Eco 100. Turning Trash into Toys!

The Gift Scholars has been an extremely eco conscious business ever since our inception in 2015. We have always sought ways in which we can reduce the carbon footprint of our products & we've made huge strides in every area of the business. We are particularly proud of our latest development from our Zappi Co. brand.

In 2023 we officially launched our Zappi Co. Eco 100 range of plush toys, which are made from 100% recycled materials. Both the stuffing and the outer fabric are produced from PET plastic, manufactured from used plastic bottles.

Each toy allows for recycling of at least 6 plastic bottles. These are shredded into plastic pellets which are melted & turned into yarn.

We are sometimes asked - "if it's that simple, why aren't all of your toys recycled?"

Well, unfortunately, nothing is ever that simple! There is a lot of work involved in bringing a toy animal from conception to the store, and many of our designs are reworked multiple times until we get it just right.

The biggest stumbling block when it comes to recycled plush is the availability of a suitable fabric. We may be able to get a green recycled fabric for a lorikeet for example, but it may not be the right shade of green, and how about creating a mane for a plush lion? We need extra long fibres to get it looking big & fluffy enough for the littlest of our customers to love!

The Eco 100 family of toys has grown to over 50 products, with more added every month. Our aim is to convert every single one of our plush toys to this standard & we're working very hard to achieve this, with some products having part recycled outers already.

In the meantime, every single one of our Zappi Co. plush toys is manufactured with 100% recycled stuffing as a minimum.

Using the same knowledge & technology has allowed us to offer our bespoke plush products with 100% recycled options also. Now sports clubs and theme parks alike can proudly sell eco friendly mascots and soft toys at an affordable price point!

Keep your eyes peeled for our special Zappi co. going green tags in the shops!