Amid a sea of bright lights, neon pink carpets, and toys in every conceivable shape and colour, little gems of green and eco-innovation shone through at London Toy Fair.
The global toy industry came together at Olympia 20-22 February 2025, to showcase product innovations from over 250 exhibitors, to buyers, licensors, media and the wider industry.
Whether they were POC Members or not, there were sustainability trailblazers to be found at Toy Fair. Take Proud Penguin, for example, is pioneering the way of bio-based animal figurines, befit with Digital Product Passports for consumers and buyers to see the whole product journey. They are made from PLA, largely constituting of polymer from sugar, over half of which is agricultural waste.
Or there was Gibsons, which had its brand-new collection of games and puzzles on display, all of which have eliminated plastic (save for a little reusable sand timer), uses FSC paper and vegetable-based inks, and has reduced size packaging to minimise waste, switches which have had received great feedback from their customers so far. The B Corp organisation is working in sustainability in its design stages and manufacturers its products locally in UK and Europe to reduce transport emissions.
Toynamics was sporting its new cork range of toys, a sturdy but lighter and softer alternative to wooden toys. And with cork tree growth being a significant absorber of CO2, and a much lighter material to ship, they offer a more sustainable alternative to both plastic and even wood. The range includes a play mat, a bowling set, and building blocks.
Another new company to POC was The Toy Project, which collects donated toys and resells them, often re-boxing them up in new packaging to make them feel like new when given as a gift. Not only does The Toy Project sell the toys it collects, but it donates many to vulnerable families and children.
Whether toy companies are reducing the impact of their current products, innovating new sustainable solutions, or extending the life of existing products, there is more than one route to future-proofing the toy industry, which was made clear at Toy Fair this year. As key regulations come to the fore, we can anticipate an even greater show of sustainability at Toy Fair 2026.
Majen Immink, director of Toy Fair, commented: “Thank you to all our exhibitors, visitors, and contractors who once again made this year’s Toy Fair such a vibrant and exciting event. Your continued support has helped us to create a colourful and bustling event to kick off the business year in the best possible way. The energy and enthusiasm at this year’s show was palpable and we hope it sets the tone for a successful year ahead for everyone involved. We are already looking forward to welcoming the industry back in 2026!”