Wild Republic, an international toy company committed to the development of high-quality plush and toys that nurture our children and encourage a love of nature, is pleased to announce their Founder, G.B. Pillai, as a finalist in the Champion of Sustainability category at the prestigious Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards. For more than 40 years Mr. Pillai has been the driving force behind the company’s commitment to nature and conservation while proactively striving to be as environmentally friendly and ethically responsible as possible. The Champion of Sustainability is a new category for the TOTY Awards, and was developed to recognize an individual who has made outstanding contributions in the space. The awards ceremony is slated for September 29th in New York City.
“It is truly an honor to be recognized by the Toy Association, and especially in the Champion of Sustainability category,” says Mr. Pillai, founder of Wild Republic. “More than forty years ago, I made it our mission to educate our children about the importance of nature, conservation and our environment. These lessons can be found in every facet of our company, from our product development to charitable giving and I’m proud to have made this my life-long mission.”
What began under the vision and guidance of G.B. Pillai, to create an environmentally friendly and ethically responsible toy and plush lines continues with his grandson and now CEO of Wild Republic, Vish Chandran. Chandran adds, “There is no one more deserving for this award than my granddad. His dedication to conservation, sustainability and education about our planet, is the cornerstone of our company and continues to be the driving force in everything that we do. I’m so proud of him, and so proud to be able to call him my granddad as well.”
History of Sustainability
Wild Republic, with G.B. Pillai, as the driving force, started making strides in conservation and sustainability long ago by continually researching ways to preserve natural resources and minimize deforestation and by selecting alternative natural sources for the products. The company strives to protect and preserve wildlife, natural habitats, and ecosystems through environmentally conscious and recyclable packaging. Wild Republic also strives to reduce unnecessary waste by developing high quality, affordable products that will last for generations to come.
Promise to the Planet
While the importance of sustainability has always been at the cornerstone of Wild Republic, Mr. Pillai and the company have reaffirmed their commitment to lessen its carbon footprint by reducing, reusing, and sourcing sustainable products with a Promise to the Planet initiative that includes less chemicals, recycled plastic beans in their plush, 80% recycled cardboard, printing packaging and tags in earth friendly soy ink and more. The company has continued to make strides toward this goal by converting its production processes to eliminate single-use plastics and include reusable and biodegradable packaging, phthalate-free non-toxic materials, and fully sustainable resources.
Give Back
In addition, the company is led by a give-back philosophy inspired by Mr. Pillai’s love of all living things. Among many of the organizations started by or funded by Wild Republic is a girls home in India supporting sixty residents at a time where these, mostly orphaned, girls are cared for, educated, and given opportunities for a bright future, a home for retired milk cows in India, a shelter for homeless dogs also in India, numerous and continual donation programs for hospitalized children throughout the world and much more.
Looking Ahead
Mr. Pillai’s personal mission and therefore the company’s mission is to foster an environment where nature inspires our children to preserve and protect our planet for generations to come. For 2024, as an example, Wild Republic is focusing, through product and education, on the importance of rainforests. The new rainforest products will not only delight but also help educate on why we need to protect rainforests throughout the world. A portion of the proceeds of this new line of products will be given to conservation efforts to help preserve rainforests.
Voting is closed to Toy Association members only and will be announced at the TOTY Awards on September 29th in New York City. As the kickoff to Toy Fair, the TOTY Awards are the biggest night of the year for toys, where the industry gathers to recognize innovation across every category of play. The night is also the ultimate fundraiser to support TTF’s work delivering the extraordinary benefits of play to children in need around the world.