Plush toy manufacturer to implement sustainability features into new Disney line

Sambro is paving the way for sustainability in the plush aisles, with its range of plush toys made with 100 per cent recycled filling, including the latest Disney feature plush range.

The supplier of licensed and own brand children’s toys, creative play, novelty and collectables and outdoor play, has made the switch to recycled filling across its entire plush range, representing a “huge reduction” in the amount of virgin polyester used in manufacturing.

The filling used in each toy is made from 100 per cent recycled post-consumer plastic, coming mostly from plastic bottles. This helps reduce each toy’s carbon footprint by reducing the need for virgin polyester production and diverting single use plastic from landfills.

Sambro’s Disney plush range of toys features a selection of 27 characters from the Disney franchise, such as Disney Classics, Disney Princess, Disney Frozen, Lilo & Stitch, Winnie the Pooh, Monsters Inc and Marvel.

This broad offering of franchises covers the UK retail market and is already distributed in stores such as B&M, Asda, The Works, Amazon and Tesco amongst others. Sambro also distributes Care Bears in the UK, as well as the EU and has extended rights for Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, Teletubbies and Hello Kitty distribution rights across Europe.

As part of its ongoing ESG strategy, all of Sambro’s plush toys across all ranges will be manufactured with 100 per cent recycled filling and for eco-awareness each plush toy will be labelled with the sustainable message.

Sambro is also reviewing its packaging and is working with a packaging specialist to identify how it can reduce the use of plastics and increase the use of sustainable materials.

The first step in this will be to swap all cardboard packaging to FSC certified packaging and Sambro will work with its vendors to implement this across all ranges over the next 12 months.

Paul Blackaby, Sambro CEO, commented: “Managing the products we create and the impact they have on the environment is a key consideration for all of us at Sambro. Sustainability is important to us, our licensors, and our customers, which is why we’ve ensured our range of plush toys are as eco-friendly as possible.

“As a business we are driving forward our ESG strategy, with commitments to reduce carbon footprints and improve practices and operations across all areas of our business.”