Feature - Eco-friendly / Sustainable toys

Protecting the planet, one toy at a time

Toy companies are on a never-ending mission to develop greener practices and more sustainable products, meeting the needs of not only their customers, but also the planet. Toy World’s Caroline Tonks spoke with a range of leading suppliers making efforts towards sustainability, exploring what’s new, how they’re moving away from plastic, adapting to eco-friendly packaging and more.

In 2019, UK Parliament declared an official climate change emergency. In all aspects of life, measures have been taken to try and counteract this evergrowing problem, and across the toy industry, many companies and brands have turned to ecoalternatives, putting sustainability at the forefront of their strategy.

Trending themes within the eco/sustainability space include, fittingly, wildlife. Brands have fully embraced the animal kingdom as a source of inspiration, producing ranges designed to inspire a love of the natural world and respect for the environment. Keel Toys has extended its Keeleco collection, unveiling a comprehensive collection of bag charms, from Keeleco Sealife and Wildlife to Jungle Cats and Farm Animals, as well as the new Puppy Love collection which showcases standing and sitting pups. Brainstorm is the UK distributor of Dodoland’s Eugy 3D animal models, a brand now enjoying its sixth successful year in the UK market. Made from environmentally friendly, biodegradable card, there will be over 100 different Eugy to build and collect this year, and fans of the brand will see new characters being introduced, including a Kingfisher, Beaver, Capybara and Manatee. Spring 2025 will also see the launch of a new range of plush from the Natural History Museum, in collaboration with The Puppet Company. A collection of six of the most popular dinosaurs, including T-rex and Stegosaurus, has been developed in consultation with the Museum’s worldleading palaeontologists, to ensure authenticity and let kids discover more about the evolution of the planet.

According to a report by Sustainable Toys Action Consulting (STAC), titled Sustainable Toys Report –Snapshot 2024, 86% of the global toy industry’s leaders now acknowledge the importance of sustainability and its impact on success. Meanwhile, 90% of participants identified sustainability as a top priority in 2024. Going into 2025, eco practices remain paramount, with many toy companies taking strides to become more sustainable in their manufacturing processes.

“The eco and sustainability sector continues to go from strength to strength and the continued demand for Keeleco has exceeded even our wildest expectations,” says Patrick Downs, head of Design at Keel Toys. The Keeleco collection now features over 480 products, with 85% of the entire Keel Toys collection being made from 100% recycled materials. Keel Toys’ commitment to expanding this collection will continue throughout 2025 and into 2026.

“Since launching Keeleco five years ago, we’ve recycled over half a billion water bottles which is a true sustainability milestone for the company,” states Patrick. Just 10 recycled water bottles (500 ml) can produce enough fibre for an 18 cm toy. Keel Toys is also pleased to announce that its China factory partner has installed solar panels at its manufacturing site and is investing in heat recovery machines during the fabric dyeing process. At its own Ashford HQ, Keel has installed over 300 solar panels and is transitioning to electric vehicles.

This year, Toynamics will expand the Nature Fun range from its flagship brand, Hape, which includes one of the brand’s biggest pieces, the Multifunctional Sandpit. Made with metal framing, anti-corrosion wood, black board and FSC certified treated timber, this outdoor piece is built for longevity.

The Hape brand is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of toys made from renewable materials. It has its own factory that develops bamboo toys, located in Ningbo, Southeast China, with 16 acres of bamboo forest in a local village and a further 50 acres used to support production. Toynamics as a company has also purchased 413 acres of bamboo forest to use as a sustainable material for its toys.

At COP29, held in Baku, Azerbaijan back in November 2024, there was as session titled, ‘BambooBoost: For Prosperity, Climate Action, Resilience and Biodiversity’. BambooBoost was the launching point for a new partnership between UN Climate Change and the International Bamboo and Rattan organisation (INBAR). It served as a stage to highlight the role of bamboo in mitigating and adapting to climate change, raising awareness about bamboo’s role in sustainable development and climate resilience. Bamboo toys are steadily gaining traction in the fight for climate change, creating a reliable alternative to previous plastic counterparts.

There is a variety of alternative materials that brands have opted to use instead of plastics. Hippychick offers a wide range of products from BS Toys. A standout product from this range is the Lacrosse Kit, partially crafted from an eco-friendly alternative to plastic called Wheat Straw. This material offers the same lightweight strength and durability as plastic, but is made entirely from natural resources. Toynamics has a multitude of eco brands in its portfolio, including Korko, a Portuguese brand that specialises in creating high-quality, educational toys made from sustainable cork, which is lightweight, durable and renewable.

