134-510: A Lego minifigure , often simply referred to as a Lego figure or a minifig , is a small plastic articulated figurine made of special Lego bricks produced by Danish building toy manufacturer The Lego Group . They were first produced in 1978 and have been a success, with over 4 billion produced worldwide as of 2020. Minifigures are usually found within Lego sets, although they are also sold separately as collectables in blind bags (e.g. under
268-546: A metal chain and keychain ring are attached to their heads. Various minifigures were also released as a part of pens in the Lego Writing theme. In some Lego products, figures other than standard minifigures are used. A catalog that shows all these Lego figures is available. Lego also features a variety of similar figures for non- anthropomorphic animals and other creatures like horses , dogs , cows , goats , cats , rats , mice , skunks , koalas , elephants ,
402-424: A polymer blend , such as high impact polystyrene . Large companies may do their own compounding prior to production, but some producers have it done by a third party. Companies that specialize in this work are known as Compounders. The compounding of thermosetting plastic is relatively straightforward; as it remains liquid until it is cured into its final form. For thermosoftening materials, which are used to make
536-512: A conductivity of up to 80 kS/cm in stretch-oriented polyacetylene , has been achieved, it does not approach that of most metals. For example, copper has a conductivity of several hundred kS/cm. Biodegradable plastics are plastics that degrade (break down) upon exposure to sunlight or ultra-violet radiation ; water or dampness; bacteria; enzymes; or wind abrasion. Attack by insects, such as waxworms and mealworms, can also be considered as forms of biodegradation. Aerobic degradation requires that
670-630: A finished plastic may be non-toxic, the monomers used in the manufacture of its parent polymers may be toxic. In some cases, small amounts of those chemicals can remain trapped in the product unless suitable processing is employed. For example, the World Health Organization 's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has recognized vinyl chloride , the precursor to PVC, as a human carcinogen. Some plastic products degrade to chemicals with estrogenic activity. The primary building block of polycarbonates, bisphenol A (BPA),
804-494: A joint at the hip to allow individual movement of the legs, and were used to represent younger teenagers, introduced for the rebooted Harry Potter theme. Some minifigures, particularly in Castle and Pirate sets, use large sloped bricks instead of legs, to resemble dresses or skirts . However, these sloped bricks are taller than standard minifigure legs. In 2018, a special skirt piece was released, shorter, more softly curved on
938-408: A large molecular weight, they are biochemically inert. Plastic products contain a variety of additives, however, some of which can be toxic. For example, plasticizers like adipates and phthalates are often added to brittle plastics like PVC to make them pliable enough for use in food packaging, toys, and many other items. Traces of these compounds can leach out of the product. Owing to concerns over
1072-428: A later term coined in analogy with the minifigure. This is the reason why the usual figures are "mini". Objects, like alarm clocks , in the form of minifigures have also been released. Minifigure customisation, is the practice of modifying Lego minifigures. This can be as simple as mixing and matching parts, or as complex as painting or remolding plastic. Some custom minifigures are made by affixing stickers or decals to
1206-642: A little bit more of which is great to have the capacity to do that. We work within these frames that we have within the company that everyone has, and we just try to do the absolute best we can." According to the Lego-owned marketplace BrickLink , The Lego Group has, as of April 2024 released a total of 928 Lego sets and promotional polybags and 1389 minifigures as part of its Lego Star Wars theme. Some minifigures repeatedly appear across multiple Lego sets, while others can be very rare, vastly increasing their resale value. Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader are
1340-477: A little bit over the years," and continued, "Where in the past, we often kept some of them – the most important especially – for the higher prices, we are now thinking young kids, maybe newcomers to Star Wars, want to get into it." The designers revealed the Force Ghost minifigures as a result of changes to the company's transparent plastic. Creative Lead Jens Kronvold Frederiksen, "The reason for not doing it
1474-417: A material with inconsistent properties, which can be unappealing to industry. For example, mixing different colored plastics with different plastic colorants together can produce a discolored or brown material and for this reason plastic is usually sorted by both polymer type and color before recycling. Absence of transparency and reporting across the value chain often results in lack of knowledge concerning
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#17328015142981608-406: A mechanical torso, a conjoined leg piece, and a head. This configuration is also used for many Star Wars droids ; standard battle droids follow the same pattern, while super battle droids feature a head fixed to a torso, General Grievous has space for four arms, and IG-88 has a head constructed of other Lego pieces. R2-D2 and other astromech droids are constructed from unique parts, with
1742-563: A minifigure of Darth Malak from the Knights of the Old Republic game series. The designer video for Imperial Probe Droid (set number: #75306) explains some of the challenges that went into making the robotic model. Lego designer Jan Neergaard Olesen explained, "It's the first model I made totally in 3D, we have a program that we use and this was the first model where I spent a lot of time building it in 3D at home," and continued, "But
