launched its first 100% recycled plastic lines, converting two mainstays of its portfolio: Geomag Classic and Geomag Magicube. In 2021, the new recycled Mechanics line was launched, meaning 100% of Geomag products are now made from 100% recycled plastics. Following extensive efforts by the company’s Research & Development teams, Mechanics offers all the same qualities as before, which MD Clive Wooster says Geomag is very proud of. This year sees the launch of new recycled sets within the Magicube Shapes Line, the addition of Glow and Glitter ranges to the Geomag Classic collection, and the brand-new eMotions range. Mechanics also welcomes a new multiplayer challenge game.

While the widespread adoption of recycled plastics is clearly a big step for Geomag, Clive is keen to highlight that the company considers the full environmental impact of its production processes too. He adds: “It’s more than just recycled materials and marketing messages for us. At the end of 2020 we conducted a materiality analysis to identify and assess the issues considered most relevant by Geomag and its stakeholders. From this analysis we generated a detailed sustainability report, which has and will continue to form the backbone of our company strategy and mission. The report identified 17 crucial issues, which we then prioritised and grouped into three different business categories: People, Social, and Environmental. Our ongoing environmental policy will consider product safety, renewable energy, recycled materials, product and packaging impact, product end of life, emissions reduction, waste and microplastics.”

Vivid Goliath recently unveiled its own take on recycled plastics, this time in the form of the collectible Recylings range. Recyclings characters are made from 70% recycled plastic, with each Recycling saving seven bottle caps from landfill, and the capsules they come in are made from 100% recycled plastic and protected by a cardboard sleeve. Chicco’s new Eco+ range of infant toys, meanwhile, relies on a combination of biobased and recycled industrial plastics: the company says its new balance bike is the first to be made from recycled materials.

Recycled materials are now also being widely used in the plush industry, with the somewhat villainous and famously un-cuddly plastic bottle being transformed into soft and squishable friends for kids. Leading the way in this area is Keel Toys, whose Keeleco sustainable soft toy range launched in 2020. Keel’s head of Design, Patrick Downs, told Toy World it can initially be quite challenging for consumers to understand how a plastic bottle can be turned into a soft toy, but that Keel has gone to great lengths to show this process, as well as the product’s eco-credentials, across hangtags, in-store POS and the website. The new Adoptable World range of plush made with recycled materials takes the messaging one step further by promoting more eco-friendly travel choices such as hot air balloons, trains and boats. The range will be supported in-store with an FSDU, posters and shelf wobblers, while the booklet hangtag on each individual toy tells the eco journey of each character.

“Coming into 2022, Keel already offers its customers a completely sustainable soft toy collection that covers wild and farm animals, dinosaurs, teddy bears, nursery toys and now the new Adoptable World range - but as a company we won’t rest there,” Patrick adds. “We have a very close relationship with our factories in China and work together daily to remain at the forefront of sustainable materials and product development. The success of Keeleco means we are continuing to develop many more ranges, with 50 new items finished and ready to be launched in the coming months.”

Following the launch of Barbie Loves the Ocean and the green Matchbox range in 2021, 2022 sees the launch of Mega Bloks Green Town, Mattel’s latest eco-friendly offering. The toys, which help teach kids environmentally conscious behaviours such as recycling waste, growing your own, looking after insects and making compost, are made from responsibly sourced materials such as a mix of plant-based materials and ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification)-certified plastics, meaning the range relies on the Mass Balance Approach to sustainability. I’ll save you Googling it; in a nutshell, Mass Balance is a set of rules for determining the use of recycled content in a final product when both recycled and virgin feedstock have been used in the process. A number of experts believe this approach to be vital to upscaling the bioplastics and recycled plastics industry, making recycled or biobased plastics a legitimate option for companies who depend on plastics, while critics suggest that unscrupulous manufacturers (of which Mattel is most certainly not one) could use the method to label products as biobased or recycled when the total content of these materials is low compared to that of virgin plastics.

Toy companies looking at or already using the Mass Balance Approach in their production may therefore be wise to undertake Environmental Claim Validation through the likes of UL. The global safety certification company’s Environmental Claim Validation programme covers recycled and biobased content, rapidly renewable materials, zero waste to landfill and Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) content, among other things, helping manufacturers prove the eco-credentials of their products.

