Enabling Sustainable Toy Design with Kraton SBC

A CUSTOMER STORY FEATURING PLAYMOBIL®

Sustainable toy design is critical to the toy industry’s efforts to make environmentally responsible toys and preserve a healthy planet for future generations; this includes ensuring children’s toys are safe and don’t harm the environment on which their future depends. As a result, toy manufacturers are adopting more sustainable practices to lessen their environmental impact and promote ecological design.

Playmobil®, Germany’s largest toy manufacturer under the Horst Brandstätter Group, has been a producer and distributor of children’s toys since 1974. Playmobil toys are known for their plastic figurines and themed playsets designed to encourage imaginative play. Once Playmobil sought to develop Wiltopia, its first eco-friendly product line, they trusted Kraton™ polymers to help improve the line’s end-of-life recyclability and durability.

The Wiltopia playsets teach children exciting knowledge about animals, nature, and the importance of sustainability in a fun and engaging way. It is also Playmobil’s first product range made from an average of over 80% sustainable material. Playmobil partnered with Coolrec to produce the toys with recycled ABS plastic from refrigerator waste to achieve this. Coolrec, part of Renewi, is a leading e-waste-to-product company focusing on high-quality raw materials like (non-ferrous) metals and plastics. To meet Playmobil’s performance and quality needs, Kraton SBC was utilized as an additive to increase the impact strength of the recycled ABS material and help maintain good product stiffness. In combination with the recycled waste, Kraton’s high-performance polymers enabled enhanced durability, crack resistance, and extended product life for the new toy line.

Kraton is proud to enable sustainable toy design and help Playmobil continue to create high-quality, safe, and environmentally friendly toys. As a result, Playmobil successfully launched its eco-friendly Wiltopia line while still providing its customers with the same product quality and longevity they have come to know and love. The product line has won numerous global awards, including the 2022 Toy of the Year in Belgium and Sweden by the Swedish Baby and Toy Association, Lek & Baby. It is also the recipient of U.S.-based magazine Good Housekeeping’s 2022 Best Toy Awards and the 2022 National Parenting Product Award (NAPPA).