1876-500: A mixture of private and state-owned enterprises. Roughly half of all production takes place in East Asia, with China being the largest single producer. Major international producers include: Historically, Europe and North America have dominated global plastics production. However, since 2010 Asia has emerged as a significant producer, with China accounting for 31% of total plastic resin production in 2020. Regional differences in
2010-486: A new disease caused solely by plastics, was discovered in seabirds. The birds identified as having the disease have scarred digestive tracts from ingesting plastic waste. "When birds ingest small pieces of plastic, they found, it inflames the digestive tract. Over time, the persistent inflammation causes tissues to become scarred and disfigured, affecting digestion, growth and survival." Pure plastics have low toxicity due to their insolubility in water, and because they have
2144-609: A normal head, a special piece, consisting of head and chest, which fits over the body. Pong Krell uses a similar piece consisting of a head, chest and two additional arms. The SpongeBob SquarePants minifigure has a sculpted Lego brick head that fits like a standard head, covering the whole torso similar to the ghost figures, except that these figures use short or standard legs instead of a brick. An enormous variety of clothing and accessories has been produced for minifigures, including hairstyles, caps, hats, and helmets. In Star Wars sets, troopers have uniquely sculpted helmets, adapting
2278-509: A part of Lego Brick Sketches theme. On August 1, 2023, Lego released sets #75368 Darth Vader Mech, #75369 Boba Fett Mech, and #75370 Stormtrooper Mech. Traveller's Tales president Jon Burton stated in a July 2008 interview with Variety that the series had collectively sold 15 million copies. As of February 13, 2009, Lego Star Wars: The Video Game has sold over 6.8 million copies worldwide, Lego Star Wars II has sold over 8.3 million, The Complete Saga has sold over 4.1 million, and
2412-692: A particular purpose. Examples include thermoplastics , thermosets , conductive polymers , biodegradable plastics , engineering plastics and elastomers . One important classification of plastics is the degree to which the chemical processes used to make them are reversible or not. Thermoplastics do not undergo chemical change in their composition when heated and thus can be molded repeatedly. Examples include polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Thermosets, or thermosetting polymers, can melt and take shape only once: after they have solidified, they stay solid. If reheated, thermosets decompose rather than melt. In
2546-674: A pattern of more regularly spaced atoms, such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), and polyether ether ketone (PEEK). However, some plastics are partially amorphous and partially crystalline in molecular structure, giving them both a melting point and one or more glass transitions (the temperature above which the extent of localized molecular flexibility is substantially increased). These so-called semi-crystalline plastics include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyamides (nylons), polyesters and some polyurethanes. Intrinsically Conducting Polymers (ICP) are organic polymers that conduct electricity. While
2680-518: A separate top, body and legs. The robots of Exo-Force , Mars Mission commander aliens and Bionicle miniatures have a design similar to the Star Wars battle droids , but with separate legs, movable hands, and a head affixed to a small torso. Hagrid , the half-giant character from the Harry Potter series uses a larger minifigure body, with only the head being separable. Skeletons , use
2814-485: A ship." The designers explained the Mandalorian Starfighter (set number: 75316) is a great example of how they decide which sets to produce. Frederiksen explained, "If it's something that's exposed in more places, then there's a high chance that it's popular," and continued, "We did the same thing when creating stuff from The Clone Wars. We always thought the best set was [vehicles] that were both from
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#17328015142982948-507: A sitting or standing position. The hands of a minifigure resemble the letter C , which allows them to hold many Lego accessories as well as bricks, tiles, and plates. There are hundreds of a vast variety of accessories, including swords , axes , wands , cups , guns , blasters and lightsabers . Additionally, the tops of the hands are the same size as the studs on most Lego bricks, which allows them to be placed on top of them. These variations allow minifigures to be customized, keeping with
3082-519: A turnover of more than 360 billion euros per year. In China in 2016 there were over 15,000 plastic manufacturing companies, generating more than US$ 366 billion in revenue. In 2017, the global plastics market was dominated by thermoplastics – polymers that can be melted and recast. Thermoplastics include polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS) and synthetic fibers, which together represent 86% of all plastics. Plastic
3216-420: A typical minifigure is 4 centimetres (1.6 in). Minifigures generally feature six parts (widely referred to as tools in the toy industry): head , torso , hips , arms , hands , and legs ; these six parts allow seven points of articulation : swivel head, swivel arms, swivel wrists , and swivel legs. Minifigures are usually packaged as three separate parts in Lego sets: head, torso and legs. The plastic
3350-452: A variety of dinosaurs , spiders , snakes , smaller fish , sharks , squids , owls , crabs , parrots , alligators , centaurs or the varactyl from Revenge of the Sith . The Friends theme, released in 2012, included mini-doll figures, a more doll-like construction with more realistic anatomy, soon introduced into other themes chiefly aimed at girls . Even though the mini-dolls in
3484-594: A variety of shapes: films, fibers, plates, tubes, bottles and boxes, among many others. Plasticity also has a technical definition in materials science outside the scope of this article; it refers to the non-reversible change in form of solid substances. Most plastics contain organic polymers. The vast majority of these polymers are formed from chains of carbon atoms, with or without the attachment of oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur atoms. These chains comprise many repeating units formed from monomers . Each polymer chain consists of several thousand repeating units. The backbone