Ilaria Colombo, industry marketing lead – Hardline, Softline & Toys at UL, explains: “Sustainability is meaningless without transparency, and transparency requires that companies share insight about what their products contain, how they are made, and what impact products may have on the community, environment and users. The landscape of green product marketing is anything but black and white: a growing number of eco-labels have made it difficult to differentiate between products that are genuinely environmentally preferable, and those that aren’t and that feed the greenwashing phenomenon. That’s where UL can help.”

She continues: “Through rigorous scientific analysis, manufacturers that engage UL can prove that their products do, in fact, live up to their environmental claims, so they can gain instant credibility and a clear competitive edge in an otherwise murky green product marketplace. Adding validated sustainability attributes to product labels helps the toy industry to build consumer trust and avoid greenwashing claims. Manufacturers whose products have achieved Environmental Claim Validation from UL are able to use the UL’s Environmental Claim Validation badge on their product packaging and marketing materials. With ease and convenience, this badge communicates to customers and prospects that products have been tested by a neutral third-party and independently validated to have been manufactured and/or perform in accordance with its environmental claims.”

UL also helps companies with the sustainability of their packaging – something that crops up more and more often. As Rick Derr discusses in this month’s Letter from America (p. 32), while toy companies are certainly making big strides in reducing the plastic content in the on-shelf packaging consumers see in-store – such as World Alive’s Aqua Dragons packaging becoming plastic-free in order to meet its sustainability objectives - the packing used for transport often leaves a lot to be desired. Funnily enough, the day Rick’s February column arrived I’d seen a post on LinkedIn from a UK retailer excited to be unloading their latest shipment of toys from a big supplier. The accompanying photo showed pallet after pallet of recyclable cardboard boxes – surrounded by layer upon layer of plastic wrap. Surely there’s a better way. Rick, who in 2021 experienced his ‘greatest sales year’ but his worst year of productrelated waste, is one of those trying to find it. He’s working with a group of entrepreneurial students at the local high school to find new, biodegradable and/ or recyclable materials that create less landfill waste.

Geomag, too, has identified supply chain packing materials as an area of focus for its continuous improvement approach. The company’s first step towards this includes replacing packaging materials necessary for safety reasons with more sustainable alternatives such as recycled or renewable materials. Clive says: “Thanks to this process, together with our suppliers we’ve shifted to much larger packs of materials with a consequent reduction of 450kg of plastic packaging waste between 2019 and 2020. Another initiative saw us replace the cellophane used for packaging pallets with more sustainable cellophane made with recycled plastic. Small changes like this remind us that there is always a little process somewhere that we can improve on. Sustainability is not a task to complete but rather an iterative approach towards a better environment, society, and economy.”

There’s a catch, however. Ilaria at UL notes that packaging designed and tested for performance during transportation and distribution can reduce the waste associated with damaged, perishable or mistreated products that must be disposed of if the packaging is compromised. This means sustainable alternatives must perform at a comparable level to those of their existing counterparts, lest we accidentally create a whole new issue with waste – that of broken and damaged toys. It’s a headscratcher akin to that of emission-free electric cars and their use of harmfully mined rare-earth metals: fantastic in principle, yet still sadly flawed. For those seeking a solution, UL's laboratories can assess the quality, performance and sustainability of packaging by offering a full range of services to help manufacturers and retailers verify that they meet the most stringent sustainability, performance and safety standards. “Driven by the growth of eCommerce, the complexity of global supply chains and changing consumer preferences, packaging has become critical to delivering safer products to market and reducing waste,” says Ilaria. “However, in a world threatened by climate change and limited natural resources, packaging must be sustainable as well as functional.”

