From the Disney Parks Blog and written by: Emi Kamezaki
Did you know that over 100 Disney stuffed toys in North America contain recycled material? For several years, Disney has been on a journey to make our products more sustainable, in part, by expanding our use of recycled materials.
We’ve continued to build upon these efforts, and now, in honor of Earth Month, we’re celebrating how this vision is coming to life through more than 100 stuffed toys made with at least 50% recycled material, made possible by the passion of a dedicated group of cast members.
“For a lot of kids, the first item that they get from Disney is a stuffed toy,” explained Adriana Hurtado, associate sourcing manager, Global Sourcing & Product Development. “So, if you can make it with sustainability in mind, it’s like you are supporting their future in a small way. It just helps set the tone for the next generation.”
This special connection made stuffed toys a perfect focus area for Disney, as we take tangible action to inspire optimism for a brighter, more sustainable future.
Giving New Life to Recycled Materials
By using recycled instead of raw materials, we’re making use of resources that may otherwise end up in a landfill. After they’re collected, sorted, cleaned and processed, the materials are transformed into new, soft and durable stuffing for toys that can be played with for years to come.
“People look to Disney to be best-in-class in stuffed toys. We always want to lead the way, and we can help make an impact environmentally,” said Alicia Henderson, sr. manager, Merchandising.
Making such a monumental shift is more complicated than you may think. Disney’s merchandising, product design and sourcing teams combined their creative power and expertise to bring this vision to life. As the group started to explore options for recycled material several years ago, they found that it wasn’t widely available.
“Because we were so early on that initiative, our vendors weren’t really ready for it just yet, and I feel like we ended up really pushing them,” added Sam Cascio, merchandising manager, Plush.
Finding the best recycled material for Disney stuffed toys—with the same durability and cuddliness that our fans expect—was no small task. After exploring countless fabric and stuffing samples, and undergoing many rounds of testing and tweaking, the team had found a perfect fit.
“When you think about how integral Disney is in the lives and stories of other people – how lucky we are that we get to be a part of people’s memories and magical moments. When you’re part of that, you owe it to them to do it the right way,” reflected Sarah Allan, associate sourcing manager, Plush.
One Step in Our Continuous Journey
For nearly a century, Disney has found inspiration in the wonders of the world we share, and together, we’re working to inspire a brighter, more sustainable future. We call our collective efforts Disney Planet Possible.
“When we started back in 2017, we didn’t know how long it was going to take, but to get to this point now, where we’re producing and developing these beautiful stuffed toys that include recycled materials is really rewarding,” shared Monty Maldovan, sr. manager, product design.
Still, this is only the beginning for Disney’s stuffed toys. While we are excited to announce this effort in celebration of Earth Month, this is not a limited-time collection, and the initiative will continue year-round. We plan to continue to increase the number of stuffed toys containing recycled material moving forward.
“I think we really can leave the world better than we found it. That’s what Walt believed. That’s what I believe,” Sarah added. “We owe it to the planet, we owe it to our neighbors to do the right thing.”
Disney’s stuffed toys containing recycled material are available for purchase at select locations across Disney Parks & Resorts in North America. For more information about The Walt Disney Company’s 2030 Environmental Goals, visit impact.disney.com.
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