3618-455: A way as to emulate the look of stop-motion brickfilms , even being influenced by some popular brickfilms. Multiple video games also feature Lego minifigures and bricks. Plastic Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be molded , extruded or pressed into solid objects of various shapes. This adaptability, plus
3752-520: A wide range of different utensils and tools. In 1989 for the launch of Pirates theme, some minifigures also included hooks for hands, as well as peg legs; this was the first departure from the traditional body parts. Starting with Lego Pirates in 1989 and spreading to Lego Town and Lego Castle in the next few years, minifigures were also produced with different facial expressions such as facial hair, eye patches, feminine makeup, and sunglasses. Most of these early facial additions were still centered around
3886-671: A wide range of other properties, such as being lightweight, durable, flexible, and inexpensive to produce, has led to their widespread use. Plastics typically are made through human industrial systems. Most modern plastics are derived from fossil fuel-based chemicals like natural gas or petroleum ; however, recent industrial methods use variants made from renewable materials, such as corn or cotton derivatives. Between 1950 and 2017 9.2 billion metric tons of plastic are estimated to have been made; more than half of this has been produced since 2004. In 2020, 400 million tons of plastic were produced. If global trends on plastic demand continue, it
4020-411: Is acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), a tough material that makes LEGO figures durable. The plastic is melted into specially designed molds that produce the different parts of the minifigure. Some of the molds are also accessories such as weapons (swords, guns, lightsabers , etc.) or everyday accessories (cups, food, tools, etc.). Heads and torsos nearly always need further decoration, and sometimes
4154-482: Is 75192, the 2017 UCS version of the Millennium Falcon , complete with ten Minifigures. At 7541 pieces, it is the largest Lego Star Wars set ever released; and the fifth largest set of any collection ever commercially released. On June 5, 2015, a sealed box of the older 2007 Millennium Falcon Lego set (#10179) was auctioned at online auction house Catawiki for 5000 euros (US$ 5556.5 at the time) making it
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4288-403: Is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from chemicals that remain intact in the environment for long periods, become widely distributed geographically, accumulate in the fatty tissue of humans and wildlife, and have harmful impacts on human health or on the environment. Other additives proven to be harmful such as cadmium , chromium , lead and mercury (regulated under
4422-531: Is an estrogen-like endocrine disruptor that may leach into food. Research in Environmental Health Perspectives finds that BPA leached from the lining of tin cans, dental sealants and polycarbonate bottles can increase the body weight of lab animals' offspring. A more recent animal study suggests that even low-level exposure to BPA results in insulin resistance, which can lead to inflammation and heart disease. As of January 2010,
4556-555: Is as packaging materials, but they are used in a wide range of other sectors, including: construction (pipes, gutters, door and windows), textiles ( stretchable fabrics , fleece ), consumer goods (toys, tableware, toothbrushes), transportation (headlights, bumpers, body panels , wing mirrors ), electronics (phones, computers, televisions) and as machine parts. In optics, plastics are used to manufacture aspheric lenses. Additives are chemicals blended into plastics to change their performance or appearance, making it possible to alter
4690-488: Is burned, especially when burning is uncontrolled or takes place in low- technology incinerators, as is common in many developing countries. Incomplete combustion can cause emissions of hazardous substances such as acid gases and ash which can contain persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as dioxins . A number of additives identified as hazardous to humans and/or the environment are regulated internationally. The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
4824-496: Is estimated that annual global plastic production will reach over 1.1 billion tons by 2050. The success and dominance of plastics starting in the early 20th century has caused widespread environmental problems, due to their slow decomposition rate in natural ecosystems. Most plastic produced has not been reused, or is incapable of reuse, either being captured in landfills or persisting in the environment as plastic pollution and microplastics . Plastic pollution can be found in all
4958-446: Is not sold as a pure unadulterated substance, but is instead mixed with various chemicals and other materials, which are collectively known as additives. These are added during the compounding stage and include substances such as stabilizers , plasticizers and dyes , which are intended to improve the lifespan, workability or appearance of the final item. In some cases, this can involve mixing different types of plastic together to form
5092-414: Is performed by simply remelting and reforming used plastic into new items. Additives present risks in recycled products, as they are difficult to remove. When plastic products are recycled, it is highly likely that the additives will be integrated into the new products. Waste plastic, even if it is all of the same polymer type, will contain varying types and amounts of additives. Mixing these together can give
5226-448: Is the part of the chain that is on the main path , linking together a large number of repeat units. To customize the properties of a plastic, different molecular groups called side chains hang from this backbone; they are usually hung from the monomers before the monomers themselves are linked together to form the polymer chain. The structure of these side chains influences the properties of the polymer. Plastics are usually classified by
