NEWS

Exclusive: Talking green with toy suppliers

Published on: 8th February 2021

In February’s Touching Base feature,  toy suppliers tell us about their eco-friendly and sustainable credentials and why they feel this is an important area to focus on.

Pete Rope, founder of Junko, kicked things off by telling us about his range: “We focused on making an original, quality, European-made product, manufactured from recycled material which will give years of fun.” Junko kits are made in the UK and EU from recycled plastic. “More companies could and should be doing this,” says Pete, “And I hope they will, as there are tonnes of plastic waiting to be reused.”

Amscan is also excited to help ‘be the change’ by taking steps to becoming more sustainability-conscious and environmentally responsible, as marketing and design executive, Emily Duke explained. “It is important that we meet this challenge head-on and help to create a more sustainable future for our planet and our business. Messages such as Reuse, Rewear, Recycle have proved to be key for our dress up range, and we’re also introducing FSC certified products and packaging in our party assortment, where possible,” she told Toy World.

Another manufacturer focused on the importance of preserving the natural environment is Zuru co-founder and COO, Anna Mowbray, who added: “At Zuru, our business social conscience is accelerating, driven by conscious consumer expectation and the passionate people in our team who are leading sustainability measures globally.”

Toy World heard about how many more toy suppliers’ commitments to responsible manufacturing extend far beyond the creation of product ranges, such as Whiz Kid Games, whose founder Heather Watherston told us: “The hunt for a truly sustainable manufacturer for our games has not been easy , but I’m delighted to have found one in Europe that uses 100% green energy – 70% of that from solar panels on the roof of its plant – which keeps our carbon footprint as low as possible.”

Pete, Emily, Anna and Heather had much more to say, and the article includes their thoughts as well as comments from Sarah Reast of Timberkits, Jade Childs of Vivid Goliath (Crayola), Ben Woodham of GB Eye, Steven van Bommel of Biobuddi and Vijay Advani of Amaroni. You can read the full article here.

Toy World would like to thank everyone who took part in our special ‘Green’ supplement, which has been a huge success. The toy industry is making huge strides in developing ‘green’ products and in sustainability generally, but as this is an ongoing process, we plan to bring you more developments later in the year. Keep us updated of how your company is rising to the challenge.

 

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