Growing toymaker PMI Ltd. is charting a course toward a sustainable future.
Fresh off its line launches and partnership deals for toys inspired by Brawl Stars, Gang Beasts, and Among Us, PMI Kids’ World has entered the first stage of a three-year master plan for sustainable manufacturing.
The company began meeting with sustainability specialists and advisors last year with the ultimate goal of being a fully sustainable operation by 2024. In the first stage, PMI is transitioning to using packaging materials sourced from responsible sources and receiving certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). During the first half of this year, PMI says it will transition to using only FSC-certified water, paper, and wood resources.
Additionally, the company will begin using a mixture of 40% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics in its packaging with a goal of moving to fully recycled PET by the end of the year.
“Kids deserve a healthy environment, and PMI Kids World takes environmental responsibility seriously,” says PMI CEO Boaz Dekel. “Our innovative approach as market leaders is to change the way manufacturing and business are conducted in the toy industry when it comes to environmental care and responsibility. We are calling on our fellow manufacturers to share our view and follow our footsteps in bringing environmental change to the entire industry through more, if not fully, sustainable manufacturing.”
The company is also in the process of conducting research and development on using bioplastics, including the corn-based polymer PLA, recycled plastics, and additional sustainable materials with a goal of replacing all production and packaging materials — including PVC and ABS — with sustainable counterparts of the same quality and safety levels.
Over the past few years, PMI has become a bigger player in the toy industry as a designer, manufacturer, and distributor of toys and impulse items based on top properties from a variety of top licensors, including Nickelodeon, Warner Bros., Hasbro, and others. The family-owned company was founded in Israel in the 1990s and has grown from creating and distributing collectible sticker albums into a global business and master toy licensee.