5360-492: Is trickier than creating vehicles. Referring to a Lego set based on The Mandalorian , Stockwell explained, "We were interested in [the Armourer's forge] already from the first season, but we didn't know enough about the context," and continued, "We didn't know enough of what was happening around this. That's one of the major differences between designing a ship and a playset like this, because it's sometimes easier to understand
5494-485: The Fabuland collection, produced in the 1980s, consisted of larger anthropomorphized animal characters, which also could not be easily disassembled. Belville and Scala , Lego products marketed to girls, also include larger scale figures. These figures are similar to Technic figures in articulation, but feature less angular body sculpts. Scala figures more closely resemble dolls , in that clothes are separate from
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5628-694: The Lego Art theme. This consists of 3,406 pieces and offers builders the option to recreate any one of the three Star Wars villains ( Darth Maul , Kylo Ren , and Darth Vader ) in a mosaic -like format using Lego 1x1 studs. Lego has since released 22 Star Wars themed sets under the Lego BrickHeadz theme. They include characters from the sequel trilogy , the original trilogy, the Clone Wars , and The Mandalorian . Sets #40391 First Order Stormtrooper and set #40431 BB-8 were released as
5762-477: The Lego Games theme, the Lego microfigures were released. For that name, they are about half the size of the regular Lego minifigure. The microfigures have a fixed head, small, non-movable legs which somewhat resemble normal minifigure legs, and a hint of shoulders for arms. Bigfigures are Lego figurines that are taller and more muscular then regular minifigures which were introduced in 2008. Though most share
5896-712: The Toy Story and Avatar themes). In 2003, the first minifigures with naturalistic skin tones (as opposed to the yellow used until this point) were released, as part of the Lego Basketball theme; these minifigures were also created in the likeness of living people (additionally this also included Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars theme). In April 2004, the Harry Potter theme began to use natural skin tones, and Lego Star Wars followed in June, and by 2005
6030-490: The Grogu figure uses this body mold. Technic used larger scale action figures between 1986 and 2001. These figures featured more realistic sculpts, although still distinctively angular, and featured more articulation, including bendable elbows and knees. These figures are further distinguished from minifigures in that they cannot be easily disassembled; even the hair pieces are non-removable. In 2001, Lego further expanded
6164-655: The Lego City , Lego Technic , Lego Icons , Lego Harry Potter and Lego Star Wars themes had earned for the full year of 2022. Revenue for the year grew 17 percent to DKK 64.6 billion and consumer sales grew 12 percent in 2022, achieving growth in all major market groups with especially strong performance in the Americas and Western Europe. In August 2023, The Lego Group reported that the Lego Icons , Lego Star Wars , Lego Technic and Lego City themes had earned for
6298-669: The Lego theme of the same name ), or can be custom-built in Lego stores and on lego.com . While some are named as specific characters, either licensed from already existing franchises or of Lego's own creation, many are unnamed and are designed simply to fit within a certain theme (such as police officers , astronauts and pirates ). They are highly customizable, and parts from different figures can be mixed and matched, resulting in many combinations. There are also other types of figures from Lego sets, such as animals, Duplo figures or mini-doll figures . The Lego minifigure is, together with
6432-646: The Los Angeles Times reported that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is spending $ 30 million to investigate indications of BPA's link to cancer. Bis(2-ethylhexyl) adipate , present in plastic wrap based on PVC, is also of concern, as are the volatile organic compounds present in new car smell . The EU has a permanent ban on the use of phthalates in toys. In 2009, the US government banned certain types of phthalates commonly used in plastic. Because
6566-473: The Minamata Convention on Mercury ), which have previously been used in plastic production, are banned in many jurisdictions. However they are still routinely found in some plastic packaging including food packaging. The use of the additive bisphenol A (BPA) in plastic baby bottles is banned in many parts of the world, but is not restricted in some low-income countries. In 2023, plasticosis ,
6700-410: The Star Wars character C-3PO (4521221) were released in random Lego Star Wars sets in 2007. The most extreme design variations were an edition of five minifigures of C-3PO , released in 2008, and two minifigures of the character Boba Fett , released in 2010, cast in solid 14-karat gold with a figure estimated to cost between $ 10,000 and $ 15,000. NASA 's Juno spacecraft which entered orbit around
6834-480: The planet Jupiter in 2016 carries three specially commissioned minifigures on board. Cast from space-grade aluminum , the minifigures represent the astronomer Galileo , the Roman deity Jupiter and his wife Juno . This also set the record for the furthest distance travelled by a Lego minifigure. Various minifigures from multiple themes have been released as keychains . The pieces of these figures are inseparable and
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#17328015142986968-462: The polymerization of their starting materials ( monomers ); which are almost always petrochemical in nature. Such facilities are normally large and are visually similar to oil refineries , with sprawling pipework running throughout. The large size of these plants allows them to exploit economies of scale . Despite this, plastic production is not particularly monopolized, with about 100 companies accounting for 90% of global production. This includes
