Source: Dan Dee International/The Toy Book

Walmart recently held its seventh annual Supplier Growth Forum as a virtual event in place of the usual in-person gathering that typically takes place in Rogers, Arkansas. Amid the yearly updates on the retail giant’s strategic initiatives, key focus areas, future growth strategies, Walmart issues its Supplier of the year Awards to leading suppliers in each major product category.

Dan Dee International — one of the world’s largest designers and suppliers of plush toys — took home the top honors as Walmart’s 2020 Sustainability Supplier of The Year.

Last year, Dan Dee’s efforts kept more than 52 million polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles from making their way into the world’s landfills. By recycling PET bottles into its patented Earthwise fiber, Dan Dee reduced petroleum consumption by more than 1.9 million gallons. Earthwise fiber is used as filling for Dan Dee’s plush toys in place of traditional, petroleum-based plastics. Additionally, more than 80% of Dan Dee’s packaging is made from recycled paper.

Related: Play For Today, Play For Tomorrow: The Shift Toward Eco-Friendly Toys and Sustainable Production

Dan Dee was also one of three nominees for Walmart’s Seasonal/Celebrations Supplier of the Year. Since its founding in 1954, Dan Dee has grown to become North America’s leading supplier of seasonal plush and decor.

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.

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