Barbie, Eco? Ethical? This is What We Know
Nobody has missed the hype about Barbie! Barbie is an icon, a phenomenon and the doll that many of us probably grew up with. With four months left in 2023, Barbie is the biggest movie of the year in the USA and it has broken several box office records. The film starring big names like Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling & Will Ferrell, has furthermore made the most money for a movie production made by a female director. You go, Greta Gerwig! And the rumour has it that fans should get ready for "Barbie 2" and "Barbie 3". There may also be a spin-off that focuses on Barbie's friend Ken.
Ms Gerwig's movie is about the Barbie fashion doll, made by the American toy company Mattel. The toy was initially created by the American businesswoman Ruth Handler and launched back in 1959, meaning Barbie has been on the market for 64 years! It has become one of the best-selling toys with over a billion Barbie dolls produced worldwide. Since the 1980s, Barbie has been the star of video games, animated movies and TV series. In Gerwig's newest movie, Barbie unexpectedly leaves her perfectly animated world of Barbieland to live in the natural human world, facing everyday dramas like all of us. According to us, this is a fun and refreshing take.
“The Future of Pink, Is Green”
Said by the Barbie producer, Mattel. Who is taking a step towards a sustainable world by being committed to protecting our precious planet by raising awareness about environmental challenges and inspiring kids to take positive action?
Some green (or at least greener) facts about Barbie:
Doll plastic parts are made from 90% plastic sourced within 50km of waterways in areas lacking formal waste collection systems. (Doll head and hair excluded)
Sustainable packaging with certified paper or wood fibre.
By 2030, Mattel is on track to achieve 100% recycled, recyclable, or bio-based plastic materials in their products.
Using their platforms and Barbie as a role model to educate and promote sustainable everyday behaviours that will help inspire action.
Play, recycle, repeat, Mattel is upcycling old Barbie doll parts to make new ones.
Producing career dolls with important professions, in order to inspire the younger generations. These include; the Teacher doll, Eco Leadership doll, Doctor doll, Bessie Coleman doll (civil aviator), Veterinary doll, Scientist doll and many more.
An icon doll once strongly associated with skinniness, blonde hair and blue eyes, has now developed into more ethnicities, shapes and looks, something that will make more people able to connect to the famous doll and hopefully shape narratives and our relationship to our bodies to healthier and more inclusive ones.