by KRISTIN MORENCY GOLDMAN, Senior Advisor, Strategic Communications, The Toy Association
One of The Toy Association’s top trends of 2023 is “Be Authentic.” This trend speaks to conscious parents who are on the lookout for toys that teach kids the importance of social responsibility, sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and other values that are meaningful to families.
A OnePoll survey of U.S. parents commissioned by The Toy Association last fall found that more than half (52%) of parents believe toys are some of the best teachers their kids will ever have, and two-thirds (67%) of parents believe toys play a significant role in the development of kids’ beliefs and values. More than a quarter (28%) of parents also look for toys that teach kids about environmental issues, in addition to 68% who want toys that expose kids to diversity and inclusion, and 63% who look for products that educate kids on the effects of bullying.
“Toy companies are leading the way in providing children with tools that tackle environmental and social issues and create a more inclusive and caring world,” says Adrienne Appell, Executive Vice President of Marketing Communications at The Toy Association. “Now when you enter the toy aisle, you’ll be met with the most diverse assortment of dolls ever, toys that are made through sustainable manufacturing processes, and playthings that help kids manage their emotions and celebrate different cultures. These products help instill values in children that can last a lifetime.”
Tied to this trend, toy companies are setting and working toward sustainability goals by improving the recyclability of their toys, reducing packaging waste, and utilizing more sustainable materials in their products. The following are just a few examples of the many companies that are dedicated to protecting and preserving the environment:
Hape’s Green Planet Explorers line introduces sustainability to kids at a young age, teaching them how to care about the environment through imaginative play. Panda’s Bamboo House (pictured top) is a three-story, open-floor playhouse made of bamboo that comes with four poseable panda figures (also made of bamboo). Each level of the solar-powered house highlights eco-friendly living with accessories like a suspension bridge, a slide, a rope ladder, hammocks, and more. In addition to bamboo, the playset is made from eco-friendly, renewable materials including Green PE (made from sugar cane plants) and FSC-certified wood.
Mattel’s overarching sustainability goals include achieving 100% recycled, recyclable, or bio-based plastic materials in products and packing by 2030 and maintaining 95% recycled or FSC-certified content in the paper and wood fiber used in its products and packaging. The company’s eco-friendly products span multiple brands, including Barbie, MEGA, Matchbox, and Thomas & Friends. Coming this fall, the MEGA Bloks Green Town Ocean Time Clean Up set inspires little builders to join the Ocean Time Clean Up crew and learn about green behaviors like sorting plastics and cleaning the ocean. The set’s three included Block Buddies figures are made from at least 90% ISCC-certified plastics.
Plus-Plus is a socially and environmentally responsible company that runs its factory and headquarters on 100% green energy from wind power. All of its products and packaging are 100% recyclable. New this spring is the company’s Learn to Build People of the World 275-piece set, with which kids ages 3 and up can learn to build 2D and 3D people with different body sizes, skin colors, hair types, and clothing styles.
Steiff’s Teddies for Tomorrow line focuses on sustainability and environmental conservation. The plush are made from non-animal materials such as hemp, linen, bamboo viscose, and recycled polyester fibers, as well as stuffing made from recycled PET bottles or wood wool. The company has reintroduced its iconic Richard Steiff bear, first introduced in 1902, as part of its Teddies for Tomorrow collection. The new iteration of the bear is sewn from bamboo viscose, stuffed with a corn-based fiber, and has paw pads made from plant-based felt.
Miniland’s sustainability mission includes creating eco-friendly products made of bio-based materials, such as wood and natural fibers. The company’s new Eco Knitted Clothing range designed for its dolls features new outfits made from pre- and post-consumer textile waste to help prevent further landfill and incineration. Made in Spain, the clothes are made by mixing undyed, recycled cotton fiber with other support fibers to create new materials, and the dyeing process creates unique colors without using water or chemicals.
The Butterfly Wooden Shaker from Petit Collage is a colorful rattle toy for infants that is made from responsibly sourced FSC wood and packaging made from 75% recycled materials.
As more companies commit to eco-friendly goals, The Toy Association acts as a resource for its members, offering guidance and tools to support sustainability in the toy space. To join The Toy Association’s Environmental Sustainability Committee in order to stay at the forefront of environmental issues impacting toys, contact Jennifer Gibbons (jgibbons@toyassociation.org).
In addition to eco-friendly products, the “Be Authentic” trend includes toys that tackle diversity and inclusion and products created in partnership with educational experts and international research centers that appeal to savvy shoppers in search of authentic brands.
Visit toyassociation.org/trends to see examples of these toys and more in The Toy Association’s 2023 Toy Trends Briefing presentation.
A version of this article was originally published in the 2023 Classics & Specialty Issue of The Toy Book. Click here to read the full issue! Want to receive The Toy Book in print? Click here for subscription options!