Like supply chain packaging, transport is also hidden from the view of most consumers. The International Transport Forum (ITF) estimates that freight accounts for more than 40% of transport emissions and will rise 22% from 2015 to 2050, with any advances in sustainability more than offset by rising demand due to increased urbanisation. When so many of the toys sold in Britain are made in China, this is an area manufacturers will surely be looking to address. Reflecting a significant step in HTI’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, in 2020 the company invested in British manufacturing facilities for its Bubblz products, which already come in recycled and recyclable bottles. With a significant chunk of the product’s carbon footprint coming in the form of transport, the company says that onshoring a bubbles factory in Lancashire was a ‘hugely positive move in terms of sustainability’, and that it’s also ensured the quality of the finished product, from the bubble solution to the bottles, is top quality.

“The combination of 100% recyclable products and bringing the bubbles factory to the UK is the beginning of a long-term commitment that HTI has made to becoming a greener toy company,” says Nancy Fielden, HTI marketing manager. “HTI is making these changes because it’s the right thing to do, and it’s a core value of the company moving forwards that it continues to reduce its impact on our environment. The doors of the UK plant, which has been fully audited and certified, are open to anyone who would like to look around. HTI is very keen for its retail partners to see the bubble production process for themselves.”

Of course, onshoring production isn’t for everyone. Generally speaking, it’s far more cost effective to produce toys in China than in the UK, even once sky high shipping rates are factored in - but there are other options. A number of manufacturers are based in Europe, which cuts down on transport distances: Bildo, for example, is based in Veria, Greece, and has pledged to manufacture at least 70% of toys using biodegradable or eco-friendly toys by 2025. And Dolu, which supplies a wide range of play houses, slides, play gyms, sand and water tables, sand shells, picnic tables, football goals, tractors, trikes, ride- ons and much more, is based in Turkey.

Elsewhere, some companies have launched their own initiatives to reclaim and recycle pre-loved toys. Mattel is one, with its Mattel Playback and the recently unveiled #TaptoRebox initiative. A toy takeback programme for Barbie, Matchbox and Mega, this will enable families to extend the life of their Mattel toys once they have finished playing with them. The new programme is designed to recover and reuse materials from old Mattel toys, and supports the company’s goal to achieve 100% recycled, recyclable or bio-based plastic materials across all products and packaging by 2030. Readers can find out more about Mattel’s sustainability drive in an exclusive Q&A with Pam Gill-Alabaster, VP Global Sustainability, which starts on page 82.

In summer 2021, Danish toy company Dantoy set up a container into which parents and kids can drop off their pre-loved Dantoy toys to be recycled and made into new toys at the company's factory in Hobro, Denmark. The next chapter in the Dantoy Take Back project will follow this autumn, when a major collaboration with local kindergartens will launch. As part of the weeklong initiative, Dantoy will help kids learn how to recycle toys and will help collect old and damaged Dantoy products ready for them to be given a new lease of life at the Hobro factory. MGA Entertainment, meanwhile, continues its partnership with TerraCycle to reclaim and recycle LOL Surprise! dolls, capsules and accessories, to be made into Little Tikes Go Green toys.

But while all these initiatives, innovations, testing services and new materials are all very well and good, the true test of whether eco-friendly toys can hold their own in the marketplace lies with the consumer - the one parting with their cash. Does the shopper know why and how this toy is more sustainable than that one? Are they prepared to spend a little more on a toy with strong eco-friendly credentials? As Rick Derr discusses in his column, not always. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink, as the old adage goes. I asked David at Toynamics how the company approaches the marketing of its Hape line. He tells me it’s identified two types of consumers to whom it tailors its sustainability marketing communication. “The first customer group already has a deep knowledge of sustainability and understands the benefits of the eco-materials used to make Hape toys,” he says. “The second group encompasses those who want to shop more sustainably but don’t necessarily know how to do so successfully. These are the customers we look to educate on sustainability, including the materials used and the processes Hape toys go through which make them so eco-friendly. Both customer groups are easy to communicate to, they just require a slightly different approach.”

David adds: “The Hape group is constantly innovating and looking for new ways to introduce sustainable materials into toys. Last year the group made major investments into a cork factory based in Portugal and we are working on something big at the moment. Keep an eye out later in the year for a new sustainable toy brand hitting the market.”

Over the next few pages, Toy World takes a look at some of the latest eco-friendly toys to arrive in stores and the ways in which companies are also reducing their environmental impact behind the scenes.