LEGO Plants Now Made From Real Plants: First Sustainable Collection Is Here!

May 2019 | A look into LEGO’s new plant-based collection.

LEGO released its first ever collection of sustainable elements in a bid to reduce plastic waste. The move is a part of the brand’s goal to utilise only sustainable materials for packaging and core products by 2030.

Plants From Plants

LEGO recently rolled out its botanical collection comprising elements like trees, leaves, and bushes. Consequently, all the elements have been manufactured with plant-based plastic, which is sourced from sugar cane.

The soft, durable and flexible polyethylene plastic is made using ethanol, which is produced from sugar cane. In the following step, the plastic is used to produce the brand’s botanical elements.

Tim Brooks, LEGO’s Vice President of Environmental Responsibility says the plant-based polyethylene possesses the same properties as regular polyethylene. Therefore, users will not notice any difference in the quality or look of the new bricks. In other words, the new bricks are identical to the ones manufactured before.

LEGO Legacy

“At the LEGO Group we want to make a positive impact on the world around us, and are working hard to make great play products for children using sustainable materials,” Brooks says.

The LEGO Group already partners with the World Wildlife Fund in an effort to reduce CO2 emissions in manufacturing and supply chain operations. Likewise, the brand also promotes global action on climate change.

The plant-based plastic used to make the botanical LEGO elements is certified in accordance with guidance from the Bioplastic Feedstock Alliance (BFA).  Most importantly, the raw material or sugar cane is being sourced responsibly, following global standards.

The botanical collection is already available on Amazon US, and will soon be available for Indian users.

Photo credit: LEGO