Every International Earth Day is a reminder of our responsibility to protect the environment and to promote harmony with nature and earth. That mother earth is suffering and faced with many environmental challenges is now no longer a debate, and it’s up to all of us to address and tackle these issues. At Hape, we take our environmental responsibilities very serious, and are deeply committed to addressing climate change. Today, in celebration of the Earth Day 2022, we want to take the opportunity to reflect on our ongoing mission to fight climate change and its negative impacts.

When Less Is More

The saying “less is more” has been central to Hape when it comes to environmental protection from its very beginnings. For more than 15 years now, we’ve adopted and implemented the principles of our 5R’s; that is Rethink, Redesign, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. These easy-to-follow guidelines have significantly helped us to reduce our environmental impact in each and every step we take.

In 2017, solar panels were installed at our largest facility to power our production and office buildings, and a total of 240,000 kwh of electricity is generated per year – and it is all green. At Hape, we know water is a precious resource and must be protected, so our water purification system can process 10 tons of sewage every day, making sure no toxic water is discharged. Air pollutants not only contribute but also exacerbate climate change. Gas emissions disposed by our spray-painting units are captured by our two waste gas collection towers, and any dust released during the wood-cutting process in our factory is contained by industrial bag-type collectors. 

At Hape, one of our top priorities is preventing waste in the first place, and because of that, we’ve adapted simple packaging for our toys and embraced the usage of recyclable wrappers. Moreover, the soy ink, low VOCs and volatile substances we use in our toy production can be fully integrated into the natural environment after decomposition.

We Like It Green

At Hape we actively seek sustainable materials for our toys, such as rice composite materials, bamboo, wood flour composite and FASAL. In 2021, Hape took another step towards sustainability by introducing composite cork and natural rubber to its portfolio of product materials. Both composite cork and natural rubber are not only recyclable but also can be harvested without damaging trees. And – supported by our Bamboo Research Centre – we continuously strive to make our products even greener. We assess the sustainability of the materials used and, if possible, replace non-sustainable materials with greener and environmentally friendly alternatives. 

With great power comes great responsibility, and at Hape we know that we must take an active role in protecting the environment and preserving the planet for our children and future generations. And, as an environmentally responsible company, this is the commitment we make to consumers, the wider society and the world at large.