We don’t make the toys ourselves - we buy them directly from the manufacturer or from a distributor. That means all toys arrive at our warehouse in their original packaging. Some manufacturers go the extra mile to make their packaging more sustainable, for example by avoiding single-use plastic or by designing boxes with less air inside so they take up less space during transport. When that’s the case, you can read about it on the product page under "Greener Choices". You can also choose to only be shown toys where the manufacturer is actively working to make the packaging more environmentally friendly - just use the "Greener Choices" filter in your search.
When we ship toys from our warehouse to our customers, we make sure to pack them carefully so they stay safe and sound during transport.
When it comes to shipping toys, the most sustainable choice is one that ensures that:
1: the toys arrive safely without damage
and
2: the packaging weighs as little as possible during transport.
At the moment, we choose to use plastic air cushions in our shipping crates because they protect the toys against bumps and knocks during transport. The cushions are made from at least 50% recycled plastic.
When the box is filled with air cushions, the only real weight comes from the toys themselves - the plastic weighs next to nothing.
That means a truck full of ToyAcademy boxes doesn’t carry extra weight from packaging. The lighter the load, the less fuel and energy it takes to transport the toys.
And there’s a bonus: kids can have a blast with the air cushions by stepping on them to make them go "POP"! Afterwards, the air cushions can be sorted as soft plastic and recycled into new plastic products.
We’ve chosen not to use paper cushioning because it’s much heavier than plastic air cushions. That would increase fuel use and make transport less sustainable.
Our cardboard boxes are made from FSC-certified cardboard, which can be recycled after use.