Sustainability
“Shipping, material and labour price have all hugely increased during
overwhelming press interest from all over the UK, to Finland and as far as Korea.” The move, says Garfield, has helped
develop the conversation around circularity among today’s shoppers, while the high calibre of toys – both licensed and non- licensed – has helped cast the concept of ‘second hand toys’ on the High Street in a whole new light. “We have many items on sale in Selfridges
that are at the top of children’s Christmas lists: Spider-Man, PAW Patrol, Barbie – the only difference is, they’re not in a box,” Garfield explains. “We have Barbies that are 40 years old, Star Wars figures from the ‘70s, and Pokemon cards from the 1990s. “If that doesn’t make them stop and think, what will?”
Sustainability is a conversation being
picked up by children and families at an increasing rate, so much so that Spielwarenmesse has dubbed it a MegaTrend in the toy space for 2022, with plans to showcase the latest in environmentally- conscious toys at the show scheduled to take place later this Toy Fair season. But away from the innovation and product design it plans to highlight in Nuremberg this year, it is the idea of circularity that is taking a rather more central role within the conversation. New and agenda-setting research carried
out by Kids Industries co-founder and Products of Change children’s market ambassador, Gary Pope has identified second hand toys as the second most popular toy category among children in the UK and the US. While plastic toys do still sit at the very top of that list with 42 percent of the vote in the UK and 52 percent of the vote in the US, it’s an impressive 37 percent of UK families and 38 per cent of those in the US that lean towards circularity to favour rehoming preloved toys over buying new every time. “Business to date has valued only new. A
factory gives you a better price if you order higher volumes and retail incentivises you to purchase higher volumes to gain a lower unit price, but this system is flawed and not something that we can continue to do, especially as our resources are finite,” says Products of Change founder, Helena Mansell Stopher.
the last two years putting more ressure on our financial models and heavily showcasing the value in our waste product (both waste from the supply chain, old retail stock and second hand).” While this may not be top of a consumer’s mind, the fact of it is, children and families are becoming more aware of the need to shop and make their choices more sustainably. A global study of the relationship that children have with the circular economy, launched by The LEGO Group in early December, detailed that 50 percent of children think about the environment and their impact upon it on a daily basis. A lack of education and awareness of the best steps to take from that point onwards, however, has raised some concerns around the degree of agency with which the eight to 18 year old audiences are currently acting. But with this, LEGO highlighted, is a big opportunity for educators and influencers to step in and help. And that leaves a door of opportunity for
the toy industry wide open. “It’s so exciting to see the next generation, the children, willing and eager to buy used toys,” continues The TOY Project’s Garfield. “To see them recognise the importance and begin to see the link between the toys and the planet. We hold sessions in our toy shop for school groups, and it’s a joy to see their minds thinking and working out the links between toys and their planet.” Spanning the likes of Sylvanian Families, Schleich, Gibsons, Tonies, Playtime PR, and Rainbow Toys, The TOY Project’s partner list makes for an encouraging read. More
Thinking about joining Products of Change?
You wouldn’t be alone. Products of Change has welcomed new members to its platform from across the toy, licensing, fashion, sport, gaming, retail, and manufacturing sectors among plenty others. Join a network spanning the industries to drive sustainable change across the consumer products space by getting in touch with the team today. Contact Robert Hutchins, Editor of Products of Change on
Rob@productsofchange.com or Helena, founder of Products of Change on Helena@
productsofchange.com today.
encouraging still is that the industry is ready to back the efforts of just one retailer and its mission in an international toy market worth $260 billion. The big question is, can you imagine the impact of this kind of model at scale? George at Asda blazed a new trail in the fashion space when it implemented its partnership with PreLoved Kilo to launch a Gucci clothing treasure hunt within select stores across the UK. The event witnessed the pair hide a wardrobe of vintage and designer Gucci items within George at Asda departments in a move to inspire fashion focused shoppers to seek out second hand treasures.
The campaign was an extension of a
long-term partnership Asda now has with PreLoved Kilo to sell its vintage, retro, and second hand branded pieces in 50 of the supermarket giant’s UK stores. Not only does it tap into the current demand for vintage and retro clothing, but it provides a means of closing the loop on fashion’s economy, and diverting shoppers from the linear economy that contributes so much to the global waste stream. PreLoved Kilo’s co-founder, Steve Lynam,
says: “All our items are handpicked by our dedicated buyers and then checked for quality at our HQ. We work with suppliers around the globe picking out only the best brands, boldest prints, and authentic vintage, all of which would otherwise end up in landfill if we weren’t there to source and save each piece.”
So successful has George at ASDA’s
partnership been with PreLoved Kilo that this year, the supermarket witnessed sales via the partnership outpace those of its own George ranges. If ever there was an indication of the willingness of the consumer to embrace a more circular economy, then surely this is it? “The fashion industry jumped on the
trend of re-use much earlier than other industries, with the second hand fashion market expanding 21 times faster than conventional apparel,” says Products of Change’s Mansell Stopher. “According to the recent ThredUp report, the US second-hand market is expected to triple in value in the next 10 years, from US$28 billion in 2019 to US$80 billion in 2029, image what this new business model could look like for other industries.”
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