7102-932: The prequel trilogy ( Episodes I to III ) of Star Wars would follow, starting with Episode I – The Phantom Menace . As each new film in the prequel trilogy neared its release date, Lego issued new models of ships and scenes in those films, as well as additional sets from the original trilogy. Lego also produced models based on Clone Wars , The Clone Wars , The Old Republic , The Force Unleashed , Rebels , The Force Awakens , Battlefront , Rogue One , The Last Jedi , Solo , Resistance , The Mandalorian , The Rise of Skywalker , The Bad Batch , The Book of Boba Fett , Obi-Wan Kenobi , Star Wars: Andor , Ahsoka , and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order . Sets based on Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures , Galaxy's Edge , The Freemaker Adventures , and Vader Immortal have also been produced. In 2022, The Lego Group announced
7236-525: The 1950s. Others estimate a cumulative human production of 8.3 billion tons of plastic, of which 6.3 billion tons is waste, with only 9% getting recycled. Lego Star Wars Lego Star Wars (stylized as LEGO Star Wars ) is a Lego theme based on the Star Wars media franchise created by George Lucas . It includes over 928 Lego building toy sets, 1389 Lego minifigures , an eponymous video game series containing six games, and multiple animated short films and television series. Originally it
7370-617: The Construction category by the Toy Retailers Association . In 2010, Hoth Wampa Cave (set number: 8089) was awarded "DreamToys" in the Boys category by the Toy Retailers Association . In 2011, Millennium Falcon (set number: 7965) was awarded "DreamToys" in the Construction category by the Toy Retailers Association . In 2012, Desert Skiff (set number: 9496) was awarded "DreamToys" in the Construction category by
7504-494: The EU, over 400 additives are used in high volumes. In a global market analysis, 5,500 additives were found. At a minimum, all plastic contains some polymer stabilizers which permit them to be melt-processed (molded) without suffering polymer degradation . Other additives are optional and can be added as required, with loadings varying significantly between applications. The amount of additives contained in plastics varies depending on
7638-485: The Greek πλαστικός ( plastikos ), meaning "capable of being shaped or molded ;" in turn, it is from πλαστός ( plastos ) meaning "molded." As a noun , the word most commonly refers to the solid products of petrochemical-derived manufacturing. The noun plasticity refers specifically here to the deformability of the materials used in the manufacture of plastics. Plasticity allows molding , extrusion or compression into
7772-464: The LUL figures, only the torso and the hips of magnet minifigures are inseparable. Certain Lego sets released between 1974 and 1982 included much larger figures; the heads and hair were special pieces and the torso was a modified brick which connected to flexible hinge-like arm tubes and a towball hand brick with a stud. They are known as Homemaker figures (after the theme where they occurred) or maxifigures,
7906-609: The Lego Friends theme have more realistic anatomy, the mini-dolls' legs can only move ninety degrees into a sitting position. The mini-dolls' legs are also molded together and can not move separately as the traditional Lego minifigure legs can. The mini-doll in the Lego Friends theme is slightly taller than the traditional minifigure. Lego Duplo includes figures that have less articulation than standard minifigures and cannot be disassembled for safety reasons . Likewise,
8040-566: The Lego Star Wars theme will continue until 2032. In addition to the regular Minifigure-scale sets, Lego has released 37 sets for the Ultimate Collector Series. These models are often considerably larger, more detailed, and meant more for display purposes than other sets. They often cost more than regular Lego sets as well. Many of them include an information plaque and often a display stand. The largest of these
8174-427: The Lego brick, the company's mascot and one of the most popular toys of all time. Minifigures are collected by both children and adults. Similar figures, often called "Lego compatible minifigures", are also produced by various other companies (often as clones/knock-offs ), such as Kre-O (called Kreons), Lepin, Cobi , Block Tech or Mega Bloks . A precursor to the minifigure was released in 1975. These were at
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#17328015142988308-561: The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA region) accounts for 21% of global plastic consumption, closely followed by China (20%) and Western Europe (18%). In North America and Europe, there is high per capita plastic consumption (94 kg and 85 kg/capita/year, respectively). In China, there is lower per capita consumption (58 kg/capita/year), but high consumption nationally because of its large population. The largest application for plastics
8442-467: The R2-D2 (set number: #75308). Kurt Kristiansen explained, "Well R2-D2 is a bit of a fun thing for me cause I've been revisiting the design for almost 10 years," and continued, "So it was quite a challenge to reinvent the model." Subsequently, in 2024, Lego released a smaller model of R2-D2 to coincide with products released to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Lego Star Wars. As such, this model also included
8576-557: The Rings or Vikings , like dragons, the giant dog Fluffy , or giant spiders like Shelob , Aragog or the mirkwood spiders are entirely brick-built. Some of these figures are still considered "minifigures". At the Legoland parks, the standardized Miniland design has long been used as a template for brick-built figures, and has occasionally appeared in sets. Lego Nanofigures are miniature versions of original minifigures, following
8710-541: The Star Wars universe on 1 May 2023. They are set #75352 Emperor's Throne Room and set #75353 Endor Speeder Chase. In September 2023, Millennium Falcon Holiday Diorama (set number: 40658) will be released in October 2023. The set consists of 282 pieces with 5 minifigures. The set included Lego minifigures of Rey, Finn, Chewbacca, BB-8 and Porg. On August 1, 2020, Lego released set #31200 Star Wars The Sith under
