We may see more "Barbie Green" in the future

Recently, the movie "Barbie" has set off a pink wave around the world. But in fact, in recent years, Barbie dolls have gradually transitioned to " green " - the green here is sustainable green .

Barbie made from plastic recycled from the ocean

In July 2021, Mattel launched the "Barbie Loves the Ocean" series. This is the first Barbie series made of recycled ocean plastic , with at least 90% of the material being recycled plastic. According to Mattel, these discarded plastics come from areas that lack a formal garbage collection system. This series is the same price as regular Barbie, so consumers don't need to spend extra money to contribute a little to protecting the marine environment.

Barbie Loves the Ocean series has three dolls｜Mattel.com

Recycled plastics were then applied to more Barbie series. The following year, Mattel partnered with the Jane Goodall Institute to launch the "Inspirational Women" series of Barbie based on Dr. Jane Goodall, and then launched the 2022 Eco-Leadership Barbie series. The dolls in these two series are also made of recycled ocean plastic .

Primatologist Dr Jane Goodall poses with a Barbie doll based on herself｜PA Media - Jane Goodall Productions/Mattel

The Eco-Leadership Barbie dolls include four different careers: Chief Sustainability Officer, Conservation Scientist, Renewable Energy Engineer and Environmental Advocate. The collection is certified carbon neutral , with Mattel purchasing carbon offsets (189 metric tons of CO2) from forest projects in Ghana, Australia and the Mississippi Valley.

In addition, Mattel has also launched nature exploration activities to encourage children and young people to get close to nature and cultivate awareness of protecting the ecological environment and species diversity through outdoor sports and adventures.

The 2022 Eco-Leadership Barbie of the Year includes four characters that protect the planet and promote sustainability | Mattel.com

Toys made of sustainable materials are the trend

In addition to recycled plastics, Mattel has also launched toys made of other sustainable materials in recent years. For example, they and Fisher-Price have jointly launched building block toys made of bio-based plastics . These bio-based plastics are made from sugarcane and feel very strong. Fisher-Price will also gradually replace all its building block toy products with bio-based plastics.

Fisher-Price Building Blocks｜Matel.com

The sustainable transformation of toys also focuses on card games. The surface of cards is usually covered with a layer of plastic cellophane , which greatly increases the difficulty of recycling cards . Mattel has launched the "Nothin' But Paper" series of UNO cards, which not only removes the plastic coating, but also uses non-toxic and harmless soy ink and water-based glue to make cards.

100% recyclable UNO playing cards | Mattel.com

Mattel has also partnered with Matchbox to launch a recyclable car toy. The toy tray is 70% made of potatoes and can be directly composted at home if discarded. The car itself is made of 99% recycled materials, and the remaining 1% is stainless steel in the axle.

This set of toys hopes to teach children about green and sustainable development through games, including garbage sorting, using electric vehicles, protecting bees and choosing renewable energy｜Mattel.com

Why make toys made of sustainable materials?

90% of the world's toys are made of plastic . Plastic is easy to clean, durable and relatively cheap; but at the same time, toys made of plastic can also cause many problems.

For children, close contact with plastics has many potential dangers. Plasticizers , chemicals used to give plastics flexibility, have been shown to be endocrine disruptors, which have been linked to the occurrence of tumors, birth defects and developmental disorders. In addition, chewing or heating plastic toys can exacerbate the harmful effects of chemicals such as phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA) and heavy metals.

Abandoned doll | Faldrian/Wikimedia Commons

For the environment, discarded plastic toys will bring a great burden to the ecosystem. It is estimated that 80% of discarded toys will not be recycled, but will be directly landfilled. The non-biodegradable nature of ordinary plastics will make these discarded toys exist indefinitely . Now, many toy companies are trying to use more environmentally friendly materials to produce toys, which can not only reduce the harm of plastic toys to children's health, but also reduce plastic waste and reduce the adverse impact on the environment.

Marine plastic waste | Tuchong Creative

Environmentally friendly materials may also bring better performance to toys. For example, people have found that biocomposite materials made of natural fibers (such as wood pulp, flax, starch, etc.) can give toys durability, a natural feel, and even buoyancy. Some toy companies have also launched toy recycling programs to promote the reuse of toy materials.

Mattel's Playback program recycles old toys to make new products in the future or converts those materials into energy.

One toy becoming green will not have much impact on the environment, but when all toys become green, things may be different . We are happy to see that companies are rolling up on sustainable issues and making the earth better. Hope may be hidden in these changes.

References

[1]https://corporate.mattel.com/news/mattel-launches-barbie-loves-the-ocean-its-first-fashion-doll-collection-made-from-recycled-ocean-bound-plastic

[2]https://corporate.mattel.com/news/the-future-of-pink-is-green-barbie-introduces-new-dr-jane-goodall-and-eco-leadership-team-certified-carbonneutral-dolls-made-from-recycled-ocean-bound-plastic

[3]https://www.tenereteam.com/blogs/how-mattels-barbie-and-their-other-brands-charge-toward-sustainability/

[4]https://barbie.fandom.com/wiki/4ocean_x_Barbie_Limited_Edition_Beaded_Bracelet#Closed-Loop%20Program

[5]https://www.eco-business.com/opinion/why-toy-makers-are-switching-to-safe-and-sustainable-plastics/

[6]https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/reviewed/2021/12/01/sustainable-and-earth-friendly-toy-brands-kids/8826901002/

Author: Bowl

Editor: Mai Mai

Title image source: PA Media - Jane Goodall Productions/Mattel

This article comes from GuokrNature (ID: GuokrNature)

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