How To Be More Toy Sustainable

we've noticed that some of the world's biggest (and perhaps unexpected) brands are stepping up their eco game when it comes to toys: what are they doing to make their toys more sustainable and how exactly are they doing it? Let's take a look!

What Is Sustainability?

Sustainability is all about meeting our needs and improving our quality of life without compromising our ecosystems and natural resources for future generations.

Sustainability acknowledges that our environment is a resource that will eventually run out, therefore it's super important to use our environment in the right way and protect its resources. Reducing, reusing, and recycling are the best ways to do this!

McNuggets Of Eco Wisdom

In 2020, UK Fast Food giant McDonald's pledged to not use non-recyclable and non-renewable hard plastic in their Happy Meal toys. As of this year, every Happy Meal now comes with a soft toy, paper-based toy, or a book. As sustainable toy enthusiasts ourselves, we're lovin it!

McDonald's Recyclable Cups

McDonald's commitment to the environment and sustainability doesn 't end there: Did you know that:

• Since 2015, McDonald's have fitted recycling units at 1,000 of their restaurants
• McDonald's used cooking oil is converted into biodiesel for their UK delivery fleet - this saves 6,900 tonnes of CO2 emissions
• As of 2020, zero waste is sent to landfill
• McDonald's packaging uses FSC Certified paper and card
• New McDonald's restaurants have 100% LED lighting, which uses 50% less energy
• McPlant, McDonald's plant-based range of fast food, is currently being piloted in Sweden and Denmark and will soon be available in other countries

The Wait(rose) For Plastic Toys Is Over

Supermarket Waitrose has recently announced that they were banning disposable plastic toys in kids magazines, following a petition from a 10-year old girl.

Skye, aged 10, from Gwynedd (BBC News)

This comes as welcome news for many as a majority of children's magazines contain free plastic toys which are difficult to recycle. Waitrose has called for magazine publishers to replace plastic toys with more sustainable alternatives.

What else is Waitrose doing to be more sustainable?

• In 2019, Waitrose declared they would stop selling Christmas Crackers that contained plastic toys. These are now filled with recyclable toys instead
• Single-use plastic is on the out and Waitrose will be making its own-label packaging recyclable, reusable and compostable by 2023
• Eradication of PVC, EPS, PS, PLA and PVdC by 2023

Ready To Lego Of Plastic Packaging

Legendary toy brick maker LEGO will be phasing out its plastic packaging with paper bags from this year. The process is expected to take four years, and LEGO will be fully plastic packaging free in 2026.

LEGO's new paper bags (Brickfinder)

The single-use plastic is being replaced with recyclable paper bags that are made from FSC Certified paper. The eco-friendly bags will be designed to help kids understand the importance of recycling.

LEGO's eco-credentials

• LEGO is investing £310m in the next 3 years to improve its sustainability
• LEGO products are aiming to be sustainable by 2030, and are looking at the use of bio-bricks that are made from sugar canes
• 75% of cardboard used for LEGO boxes is made from recycled materials. All the paper and cardboard used in LEGO's products is recyclable and FSC Certified
• In 2019, LEGO announced that they would be phasing out plastic retail bags with ones made from 100% FSC Certified materials

It's A Match: Matchbox's 99% Recycled Toy Car

US toymaker Mattel has recently announced that its Drive Toward a Better Future initiative will see their Matchbox toy cars and playsets sold in recycled, recyclable or bio-based plastic by 2030.

Matchbox Tesla Roadster (Mattel)

Mattel has recently released information about their highly anticipated Matchbox Tesla Roadster. This sleek toy car is made from 99% recycled materials and has a Carbon Neutral certification. The Matchbox Tesla Roadster is made from recycled 62.1% zinc and 36.9% plastic; the remaining 1% is made from stainless steel.

It will be sold in FSC Certified paper and wood fibres. Hold onto your excitement, however, as this bad boy isn 't getting released until 2022!

Bigjigs Toys Commitment To Sustainability

As one of the oldest family-run wooden toy businesses in the UK, we are committed to making sustainable toys too. We're proud to stock both 100% FSC Certified Toys and Green Toys. You can read all about our pledge to Environmental Responsibility and Sustainability here.