2024
Ireland’s Toy Library promotes sustainable Christmas giving
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- The Toy Library offers a free way for families to donate and find toys this Christmas season.
- A UCC researcher is encouraging families to join the ‘Circular Christmas’ movement and helping to reduce the environmental impact of toys across Ireland.
- The toy industry is the most plastic intensive industry in the world.
Families across Ireland are encouraged to give one pre-loved toy as a gift this Christmas season. Led by a researcher at University College Cork (UCC), The Toy Library is on a mission to revolutionise holiday gift-giving by encouraging families to give pre-loved toys a new lease of life.
Ireland’s Circular Christmas aims to inspire families to choose at least one toy from The Toy Library for their children's Christmas presents. The free-to-use Toy Library aims to reduce CO2 emissions, limit plastic waste, and create a culture of sustainable consumption – all while ensuring children can enjoy new toys.
“Communities across Ireland are discovering a new, free way to share, swap, and find toys this holiday season through The Toy Library. Our Circular Christmas initiative reimagines the season by promoting pre-loved gifts, helping families celebrate sustainably,” Giorgia Anile, Founder and Director of The Toy Library and PhD student in Human Computer Interaction at UCC College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences said.
“The toy industry is the one of the most plastic-intensive industries in the world. The disposal of unwanted toys is particularly harmful to the planet as large amounts of greenhouse gases are emitted, with a significant majority of toys made of non-biodegradable plastics. Toys in good condition often end up in landfills after being disposed of,” Giorgia said.
Sustainable and accessible play for all
The Toy Library invites families across Ireland to share, swap or find toys via a free online platform – http://www.thetoylibrary.ie . Families can list pre-loved toys for others to enjoy or find quality toys in their local area to gift to their own children. The free-to-use platform aims to foster new environmentally friendly traditions that make an impact far and wide.
Toy Swap at University College Cork
The Toy Library will host a toy swap event in University College Cork on Sunday, 8 December. This event will give families the opportunity to exchange pre-loved toys that children have outgrown and let them discover new favourites to take home - all for free.
A Teddy Bear Hospital will breathe new life into toys which need some care before finding new homes or returning home. UCC Medical Society and Surgeon Noonan volunteers be on hand to stitch, patch, and restore any dolls, teddy bears or stuffed animals that need some attention.
Promoting a circular economy across Ireland
An online education campaign led by The Toy Library will highlight sustainable holiday practices, raise awareness about the environmental impact of traditional toy consumption, and showcase the benefits of toy swapping for a greener future.
The Toy Library, launched in June 2024, is a social enterprise supported by Cork City Council, UCC College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, and is part of the founder’s PhD programme funded by SFI ADVANCE CRT. In July 2024, it was awarded the Rethink Ireland SEFIT fund, supporting its innovative approach to sustainable toy consumption.
Visit thetoylibrary.ie to learn more