As plastic continues to pollute our oceans and overtake our landfills at an all-time high, it’s clear that to reverse the effects of a potentially unlivable planet; it’s up to consumer product manufacturers to take matters into their own hands.

Along with Nike and Apple—both of whom are spending billions to try to reverse the effects that their products have on the environment—Lego has announced that its first brick pieces made from plant-based plastic sourced from sugarcane will go on sale later this year.

The announcement is part of a broader initiative by the Danish company to use sustainable materials and packaging in all of its core products and packaging by 2030. And what better way to bring in the announcement with Lego pieces made from plants?

Appropriately enough, the first sustainable LEGO ‘botanical’ element bricks will come in plant-based varieties including leaves, bushes, and trees.

“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,” explains Tim Brooks, Vice President, Environmental Responsibility at the LEGO Group. “We are proud that the first LEGO elements made from sustainably sourced plastic are in production and will be in LEGO boxes this year. This is a great first step in our ambitious commitment to making all LEGO bricks using sustainable materials.”

YouTube video

For those curious, the sustainable plastic is polyethylene—a soft and flexible plastic with similar material traits to the original bricks. So, you’ll still want to avoid walking around these with bare feet.

Find out more over at Lego.

Author

Simon is a Brooklyn-based industrial designer and Managing Editor of EVD Media. When he finds the time to design, his focus is on helping startups develop branding and design solutions to realize their product design vision. In addition to his work at Nike and various other clients, he is the main reason anything gets done at EvD Media. He once wrestled an Alaskan alligator buzzard to the ground with his bare hands… to rescue Josh.