Stuffed animals are toys with a special connection to nature and real animals. As such, they need to be eco-friendly and Wild Republic is working on that.
The company has always put effort to make eco-friendly toys. Now, it wants to step up those efforts and do even more, Crain’s Cleveland Business Reports.
The company introduced a new strategy which it calls Promise to the Planet. It features changes to all areas of manufacturing and product development. The goal is simple – to reduce the carbon footprint of the entire company.
This will reflect a lot on the new stuffed animals Wild Republic makes. For example, the polyester it uses will be made from recycled water bottles. The pellets which go in plushies will be from a blend of calcium-based mineral and recycled polyethylene.
Also, the packaging will feature 80% recycled cardboard. Even the ink will be soy-based. Some of the plastic bagging will be able do disintegrate after three to six months in a landfill.
“This is our 40th anniversary as a company,” Vishnu Chandran, president of Wild Republic noted. “The business was built by my grandfather based on his love for children and wildlife. He wanted to deliver toys and stuffed animals that really encouraged curiosity about wildlife as well as educate children about the wonders of nature and the wide range of species that exist on our planet. He is all about ‘education through recreation’ — that’s a tagline he always says to us.”
“We are constantly working to see how far we can push this,” said Alex Radojevic, director of product development. He adds that contrary to most beliefs, eco-friendly materials are not the cheaper way to go. “We’re just doing it because it’s the right thing to do,” he adds.
The new plan will also affect other Wild Republic toys and offerings. And the company has big plans, so it will continue to add more and more toys.
