Toy World Magazine March 2022

Page 86

GREEN NEWS Recyclings racks up viewers prior to collectibles launch

Zapf slashes single-use plastic production by 65 tonnes in one year

Recyclings from Vivid Goliath and Headstart has already racked up 1.2m views on its YouTube channel; this engagement with the digital content is a massive show of support of the consumer appetite for this growing ecosegment and the collectible range is due to launch in stores imminently. The channel will continue to expand online and showcase a mixture of music videos and animated comedy shorts, with the latest video answering the age-old question; does pineapple belong on pizza? The content will allow kids to learn more about the Recyclings characters and their personalities with new content landing every month. The world’s first collectible to be made from recycled plastic, Recyclings is available now, backed by a comprehensive marketing campaign that launched in February. A full range TVC across key kid’s channels hs been designed to introduce the fun and eco-friendly ethos of the brand. Recyclings will also be talking to kids on their favourite games and apps and the parent influencer network will showcase the products to grown-ups, with creative content across social media sites. The cute and collectible Recyclings characters are made from 70% recycled plastic, making playtime matter, by making a difference. Each Recycling saves on average five bottle caps from landfill, which not only means guilt free collecting but also educates kids on sustainability.

In the first year of its commitment to plastic free packaging, Zapf Creation has cut production of single-use plastic by over 65 tonnes – the equivalent weight of ten African elephants. The manufacturer behind Baby Annabell and Baby born committed to plastic free packaging in January 2021. It has since banned single-use plastics including cable ties, viewing windows, plastic bags and blister packs from all of its new packaging. The new packaging makes unboxing easier and more fun for children and parents, with fewer fiddly ties and no need for scissors, plus it can be disposed of alongside household recycling to be repurposed again and again. Zapf’s plastic-free packaging is easily identifiable by the sunflower logo which can be found on the front of the manufacturer’s boxes and is being made even more prominent for Zapf brands’ onshelf presence this year. Kasia Leskow, head of marketing UK at Zapf Creation, explained: “2021 saw us take our first major step in reducing single-use plastic across Zapf creation brands. Our commitment to going plastic free with our packaging is in line with both our company beliefs, as well as a growing call for more environmentally friendly solutions from parents and children alike. We are very proud that the changes we’ve made so far, which have reduced single-use plastic production by over 65 tonnes in just 12 months and will continue to drive this initiative across our entire product range in 2022.“ Zapf Creation remains on target with its commitment to have all products in plastic free packaging by the end of 2022, across not only the UK, but the whole of Europe.

Playmobil launches Discover the Planet theme to reflect sustainability goals Playmobil owner Horst Brandstätter Group has set itself ambitious corporate sustainability goals which will further its efforts to protect the environment and climate. The group has already pledged to be climate-neutral by 2027, is involved in off-shore renewables and is investing around €50m into climate protection in the coming years. Now, the Group has announced that by 2030, its business models, including that of Playmobil, are to become as circular as possible by continuously improving the environmental balance along the entire value chain. Steffen Höpfner, CEO of the Horst Brandstätter Group, said: “With a wide range of activities, we are supporting the reduction of global emissions and thus also the goals of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to well below two degrees celsius.” Playmobil’s 2022 product highlights reflect how the company is already acting sustainably. The new theme Discover the Planet, which will be launched this year with an extensive, newly developed product range, consists on average of 80% sustainable materials, including post-consumer recycled materials and bio-based plastics. A large proportion of post-consumer materials includes recyclate obtained from discarded refrigerators. The brand is also staying true to its heritage and reputation within the world of toys: Discover the Planet offers the proven Playmobil quality consumers know and love and, like all of the company’s products, is highly durable. The colourful play world, which hits shelves in July, invites kids to discover what it’s like to grow up in a world where animals and nature are valued and protected. In a fun and playful way, it provides important knowledge and lets children discover a detailed, exotic animal world at home. Kids can play with, learn about and collect various Playmobil figures of people and animals from around the world and discover the Amazon rainforest, which is vital to the ecosystem. The packaging is made from nearly 100% recycled cardboard, and the building instructions are printed on 100% recycled paper.

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