Eco-friendly Fun With Sustainable Toys

Here at Ernest, we say you’re never too old for toys, especially if they’re sustainable! No matter how many birthdays you’ve celebrated, it’s hard not to crack a smile when you play with paper puppets or sustainable kites. Luckily, major toy corporations agree with us, and they’re putting a lot of thought and effort into making their classic toys and games play well with Mother Earth. Here’s some breaking news from a couple of our favorites!

Photo courtesy of LEGO

LEGO’s latest eco-friendly move sure is sweet — they’re making bricks out of sugarcane! These pieces will be nearly identical to the company’s current plastic bricks, but ditch traditional materials for sustainable bioplastics. Appropriately enough, the first pieces that LEGO will make from plant-based plastic are trees and bushes.

Photo courtesy of LEGO

Plant-based plastics are just one step in LEGO’s $166 million initiative to completely replace non-sustainable materials. “We have already taken important steps to reduce our carbon footprint by reducing the packaging size,” explains LEGO CEO Jørgen Vig Knudstorp. “Now we are accelerating our focus on materials.” Fingers crossed these new bricks are less swear-word-inducing when you step on them!

Photo courtesy of Hasbro

LEGO isn’t the only one getting in on the sustainability game. Hasbro recently announced a toy recycling program that will start this year that will let consumers send back their used toys and games. With a little bit of recycling magic, your child’s favorite entertainment could end up as playground equipment or a park bench!

Photo courtesy of Hasbro

We would be remiss if we didn’t talk about our favorite spud, and thankfully there’s good news to share about Mr. Potato Head. The ever-popular toy has been steadily getting a packaging refresh that uses 20% less cardboard and will incorporate plant-based plastics starting in 2019. And with Hasbro’s new recycling program, your old Mr. Potato Head could end up back in a garden as a flower pot!

We consider ourselves fortunate to work in an industry that has such a playful spirit. When Ernest researches and develops innovative solutions for our clients, it’s impossible to not have fun in the process. Our Cardboard Chaos series is a testament to that fact!

Read our white paper to see how we go beyond fun and games to provide tailored solutions to alleviate our clients’ pain points.