Teddy Time Blog
Unpacking Our ESG Report: Leading by Design
At The Bear Factory, sustainability is not just a goal, it’s a guiding principle embedded in every decision we make. Our 2024 ESG Report reflects the progress we’ve made in reducing our environmental impact, strengthening social responsibility, and ensuring ethical governance. This report serves as a blueprint for how businesses can approach sustainability with transparency, accountability, and measurable action.
Last year, we focused on advancing product safety, reducing emissions, and deepening our material circularity. We reached Maturing Status in the Green Masters Program, launched new community partnerships, and made critical changes to our materials sourcing. As we continue on this journey of sustainability, we remain committed to leading by example.
Reducing Our Carbon Paw Print
The environmental footprint of the toy industry remains significant, and we take our responsibility seriously. In 2024, we continued to measure and reduce our carbon emissions through intentional practices and meaningful partnerships. With support from ClimeCo and DTE Energy, we offset 128 metric tonnes of CO2, surpassing our total emissions for the year, and maintained our commitment to 100% carbon-neutral shipping across North America.
Through our “Reduce Your Carbon Pawprint” initiative, we tracked and reported Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, including electricity and gas use, transportation, product materials, waste, and business travel. These insights are shaping our long-term carbon strategy and helping us identify where reductions will be most impactful. All data was third-party verified to ensure integrity and transparency.
Advancing Safer and Smarter Materials
In 2024, we doubled down on material responsibility. After proactive testing of our product line, we identified PFAs in a limited number of fabric-based clothing items. While these chemicals are not traditionally found in plush toys, we are working to eliminate PFAs entirely by 2026, a first for our industry. This initiative is part of our broader commitment to creating safer, cleaner toys for kids and the planet.
We also made meaningful progress in reducing plastic waste:
- 80% of our plush line is now made with recycled fabrics, a goal we reached in October 2024.
- All plush is pre-filled with recycled polyfiber.
- We replaced plastic hang ties with cotton string and transitioned to OKEO-TEX Standard 100 certified thread across our clothing line.
To increase visibility into the environmental impact of our products, we have introduced Paw Print ID, a labeling initiative that will appear on every Plush for the Planet item in 2025, showing the exact percentage of recycled content used in each plush.
Innovation in Action
This year, we launched the Roam Travel Trailer, a mobile retail and education unit designed to bring our mission to life in communities across the country. Built with eco-friendly materials, hybrid energy systems, and carbon-negative flooring, the trailer is both a retail hub and an immersive learning environment. Through our Stuff-a-Plush experience, children engage with sustainability firsthand, learning how recycled bottles become stuffed animals, and how their choices impact the world around them.
Strengthening Social and Governance Practices
Sustainability is about more than carbon and materials, it’s about people. In 2024, we earned Living Wage Certification from Living Wage US, reaffirming our commitment to ethical labor practices and fair compensation. We also developed an internal operations handbook with guidance from Evolution Marketing, ensuring that ESG considerations are embedded into every aspect of our operations.
As part of our participation in the Green Masters Program, we completed our first internal materiality assessment, identifying eight key focus areas for sustainability, including materials management, circularity, emissions, employee safety, and supply chain governance. These categories now serve as the foundation for our long-term improvement efforts.
Through the Pawsitive Impact Awards, we also celebrated partners and customers who are making a difference, elevating stories of innovation and environmental leadership across our community.
Education and Impact
We believe the best way to protect the future is to educate the next generation. In 2024, we expanded our Plush for the Planet platform, adding QR-coded ear tags to all plush toys that link to sustainability-focused activities hosted by the Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation. We also partnered with The Nature Conservancy in Michigan to support conservation work close to home.
Our commitment to education extends beyond children, we continue to support transparency, traceability, and responsible marketing practices across our operations, making sure our customers know exactly what their purchase supports.
Looking Ahead
The journey toward sustainability is ongoing. There is always more to learn, more to refine, and more to improve. As we look into 2025, we’re focused on further reducing our emissions, eliminating PFAs from our products, increasing our diversion rate from landfills, and advancing our leadership in material transparency.
By continuing to lead with data, storytelling, and responsible business practices, we aim to set a new standard for sustainability in the toy industry.
Explore our full ESG Report and learn more about our initiatives.