2022’s sustainable Matchbox vehicles | Source: Mattel/The Toy Book

To kick off Earth Month, Mattel is rolling out a new range of sustainable toys across its Matchbox and MEGA brands.

The new assortment includes the MEGA Bloks Green Town collection and extensions to the Matchbox “Driving Toward a Better Future” initiative. Mattel is the first toy company to incorporate certified renewable polymers from SABIC’s TRUCIRCLE program into its products.

“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,” says Pamela Gill-Alabaster, head of global sustainability at Mattel. “These new products from MEGA and Matchbox demonstrate our commitment to our 2030 goal to achieve 100% recycled, recyclable or bio-based plastic materials in all our products and packaging and to create a more sustainable future for the next generation.”

MEGA Bloks Green Town Charge & Go Bus playset | Source: Mattel

The MEGA Bloks Green Town line is hailed as the first mass retail toy line to be certified CarbonNeutral by Natural Capital Partners. Products in this line are made from a minimum of 56% plant-based materials and a minimum of 26% International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) certified bio-circular plastics. Mattel purchased carbon offsets from the Darkwood Forests Conservation Project in Canada in order to go truly carbon-neutral. Additionally, all packaging for the line is made with 100% Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified paper or paperboard, with graphics created using soy-based inks and water-based varnishes to enhance recyclability.

MEGA Bloks Green Town Grow & Protect Farm playset | Source: Mattel

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The MEGA Bloks Green Town collection includes the Build & Learn Eco House, Sort & Recycle Squad, Grow & Protect Farm, and Charge & Go Bus playsets. Kids can learn green behaviors with each set.

The world’s first CarbonNeutral die-cast vehicle is also rolling out today.

The Matchbox Tesla Roadster — first unveiled last year — becomes available through Mattel Creations at 9 a.m. ET. The car is made from 99% recycled materials.

Source: Mattel

Additionally, the Matchbox brand is continuing along the Driving Toward a Better Future roadmap that was established last year. New toys are being released throughout the year that reflect real-world green scenarios while being crafted using Mattel’s sustainable approach.

The new offerings include a large-scale Recycling Truck made from 80% ISCC-certified bio-circular plastic; Electric Vehicle (EV) die-cast multipacks featuring 1:64-scale EVs from automakers including BMW, Nissan, Honda, and more; and Action Drivers playsets manufactured with at least 40% ISCC-certified bio-circular plastic.

Finally, Mattel launched a digital resource hub for families to learn about greener play patterns and sustainable behaviors.

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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