8844-516: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) revealed that out of 3,377 chemicals potentially associated with plastic packaging and 906 likely associated with it, 68 were ranked by ECHA as "highest for human health hazards" and 68 as "highest for environmental hazards". As additives change the properties of plastics they have to be considered during recycling. Presently, almost all recycling
8978-887: The Year Awards. In 2020, Lego Star Wars theme became the Top-selling themes for the year. In 2021, the Toy Retailers Association listed The Razor Crest (set number: 75292) on its official list of 2021 Toy of The Year Awards. In June 2021, R2-D2 (set number: 75308) was listed as the "Top 20 Lego Sets List" by Lego fansite Brick Fanatics . In 2020, The Lego Group reported that the Lego Technic, Lego Star Wars, Lego Classic, Lego Disney Princess , Lego Harry Potter and Lego Speed Champions , "The strong results are due to our incredible team," and that these themes had helped to push revenue for
9112-486: The additives' function. For example, additives in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) can constitute up to 80% of the total volume. Pure unadulterated plastic (barefoot resin) is never sold, even by the primary producers. Additives may be weakly bound to the polymers or react in the polymer matrix. Although additives are blended into plastic they remain chemically distinct from it, and can gradually leach back out during normal use, when in landfills, or following improper disposal in
9246-462: The arms and legs as well. This difficult process is why the figures are more expensive than any other Lego products. After being printed, the head is placed on the torso, the legs attached, and the arms are snapped on. The figures are finally bagged and readied for sale. Minifigure heads are cylindrical, and attach to a long, narrow cylinder molded onto the top of the torso, which allows the head to rotate. This feature also allows items to be attached to
9380-753: The back, and with regular leg pins to connect to the torso, instead of the studs on ordinary bricks. Skirts have also been produced, either as new molds, or as separate parts made in fabric. The first skirt mold appeared for the Minnie Mouse and Alice minifigures within the Disney Collectible Minifigures theme. Fabric skirts have appeared in Harry Potter and The Simpsons . Other legs include smoke legs, mermaid tail legs, snake tail legs and octopus legs. Minifigures have also featured unique head sculpts that differ from
9514-534: The birth of the plastic industry in the 1950s, global production has increased enormously, reaching 400 million tonnes a year in 2021; this is up from 381 million metric tonnes in 2015 (excluding additives). From the 1950s, rapid growth occurred in the use of plastics for packaging, in building and construction, and in other sectors. If global trends on plastic demand continue, it is estimated that by 2050 annual global plastic production will exceed 1.1 billion tonnes annually. Plastics are produced in chemical plants by
9648-690: The chemical profile of the final products. For example, products containing brominated flame retardants have been incorporated into new plastic products. Flame retardants are a group of chemicals used in electronic and electrical equipment, textiles, furniture and construction materials which should not be present in food packaging or child care products. A recent study found brominated dioxins as unintentional contaminants in toys made from recycled plastic electronic waste that contained brominated flame retardants. Brominated dioxins have been found to exhibit toxicity similar to that of chlorinated dioxins. They can have negative developmental effects and negative effects on
9782-448: The chemical structure of most plastics renders them durable, they are resistant to many natural degradation processes. Much of this material may persist for centuries or longer, given the demonstrated persistence of structurally similar natural materials such as amber . There are differing estimates of how much plastic waste has been produced in the last century. By one estimate, one billion tons of plastic waste have been discarded since
9916-802: The chemical structure of the polymer's backbone and side chains. Important groups classified in this way include the acrylics , polyesters , silicones , polyurethanes , and halogenated plastics . Plastics can be classified by the chemical process used in their synthesis, such as condensation , polyaddition , and cross-linking . They can also be classified by their physical properties, including hardness , density , tensile strength , thermal resistance , and glass transition temperature . Plastics can additionally be classified by their resistance and reactions to various substances and processes, such as exposure to organic solvents, oxidation , and ionizing radiation . Other classifications of plastics are based on qualities relevant to manufacturing or product design for
10050-452: The commodity plastics, with many having exceptional properties. Engineering plastics are more robust and are used to make products such as vehicle parts, building and construction materials, and some machine parts. In some cases they are polymer blends formed by mixing different plastics together (ABS, HIPS etc.). Engineering plastics can replace metals in vehicles, lowering their weight and improving fuel efficiency by 6–8%. Roughly 50% of
10184-492: The design of minifigures and minifigures with keychain rings and magnets . They also released minifigures integrated into pens as part of Lego Writing . In 2015, The Lego Group has seen its first half results jump 18 percent for 2015, fuelled by the popularity of Lego Star Wars , Lego Jurassic World and Lego Technic . In 2018, the Toy Retailers Association listed BB-8 (set number: 75187) and Millennium Falcon (set number: 75192) on its official list of 2018 Toy of
10318-513: The developing world, the applications of plastic may differ; 42% of India's consumption is used in packaging. In the medical field, polymer implants and other medical devices are derived at least partially from plastic. Worldwide, about 50 kg of plastic is produced annually per person, with production doubling every ten years. The world's first fully synthetic plastic was Bakelite , invented in New York in 1907, by Leo Baekeland , who coined
