San Francisco, CA (March 29, 2010) -- LUNAR announces its partnership with Green Toys in remaking classic toys with recycled material from used milk jugs. This addition to Green Toy’s family of products introduces innovative, reengineered versions of classic toys that push the limits of sustainable materials and manufacturing, representing a bold new step in the greening of everyday objects.

Working with a modest budget and narrow suite of materials, LUNAR's challenge was to design solutions that are not only sustainable but safe -- a pressing concern for products that find their way into toddler's hands and mouths. In addition to learning the physical properties of the recycled materials in order to understand both the limitations and possibilities of the project, LUNAR collaborated closely with the manufacturer and safety experts at Green Toys to create affordable, innovative solutions, all while testing the limits of the new polyethylene material (made from recycled milk jugs) from which the toys are made.The block set, tugboat, and stacker designed by LUNAR make resourceful use of the materials to create seamless objects with no sharp edges or exposed fittings that could come apart in small hands. The solution included tweaks to the manufacturing process itself, with snaps and friction fitting of parts instead of screws. In line with the basic nature of the toys, LUNAR engineered their design to incorporate as few individual parts as possible. The result is a set of objects which can be manufactured quickly and in a cost effective manner, while always with environmental impact in mind.

LUNAR's designs for Green Toys reflect the brand's signature aesthetic: simplicity, both visually and physically. The new line of toys features a bright palette and clean elliptical curves, for a softened, contemporary take on the classic playthings being reinvented. The block set is distinguished by rounded corners and unusual slanted pieces that create a modern, city-skyline look when stacked, and the stacker toy offers a departure from the customary primary colors used in toddlers' toys with a springy, pastel palette. The tugboat is functional and friendly-looking with a bright red top, swooping handle, and sternward spout for pouring water that resembles a cartoony pair of pursed lips.

Together, the visual expression and design solution created by LUNAR for Green Toys are a sure draw for their intended consumers: green-minded parents who value their children's safety as well as that of the earth. Green Toys products are free of dangerous residues and completely safe for children, made from 100% recycled materials and packaged in sustainable cardboard. The inherent simplicity of the designs, both visually and from a manufacturing standpoint, is a point of connection for parents who want honest -- and honestly-made -- products.

John Edson, President of LUNAR, said, "Green Toys represented a true challenge from an engineering and design standpoint: how to work creatively with a single material, while also achieving the highest standards of safety and environmental sustainability. Through enthusiastic collaboration and an eagerness to learn, our engineers and designers were able to push past the constraints of unfamiliar materials and strict manufacturing to create objects that are singular, safe, and visually enticing -- and, of course, green."

About LUNAR
LUNAR creates winning consumer, technology and medical products that make a difference to its clients’ stakeholders, brands and markets. With a portfolio of highly successful products that have generated tens of billions of dollars in sales, LUNAR has consistently held a spot among the top 5 award-winning product design firms for the last 10 years, according to Business Week magazine. Founded in 1984, LUNAR provides full-service product development with offices in California, Hong Kong, and Europe. LUNAR’s current and past clients include Apple Computer, Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft Corporation, Motorola, Philips, Oral-B, Palm, Pepsi, and Sony.

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