“Our Korko range has many toys under the £20 price point which are all 100% carbon negative,” states Emma Damerell, Brand manager, Toynamics UK. “It’s no secret that sustainable-focused products are normally more expensive. We’ve been working closely with our factories to find ways to keep production costs down so we can attract customers who are feeling more price sensitive.”

Also embracing eco-friendly alternatives, each product in Booghe Toys’ new toddler crayon range uses an organic formulation of soya wax, soya butter, coconut butter and food-grade colours, and is free from harmful chemicals and animal-derived products. “We've maintained our signature blend of organic waxes and natural colorants while redesigning the physical format for toddler safety and engagement,” says Krishna Yadlapalli, director, Booghe Toys. “Each product undergoes rigorous testing to ensure it meets both sustainability goals and safety requirements for children.”

From Simba Smoby, the Smoby Life Mud Kitchen is made from 90% recycled plastic. Offering a more ecofriendly option, the the mud kitchen comes in a new trend-led colour palette, is easy to clean and is resistant to outdoor conditions.

While major steps are being taken regarding the sustainability of products themselves, packaging is also a major polluter, with greener alternatives becoming increasingly available. “Brainstorm is consistently working towards improving our products, packaging and our shipping methods,” says Debra Tiffany, Marketing manager at Brainstorm. “This has been a comprehensive and thorough process for us as we look at all elements of the business where we can become more sustainable as a company.” Brainstorm customers will have seen rolling changes across packaging for the past few years, with less plastic in circulation, as well as reduced packaging in general.

The Natural History Museum’s partnership with PlayPress Toys also demonstrates a move away from plastic. The packaging for the Dino Dig playset, which consists of fossilised bones to construct a T-rex skeleton, is made from recyclable board and incorporates a hanging hook for easy and plastic-free display at retail.

“All Hape/Toynamics owned brands follow a ‘minimum empty space’ principle for packing, ensuring there is no unnecessary empty space in our packaging design to ensure we do not waste material,” Emma Damerell tells us. “Both packaging and product are a big focus for us regarding eco-friendly materials and design.”

At Hippychick, founder and joint managing director, Julia Minchin and her team are actively working with trade customers to ensure that certain ranges are entirely plastic-free when being shipped. This includes replacing single-use materials like kimble tags with 100% recycled paper string, card and packaging. “In the past year, Hippychick has made significant strides in sustainability by exploring sustainable options for our own packaging,” explains Julia.

It is not only toy companies seeking alternatives, but also their customer bases. “We're seeing a significant shift in how parents approach art supplies for very young children,” states Krishna. “The growing awareness of ingredient safety, particularly for children under the age of two, has created strong demand for certified organic art materials. Our research shows that parents are increasingly reading labels and seeking natural alternatives even before their children start nursery.

“Additionally, early years settings are specifically requesting art supplies that align with their sustainability policies while being suitable for the youngest children.” This market evolution has directly influenced Booghe’s development of its new 12+ months range.

At Brainstorm, Debra has seen increased demand for eco-friendly and sustainable toys. “Customers are aware of how important this category is,” she says. “We continue to source more eco-friendly product ranges because of this. Becoming more sustainable is a continuous but hugely rewarding business process for us, both in terms of supporting the environment and growing our business. We are committed to keeping up to date with regulations and innovations.”

Debra has also seen more and more retailers requesting information on the sustainability of Brainstorm’s products. To bring these products physically to consumers and ensure that the sustainability message is met, a strong relationship with retailers is a must. “We help with any sustainability requests that retailers may have and keep all our information up to date,” states Debra. “A lot of retailers have been fully on board with eco-friendly toys and the push from consumers has been a driver for this too.”

“We go above and beyond to adapt products and packaging to reduce or eliminate plastic, aligning with our retailers’ needs for sustainable stock,” says Julia. Although Hippychick doesn’t control the manufacturing processes of the toys it distributes, the company’s close relationship with suppliers allows it to provide constructive feedback to make these processes more sustainable.

At Keel Toys, conveying the eco message was always at the forefront when the Keeleco range was created and launched, starting with the name and following through onto all the hangtags and branding, illustrating the process and eco credentials. “Social media, POS and the Keel Toys website reinforce the sustainability message of the collection, helping our retailers at every stage,” concludes Patrick.

Readers are invited to flip through the coming pages to read about the latest products and advancements within the eco/sustainability space from a raft of different suppliers and distributors.