Even toy cars are joining the electric vehicle revolution, with Mattel this week unveiling the first mass market toy line to be certified as "carbon neutral" featuring zero emission toy cars and EV charging stations.
The line has been launched under Mattel's construction toy brand Mega Bloks, with the new "Green Town" range including four building sets such as the Build & Learn Eco House and the Grow & Protect Farm.
Every product is made from a minimum of 56 percent plant-based materials and a minimum of 26 percent bio-circular plastics, with the materials approved by the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification body.
Moreover, each toy in the set is designed to help teach "green behaviors through play patterns," Mattel said, highlighting how the blocks will allow children to simulate waste sorting, using electric transport, protecting honey bees and choosing renewable energy sources.
The toys are designed for preschool children from ages 1 and up and are available to order through Amazon.
The company also announced that it was bringing to market a Matchbox version of the Tesla Roadster, its first die-cast toy vehicle made from 99 percent recycled materials and certified as carbon neutral.
Other products which Mattel has included its sustainability drive include Barbie Loves the Ocean.
The move follows the launch last year of the Matchbox Driving Toward a Better Future strategy for the iconic toy car brand, which sets out how the company plans to ensure all Matchbox die-cast cars, playsets and packaging will use 100 percent recycled, recyclable or made from bio-based plastic materials by 2030.
The firm said it plans to launch a range of new EV multi-packs featuring toy cars from manufacturers such as BMW, Nissan and Honda, as well as a new Recycling Truck made from 80 percent ISCC-certified bio-circular plastic.
"At Mattel, we are focused on developing innovative products and packaging that are better for our planet by integrating more sustainable materials and principles of product stewardship and circular design," said Pamela Gill-Alabaster, head of global sustainability at the company. "These new products from MEGA and Matchbox demonstrate our commitment to our 2030 goal to achieve 100 percent recycled, recyclable or bio-based plastic materials in all our products and packaging and to create a more sustainable future for the next generation."
To secure carbon neutral certification for its Mega and Matchbox products, the company said it had worked with Natural Capital Partners to purchase carbon offsets from the Darkwood Forests Conservation project in Canada. Packaging for the range is also created with 100 percent Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper or paperboard, plus soy-based inks and water-based varnishes to enhance recyclability.
Other products which Mattel has included its sustainability drive include Barbie Loves the Ocean, its first fashion doll line made from recycled ocean-bound plastic; Fisher-Price Rock-a-Stack and Fisher-Price Baby's First Blocks, made from bio-based plastics; and UNO Nothin' But Paper, the first fully recyclable UNO deck without cellophane packing materials.