10452-666: The effects of such leachates , the EU has restricted the use of DEHP (di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate) and other phthalates in some applications, and the US has limited the use of DEHP, DPB , BBP , DINP , DIDP , and DnOP in children's toys and child-care articles through the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act . Some compounds leaching from polystyrene food containers have been proposed to interfere with hormone functions and are suspected human carcinogens (cancer-causing substances). Other chemicals of potential concern include alkylphenols . While
10586-401: The environment. Additives may also degrade to form other toxic molecules. Plastic fragmentation into microplastics and nanoplastics can allow chemical additives to move in the environment far from the point of use. Once released, some additives and derivatives may persist in the environment and bioaccumulate in organisms. They can have adverse effects on human health and biota. A recent review by
10720-523: The figures and hair is made of strands rather than molded plastic. The Baby line included figures that could not move at all and had the size a bit bigger than the Duplo figures. Creator sets also often feature animals built entirely of more classic Lego bricks. Some droids from Star Wars , such as droidekas , dwarf- and homing spider droids and pit droids and various animals and other creatures, appearing in themes like Harry Potter , The Lord of
10854-677: The figures over the torso, such as air tanks, jet packs, paper or fabric capes , breastplates or beards. The heads have a stud on top which is the same size as studs on standard Lego bricks which could allow one to be placed on it. The head is the only component of the minifigure which can be used for other applications - blank minifigure heads have often been used in Lego sets to replicate other objects such as lampshades and electrical appliances. Head accessories vary widely, and include hair , helmets and hats . The legs rotate independently to 90 degrees forward, and nearly 45 degrees backward. Minifigures also connect to standard Lego bricks in both
10988-515: The figures. There are also third party businesses which sell custom decals and molded minifigure accessories, many of which are inspired by popular media. While a relatively recent phenomenon, minifigure customisation has rapidly become popular within the wider building community, although some maintain a "purist" approach, using only elements produced by Lego. The Lego Group executives are using personalised minifigures in place of business cards , with email addresses and telephone numbers details on
11122-407: The finite limits of fossil fuel reserves and to rising levels of greenhouse gases caused primarily by the burning of those fuels, the development of bioplastics is a growing field. Global production capacity for bio-based plastics is estimated at 327,000 tonnes per year. In contrast, global production of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), the world's leading petrochemical-derived polyolefins,
11256-474: The first half of 2020 grow 7% to DKK 15.7 billion compared with the same period in 2019. In 2021, Darth Vader Helmet (set number: 75304) was listed as one of the "Top 10 toys for Christmas 2021" by Tesco . In March 2022, The Lego Group reported that the Lego City , Lego Technic , Lego Creator Expert , Lego Harry Potter and Lego Star Wars themes had earned for the full year of 2021. Revenue for
11390-557: The first six months of 2023. Revenue was DKK 27.4 billion, a growth of 1% compared with H1 2022. Consumer sales grew 3% outperforming a declining toy market and contributing to strong market share growth. In 2006, Lego Star Wars was awarded "Toy of the Year" and also "Activity Toy of the Year" by the Toy Association . In 2009, Darth Vader's TIE Fighter (set number: 8017) and Echo Base (set number: 7749) were awarded "DreamToys" in
11524-599: The form of a jet pack . Classic ghost figures have a full-body cape which attaches to the head of the minifigure, and solid bricks as legs. The minifigures of The Lord of the Rings character Gollum consists only of three pieces. One piece forms the body, consisting of torso, head and legs, in a crawling position and two arms specially made for this minifigure. Some other minifigures like The Phantom Menace character Sebulba consists entirely of only one piece. Lego released multiple minifigures made of metal instead of plastic. 10 000 gold-colored chrome minifigures of
11658-796: The front and back of the torso, and hair and facial features designed to resemble each executive. It is believed that over 100 of these exist. Both children and adult fans of Lego collect Lego Minifigures without collecting the sets. The Lego group produced 2.3 billion Minifigures between 1978 and 1998 and many people buy and sell these on eBay and other sites such as BrickLink . Various stop motion animated films and television series are made using Lego minifigures. The Lego Group produced various short films, feature films and video games featuring Lego minifigures and bricks. Most of these are based on other already existing franchises like Star Wars or DC Comics . These films are created using primarily computer generated animation, they are styled in such
11792-418: The hip, are sometimes used to create minifigures which are shorter in stature than standard figures (i.e. children, dwarfs , gnomes , goblins , Ewoks and other small characters like Yoda or The Penguin ). Such pieces were first created for Star Wars sets but have since been used elsewhere. In 2018, a medium-sized pair of legs was introduced, sized between the shorter legs and regular legs. These legs had
11926-568: The host resin. Masterbatch granules can be mixed with cheaper bulk polymer and will release their additives during processing to give a homogeneous final product. This can be cheaper than working with a fully compounded material and is particularly common for the introduction of color. Companies that produce finished goods are known as converters (sometimes processors). The vast majority of plastics produced worldwide are thermosoftening and must be heated until molten in order to be molded. Various sorts of extrusion equipment exist which can then form
