Eco-moms are mad at Mattel’s attempt to push a new line of green Barbie accessories, claiming that the company’s dubious environmental claims are made in the interest of marketing and not in the interest of making toys safer for kids. Eco Child’s Play, a blog written by concerned parents with tips and advice on safe, non-toxic toys and clothing for children, wrote about their concerns over Mattel’s greenwashing back in May, and other online news venues have since picked up on the story. Here’s what Mattel had to say about their new “Barbie BCause” line:

The playful and on-trend Barbie BCause collection repurposes excess fabric and trimmings from other Barbie doll fashions and products which would otherwise be discarded, offering eco-conscious girls a way to make an environmentally friendly fashion statement with cool, patchwork-style accessories. [shareholder.com]

Jen Phillips wrote on the Mother Jones magazine blog in response:

The whole thing is pretty ironic given that Barbie dolls themselves are made out of plastic and are packaged in even more plastic, Jen Phillips wrote on Mother Jones magazine’s blog, the Blue Marble. And not the kind of plastic you can throw in the recycling bin, either.

Aiming ads at children is one thing. Using them in advertisements meant to appeal to adults is another. In February, Lloyd Alter of Treehugger.com noted in a post titled, The Semiotics of Greenwashing, the use of children in ads for the coal and cement industries. [motherjones.com]

For the full article from the NY Times, click here. takepart and find out more about kids toys and environmental safety on the Eco Child’s Play blog.

Related:

• NY Times: Blogging against Barbie
• The Ultimate Greenwashing: Barbie Goes Green
• Grist: Discarded Ken Not Included