When filling out their 2001 census forms, over 390 thousand people (0.8% of the population of England and Wales) declared their religion as Jedi. For a time, there were more Jedi than Buddhists. The joke wore thin and the number fell by over half in the 2011 census. With the Star Wars juggernaut given a new lease of life since its acquisition by Disney and the planned release of a further six films set in the Star Wars universe between now and the next census, perhaps the number of Jedi is set to rise again. This can only be good news for the plastics industry, as the toys and merchandise associated with the films are predominantly manufactured from plastic.
The Force is Strong with This One
One Asian start-up has produced a lightsaber you can actually fight with. The weapons are made of aluminium and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and lit by bright LEDs. The strength provided by their chosen plastic means that fans can recreate their favourite duels without fearing that their expensive toys will shatter. And when we say expensive, we mean expensive. It will be a lucky eight-year-old who gets one of these for her birthday: prices start at £210.
The Dark Side
Disney paid over $4 billion dollars for the rights to Star Wars. Bearing in mind that The Force Awakens has grossed a billion dollars in its first two weeks from cinema tickets alone, they are on track to make a lot of money out of the acquisition. You can be certain that they will be protecting their copyright. So if you have any ideas about mass-producing any tie-in products to cash in on the Star Wars phenomenon, you'd best consult a lawyer first.
If you have any innovative ideas for products manufactured from plastic, Star Wars Inspired or otherwise, we would love to hear from you. We have over 35 years'experience in the plastics manufacturing industry and in that time we have brought many ideas to fruition. Yours could be the latest. For more information, give us a call on 01692 501020 or send an email to sales@coda-plastics.co.uk.