Our Commitment to Making Eco-Friendly Paper Products
At Melissa & Doug, we love trees because they’re a natural and renewable resource. They were used to make our first classic toy—and what we are best known for—a wooden puzzle. Trees provide us with the paper needed for our popular coloring books and activity pads, inspiring kids to draw, doodle, craft, and create. And, of course, trees are essential for children’s outdoor play—whether they are building fairy houses at their trunks or swinging from their branches.
3 Reasons Kids Need Trees—and Nature
1. To improve their well-being: Most studies agree that kids who play outside are smarter, happier, and less anxious than kids who spend more time indoors.
2. To build confidence: Nature has less structure than many types of indoor play, which means children have the power to control their own actions.
3. To inspire creativity and wonder: In nature, kids can think more freely, design their own activities, and approach the world in inventive ways.
Much like the fabled Lorax in the classic Dr. Seuss tale of natural conservation, it’s imperative we speak for the trees — and that’s what Melissa & Doug is doing with its commitments to sustainability. Our initial commitment was to ensure 100% of our paper products be certified by the Forest Stewardship CouncilⓇ (FSC) by 2025. We are excited to announce today that top-selling wood products as well as all of our paper products will now be FSC® -certified in 2022, a few years ahead of schedule.
What does FSC-certified mean?
According to the Forest Stewardship Council’s website, “FSC certification ensures that products come from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social and economic benefits.”
In other words, the FSC certification lets you know the wood (and the paper it becomes) was sourced ethically and in an environmentally responsible way — and that’s something that should make everyone on Earth happy!
But it’s not just about making sure we’re being responsible in the way our raw materials are harvested and collected — it’s also about replacing what we take from the planet to make sure there are generations of play ahead for everyone.
How We’re Creating Thriving Forests
To contribute to thriving forests around the world, Melissa & Doug has partnered with One Tree Planted, a nonprofit organization dedicated to global reforestation. One Tree Planted will plant one tree for every tree that Melissa & Doug uses each year.
As our sustainability efforts continue to evolve, we’re committed to keeping you updated on how these changes improve our business practices and production, so that you can always feel good about shopping the #1 preschool brand for wooden toys and sustainable toys.
Here’s a link to today’s press release on Melissa & Doug’s acceleration of its FSC® certified materials commitments. To learn more about Melissa & Doug and sustainability, go here and check out our three major areas of action:
Thriving Forests: Committed to helping protect and preserve our planet’s natural resources for our children’s future
Timeless Toys: Ensuring that the quality, durability, and play value meet our highest standards
Inclusive World: Making open-ended play possible for ALL children
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