Barbie goes GREEN! Mattel launches its first doll collection made out of 90% recycled ocean-bound plastic
- The Barbie Loves the Ocean collection includes 3 dolls and range of accessories
- Parts are made from 90% plastic sourced within 30 miles (50km) of waterways
- However, hair, head and shoes are made from virgin plastic ‘to preserve the look’
- Each doll costs £12.99, while the accompanying Malibu Beach Shack will retail at £26.99 – all of which will go on sale at Tesco from September 2
She’s been a favourite with children since launching back in 1959, and now Barbie is trading her usual pink in for green.
Mattel, the company behind the iconic doll, has announced that it is launching its first doll collection made out of 90 per cent recycled ocean-bound plastic.
The collection includes three dolls as well as a range of accessories, which are all made from recycled plastic.
The launch is part of Mattel’s wider goal to achieve 100 per cent recycled, recyclable or bio-based plastic materials across all its products and packaging by 2030.
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Mattel, the company behind the iconic doll, has announced that it is launching its first doll collection made out of 90 per cent recycled ocean-bound plastic
The collection is called Barbie Loves the Ocean, and includes three dolls, as well as a range of beach-themed accessories.
Lisa McKnight, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Barbie & Dolls at Mattel, said: ‘Our 62-year legacy is steeped in evolution, as we consistently drive forward initiatives designed to better reflect the world kids see around them.
‘Barbie Loves the Ocean is a prime example of sustainable innovations we’ll make as part of creating a future environment where kids can thrive.
‘We are passionate about leveraging the scope and reach of our global platform to inspire kids to be a part of the change they want to see in the world.’
The plastic parts are made from 90 per cent plastic sourced within 30 miles (50km) of waterways in areas lacking formal waste collection systems.
The other 10 per cent is made from ‘virgin plastic’.
Mattel explained: ‘In this doll line, only Barbie’s head, hair and shoes are made from virgin plastic to preserve the same look and quality Barbie is known for.
‘As we continue learning, researching new technology and innovating new ways to make our products with sustainable plastic materials, we remain committed to working toward Mattel’s goal of using 100 per cent recycled, recyclable or bio-based plastic materials in both products and packaging by 2030.’
Each doll costs £12.99, while the accompanying Malibu Beach Shack will retail at £26.99 – all of which will go on sale at Tesco from September 2.
The new recycled dolls come shortly after Mattel launched Mattel PlayBack – a toy return programme designed to recover and reuse materials from old toys for future products.
And the firm isn’t the only one going ‘green’ with its toys.
Lego recently also announced a goal of using sustainable material in all its products and packaging by 2030, starting with its leaves, bushes and trees, which are now made with plastic sourced from sugarcane.
Meanwhile, MGA Entertainment, the firm behind the popular LOL Surprise! invites its customers to box any accumulated waste up and send it off to TerraCycle for recycling.
However, there is still more to do be done to make toys ‘greener.’
In 2012, the British Toy and Hobby Association commissioned a study to investigate recycling associated with toy packaging, and found that just 72-73 per cent of packaging was recycled.
It explained: ‘Approximately 0.7 per cent of retail packaging that enters the home comes from toy and hobby products and it is estimated that 90 per cent of toy packaging could be recycled, of which 72-73 per cent presently is.’
HOW MUCH RECYCLING ENDS UP IN LANDFILL?
Every day, millions of us drop a plastic bottle or cardboard container into the recycling bin – and we feel we’re doing our bit for the environment.
But what we may not realise is that most plastic never gets recycled at all, often ending up in landfill or incineration depots instead.
Of 30 billion plastic bottles used by UK households each year, only 57 per cent are currently recycled, with half going to landfill, half go to waste.
Most plastic never gets recycled at all, often ending up in landfill or incineration depots instead. Around 700,000 plastic bottles a day end up as litter
Around 700,000 plastic bottles a day end up as litter.
This is largely due to plastic wrapping around bottles that are non-recyclable.
Every year, the UK throws away 2.5 billion ‘paper’ cups, amounting to 5,000 cups a minute.
Shockingly, less than 0.4 per cent of these are recycled.
Most cups are made from cardboard with a thin layer of plastic.
This has previously posed issues with recycling but can now be removed.
Five specialist recycling plants in the UK have the capacity to recycle all the cups used on our high-streets.
Ensuring the paper cups end up in these plants and are not discarded incorrectly is one of the biggest issues facing the recycling of the paper vessels.
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