Sustainable Toy Design: Innovation Beyond Plastic

Exploring eco-friendly materials, packaging, and circular design models

By Justin Discoe

In 2008, when my partners and I launched Sprig Toys, “green” in the toy industry was more of a novelty than a mandate. Petroleum-based plastics were the default, twist ties bound toys in layers of non-recyclable packaging, and the end-of-life fate of most products was rarely part of the design brief. We took a different approach, creating the first injection-molded bio-plastic toy in the industry, made in Canada from reclaimed wood and recycled plastic, and powered by play instead of batteries. Two years later, we were honored with the Specialty Toy of the Year Award. 

Since then, sustainable design has evolved from an idealistic niche to an urgent priority. Climate change, shifting consumer expectations, and the realities of the global supply chain are forcing the industry to rethink not just what toys are made of, but how they are made, shipped, packaged, and ultimately disposed of.

Beyond the Material Swap

Too often, “sustainable” is reduced to a simple substitution: replace conventional plastic with recycled or plant-based plastic. While materials are a critical part of the conversation, the real innovation comes when sustainability is woven into every stage of the product’s life cycle — from concept to consumer, from packaging to post-play recycling.

At Sprig, we experimented with bio-composites, plant-based plastics, and other alternative materials long before they were mainstream. My fellow Sprig co-founders, Chris Clemmer and David Bowen, went on to create BeginAgain Toys, continuing the exploration of sustainable materials. In 2017, their sugarcane and corn cob bio-plastic trucks won Bioplastic Product of the Year. These advances — whether at Sprig or BeginAgain — required deep collaboration with material scientists and manufacturing partners, as well as a willingness to test, fail, and refine until the materials could meet both safety and performance requirements.

Packaging as the First (and Often Easiest) Win

Packaging is one of the fastest, most visible ways to reduce environmental impact — and to communicate that commitment to consumers. At Sprig, we shipped thousands of toys without a single twist tie. We replaced petroleum-based blister packs with recycled or FSC-certified paperboard, designed packaging that doubled as part of the play experience, and optimized box sizes to reduce shipping volume.

Reducing the shipping cube isn’t just a sustainability move — it’s a business advantage. Smaller packaging lowers transportation costs, allows more units per shipment, and, in an era of volatile freight pricing, helps insulate margins. It also improves shelf efficiency at retail, which can make the difference between getting listed or being passed over. These are decisions that must be baked into the design process from the very first sketches, not left as an afterthought when production is already locked.

The New Global Supply Chain Reality

The last few years have been a stress test for every supply chain. Pandemic disruptions, container shortages, and rising freight rates were followed by new tariff structures and trade realignments. The toy industry — long accustomed to established manufacturing hubs and predictable shipping lanes — is now facing a shifting map of production and distribution.

This disruption, while challenging, is also an opening for innovative thinking:

• Nearshoring or reshoring certain product lines to reduce shipping distances and costs.

• Designing with modularity so components can be sourced from multiple regions without retooling the entire product.

• Choosing materials that can be sourced closer to the point of manufacture to avoid tariff-heavy imports.

• Collaborating with packaging engineers to ensure the most efficient use of container space — reducing both environmental impact and exposure to fluctuating freight rates.

Circular Design Models

The next frontier of sustainability is not just making toys greener, but making them part of a circular economy. That means:

• Design for disassembly so parts can be recycled or replaced.

• Creating products with second-life potential, where components can be repurposed or upgraded rather than discarded.

• Exploring return, refurbish, and resale models — which can build brand loyalty while reducing waste.

• Offering tiered eco-goals for manufacturing partners, enabling them to make meaningful changes over time rather than overwhelming them with a one-step leap.

Sustainability as Culture, Not Campaign

Real change doesn’t happen through a single “eco” product line or seasonal initiative. It’s a cultural shift — one that touches sales, marketing, operations, and even trade show strategy. For example, our patent-pending low-waste trade show booth reduced set-up time by days, cut material usage dramatically, and lowered shipping costs — proving that sustainable thinking can improve both the environmental and financial bottom line.

Embedding sustainability into a company’s DNA requires transparency, measurable checkpoints, and ongoing education for every team member and partner. It’s not a one-time badge; it’s a constant evolution.

The Playful Path Forward

The toy industry is built on imagination — and that same imagination can lead the way to a more sustainable future. The challenges of changing materials, redesigning packaging, and navigating a volatile global supply chain are real, but so are the opportunities.

Sustainable toy design is no longer an “extra.” It’s a baseline expectation from consumers, retailers, and licensors. The companies that treat it as a creative challenge rather than a compliance burden will be the ones who thrive in the years ahead.

After all, the most sustainable toy isn’t just made from better materials — it’s made with better thinking.

Chis Clemmer, Justin Discoe and David Bowen in the Sprig Toys HQ 2008.