PETAL Wildlife: Transforming Today's Toys through Eco-Friendly Alternatives
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PETAL Wildlife: Transforming Today's Toys through Eco-Friendly Alternatives

Updated: Jan 11



How Much Plastic Is Used In The Toy Industry?


Plastics consist of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as their main ingredient. Plastics are considered polymers because all plastics contain repeating units of chains of molecules derived from petroleum. Plastics are used in many products because they can be shaped into any form easily. One of their main uses is the manufacturing of toys. According to the Huffington Post, 90% of toys in the global market are currently made of plastic. The plastics primarily used are PP (polypropylene), PE (polyethylene) and ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). It is estimated that for every $1 million in revenue, about 40 tons of plastic is used.


Until a few decades ago, toys used to be made from cloth, wood, and various fabrics. However today, most toys are made of plastic since the plastic-based toys last longer than wooden or fabric toys.


The Toy Industry
The Toy Industry. Photo Credit: Wix Media


Impact Of Plastic On The Environment


Due to their chemical composition, all plastics take from 450-1,000 years to biodegrade (meaning to decay naturally and in a non-harmful way), and many cannot be recycled multiple times or at all. This dangerous aspect along with an extremely high rate of production involving burning fossil fuels and ensuing greenhouse gas emissions, has made plastic a major global environmental disaster with devastating consequences for both humans and wildlife. 



Toy consumption is also increasing because plastic toys are cheaper than those made with fiber or wood. According to research commissioned by the Toy Industry Association (TIA), a single household has 71 toys (average), 20% of households own at least 100 toys and 10% own more than 200 toys! Since the demand is huge, the production of these toys, naturally, is also huge.

Some of the factors that lead to more toy purchases and therefore more waste are:

  • Children lose interest in a toy very quickly as they grow. So, more new toys are purchased.

  • Extremely high competition leads to a low-cost and high-volume market.

  • Rapid change in trends: seasonality and fashion

 



Plastic In The Marine Environment


Plastic has been found in more than 60% of all seabirds and in 100% of sea turtles species, that mistake it for food. 


Every year, 11 million metric tons of plastics enter our ocean on top of the estimated 200 million metric tons that currently circulate in our marine environments. 


Over 400 million tons of plastics are produced every year globally for various products including toys. Scientists have estimated that over 14 million tons of plastic  end up in oceans worldwide every year. Plastics alone make up around 80% of all marine debris found from surface waters to deep-sea sediments.

 


Sea Turtle Ocean Pollution
Sea Turtle mistaking plastic bag for food. Photo Credit: Wix Media

PETAL Wildlife Is a Green Organization + Our New Sustainable Products Line


At PETAL Wildlife, we are always looking for new, creative ways to help the environment. Firstly, we are proud to say that PETAL Wildlife is California Green Business certified through the California Green Business Network (CAGBN)! We are part of a network of over 4,500 certified Green Businesses in California. This certification recognizes our organization as one that is taking action to conserve resources and prevent pollution in both the production of our products and operations.


Here are just some of the ways we have worked hard to green our business production and operations:


·       Using 100% sustainable shipping materials whenever we can

·       Switching to non-toxic cleaning products

·       Installing energy efficient lighting and utilizing low-flow water fixtures in our work/production areas


We are also thrilled to announce the launch of our NEW Sustainable Products line! We have launched 7 new products from board books to educational games to hands-on activities that are made from up to 100% recyclable and/or biodegradable materials! The outer boxes for these products are also completely recyclable. Plus, all our clothing is made from 100% cotton, which is highly sustainable.


We want to show the world that creating fun, educational, non-plastic toys, made with eco-friendly materials that help our Earth, is indeed possible. Kids can learn, be engaged, and have fun with our products all while helping our amazing planet!



We will continue to implement these green, sustainable measures and we strive to have our entire product collection be 100% sustainable by 2025. Cheer us on!

 

Help save all the species that call Earth their home by purchasing these SUSTAINABLE products!


100% year-end profits donated to wildlife conservation groups and schools. You can also support our mission by donating any amount!









 


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