Major toy-maker Mattel has announced its plans to start producing sustainable toys made from either sugarcane or recycled plastics by 2030. The company, which produces such brands as Fisher-Price, Barbie, and Hot Wheels, will make a global impact by converting to sustainable products.
Mattel will begin in the first half of 2020 when they plan to debut Fisher Price’s Rock-a-Stack toy that will be made from sugarcane-based plastic, which will be packaged in 100% sustainably sourced or recycled materials.
The chairman and CEO of Mattel, Ynon Kreiz, released a press statement regarding the Rock-a-Stack toy and the company’s intentions moving forward:
Environmental sustainability is a corporate priority at Mattel and creating sustainable products and packaging is an important part of our commitment to the planet. Our dedicated cross-functional team made sustainability a key priority throughout the product and packaging design and production process. Today, we are delivering on that priority by announcing our first product made from sustainable materials and we look forward to expanding our efforts to all Mattel brands.
Mattel is not the only toy-maker pledging to be fully sustainable by 2030. LEGO released its first sugar cane product in 2019, a new treehouse kit that is made from a polyethylene manufactured using sugar cane.
In 2011 Mattel announced its Environmental Sustainable Sourcing Principles. They now source 93% of their packaging from recycled or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) content, using paper and wood fibers.
President and Chief Operating Officer of Mattel Richard Dickson recently commented:
Innovation is part of our DNA, and it is central to our work in environmental sustainability. Our world-class designers have consistently created products that can be passed on to generations and, today, we are continuing this proud tradition with our new sustainable Rock-a-Stack, one of the most iconic and best-selling toys in the toy industry.
Hopefully, these two toy giants can join forces in an investment strategy to reach their goals even sooner. More money must be invested in the research and development of new plastic alternatives. With recent advancements in bio-plastics technology, I don’t think it will take 10 years to accomplish this type of technology, especially if it’s at the top of the priority list.
