IETP-member Schleich’s Continued Commitment to Sustainability

At the end of last year, Schleich publicly announced “[they] will strive to only use sustainable materials”.

We are proud to have Schleich as a member of the ICTI Ethical Toy Program (IETP) and will highlight their achievements and sustainability goals in this article.  The iconic brand has been a member of our program since 2019, and include “The Human being in focus” as one of its core sustainability pillars.

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Stating:

“People are at the center of our sustainability activities, so we prioritize safe and healthy working conditions at every point in our value chain – both for our own employees and the people who work in the supply chain of our figurines and playsets”.

As part of their ESG strategy and brand DNA, Schleich have announced that by 2027, all of their figurines will be recyclable, they are seeking Cradle to Cradle® certification in the next four years. What does Cradle to Cradle® mean?  The Cradle to Cradle® approach adopts the principles of the circular economy, seeking to use the planet’s resources for as long as possible, and then reusing them again and again. Dr. Philipp Hummel, Schleich’s Head of Sustainability, recently shared in an interview with Toyworld Magazine:

“It’s worth noting that our products are so durable, and of such high quality, that they’re only thrown away in very rare cases. If this does happen, however, the consistent implementation of Cradle to Cradleâprinciples can turn an old Schleich dinosaur into a new Schleich dinosaur (or a lion, horse or unicorn) instead of a product with reduced material quality.”

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Cradle to Cradle requires that both the production and supply chains are designed to improve the social and environmental impact of all products that adhere to it and the companies that make them.Cradle to Cradle® process:

In addition to aiming to achieve Cradle to Cradle® certification by 2027, the organisation have announced:

• 100% of figurines will be recyclable or biodegradable by the end of 2027
• 100% recyclable packaging material by 2025
• 100% use of green electricity in their German headquarter and warehouse
• 100% certified cardboard in packaging by the end of 2023
• 20% reduction of plastic in their packaging (compared to 2020)
• 460,000 plastic trays in their advent calendars replaced by cardboard trays

We are proud to name Schleich a member of the ICTI Ethical Toy Program and look forward to continuing working together in future to make a positive impact. Read about Schleich’s Sustainability Journey & commitments here.