Mattel to End Barbie Production After Federal Plastic Ban

in Entertainment, Merchandise

Credit: Mattel

Editor’s Note: It has been revealed that the story below represents an elaborate hoax. The Mattel Corp. has confirmed that the entire story is a hoax and originated from climate activists using fake email addresses, doctored photos and press releases, fake quotes, and citations.

The situation is currently being investigated.

Mattel is one of the biggest toy companies that built a massive empire with the creation of Barbie by Ruth Handler in 1959. Handler co-founded the company with her husband, Elliot Handler, and toy engineer, Harold Matson. Handler’s creation of the fashion-forward blonde would soon revolutionize the toy industry. They would eventually go on to produce massively successful toy lines, such as Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price and American Girl dolls. The illustrious toy magnate has now left their fanbase dumbstruck with the announcement that they will discontinue Barbie as fans know her.

The CEO of Mattel, Ynon Kreiz, published a press release that articulated they have made more than a billion plastic Barbies, and “enough is enough.” They want to eliminate the use of all plastics from their production process. Kreiz continued that the company denounces previous empty promises of plastic recycling and will take the bold step towards real ecological sustainability.

Their plastic-free commitment would fit in tandem with the support of a federal ban on nonessential plastics. Mattel’s Head of Sustainability, Pamela Gill-Alabaster, stated that Mattel is a responsible company that has vowed to use 100% recycled material in their toy production by 2030. She would elaborate that their choice to veer from recyclable plastics was to ensure that all plastic would be eliminated in any capacity over time.

Mattel disclosed that future Barbies and other Mattel toy lines will be made from compostable natural materials like — mushroom mycelium, algae, seaweed, clays, wood cellulose and bamboo. The company’s effort to remold their famed doll does not stop there.

They have also pledged to be more socially conscious by debuting a collection of new Barbies that will come from a variety of backgrounds. Mattel has recently teamed up with the National Down Syndrome Society to create a Barbie with Down Syndrome.

This era of being socially conscious may be an honest attempt to be more environmentally accountable. It may also be because Mattel has a big spotlight on it after the success of the Barbie movie. Its financial achievement has motivated the company to pursue a Mattel Cinematic Universe with adaptations of Polly Pocket, Hot Wheels and Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots in development. This notoriety has put the company under the scrutiny of the public eye. Like Disney, they want to appeal to a more socio-political-aware generation which will be there next group of consumers. Either way, this is a big step forward ecologically from a massive company that will hopefully create a ripple effect.

What do you think of the end of era of Barbies? Was it long overdue?

Justyn is your friendly neighborhood word-slinger that covers nearly all pop culture fandoms such as Disney, Disney Parks, Pixar, Gaming, Marvel, Star Wars, DC, Game of Thrones, and everything in between. He is a USC Film School alumnus who also works as a screenwriting professor and freelance production manager in the entertainment industry.