12060-445: The idea for having the torsos, legs, and arm pieces interchangeable. As these were made into pieces, the company decided to give them a simple facial expression, rendered as two solid black dots for eyes and a smile painted in solid black, and without any gender or racial components, believing that these factors would be "determined by the child's imagination and play". The arms incorporated clips as "hands" which allowed to figures to hold
12194-621: The larger Bionicle scale, notably the Toa and Visorak characters. While these minifigures did not feature movable parts, Lego released Piraka and Inika playsets in 2006, which included minifigures with movable parts. Other variations of the standard minifigure produced for Star Wars sets included the light-up light-saber (L.U.L.S.) minifigures. These figures were released as a part of the more expensive Star Wars Episode III sets in 2005. These figures look like standard minifigures, but to facilitate internal electronics, their parts cannot be removed;
12328-604: The majority of products, it is necessary to melt the plastic in order to mix-in the additives. This involves heating it to anywhere between 150–320 °C (300–610 °F). Molten plastic is viscous and exhibits laminar flow , leading to poor mixing. Compounding is therefore done using extrusion equipment, which is able to supply the necessary heat and mixing to give a properly dispersed product. The concentrations of most additives are usually quite low, however high levels can be added to create Masterbatch products. The additives in these are concentrated but still properly dispersed in
12462-454: The minifigure system, with the introduction of Bionicle figures. These figures are a part of a fictional story developed by Lego and resemble biomechanical creatures. Initially, these figures were produced without articulation, only able to hold tools and weapons. Bionicle later got replaced with Hero Factory in 2010. In 2005, Lego released Bionicle playsets, with minifigure variations of characters that had previously been produced in
12596-507: The modular design of Lego elements. While nearly all minifigure heads, torsos, arms, hands and legs are the same size and shape, some sets have included figures that deviate from the standard. Lego torsos often have black or white squares on the neck joint, this is to help with the automatic printing process when producing minifigures. Minifigures built from special, uniquely molded pieces were first introduced in " Life on Mars ". Martians are composed of five tools: two pairs of double arms,
12730-427: The most expensive Lego set ever. In 2021, AT-AT (set number: #75313) was released on November 26, 2021. In 2022, Luke Skywalker's Landspeeder (set number: #75341) was released on May 1, 2022. The Razor Crest (set number: #75331) was released on 3 October 2022. In 2023, X-wing Starfighter (set number: #75355) was released on 1 May 2023. In September 2023, Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser (set number: #75367)
12864-450: The nervous system and interfere with mechanisms of the endocrine system. Many of the controversies associated with plastics actually relate to their additives, as some compounds can be persistent, bioaccumulating and potentially harmful. The now banned flame retardants OctaBDE and PentaBDE are an example of this, while the health effects of phthalates are an ongoing area of public concern. Additives can also be problematic if waste
12998-482: The number of new minifigures per year is increasing rapidly. In 2010 more than 300 new minifigures were introduced. Some minifigures repeatedly appear across multiple Lego sets, while others can be very rare, often vastly increasing their resale value. In 2019, the number of Lego Star Wars minifigures has surpassed 1000, with the Battlefront II protagonist Iden Versio (bearing code sw1000). The height of
13132-671: The only exception to this is the headgear, the left hand and arm, and each of the legs from the hips. When the head is pressed down, an LED illuminates the light-saber blade. These figures rely on battery power for their special feature. The batteries last three hours and are not intended to be replaced, although replacement is possible. Many fans, especially children, were amenable to this innovation. Others however, particularly adult collectors, found these figures contentious, considering them to be an unwelcome gimmick. The fact that in two cases unique characters were produced solely as L.U.L. minifigs, with no standard version available to collectors,
13266-538: The original character designs to the minifigure format. Some minifigures, like Balin from The Hobbit , have a hair piece that exends as a beard to the chest, Exo-Force minifigures feature anime -style hair, as does the Nightwing minifigure from the Batman Arkham Asylum set. Old Boba Fett and Jango Fett minifigures had helmet pieces which back half stretched down to the minifigures' back in
13400-709: The plastic be exposed at the surface, whereas anaerobic degradation would be effective in landfill or composting systems. Some companies produce biodegradable additives to enhance biodegradation. Although starch powder can be added as a filler to allow some plastics to degrade more easily, such treatment does not lead to complete breakdown. Some researchers have genetically engineered bacteria to synthesize completely biodegradable plastics, such as polyhydroxy butyrate (PHB); however, these were still relatively costly as of 2021. While most plastics are produced from petrochemicals, bioplastics are made substantially from renewable plant materials like cellulose and starch. Due both to
13534-571: The plastic into almost any shape. For thermosetting materials the process is slightly different, as the plastics are liquid to begin with and but must be cured to give solid products, but much of the equipment is broadly similar. The most commonly produced plastic consumer products include packaging made from LDPE (e.g. bags, containers, food packaging film), containers made from HDPE (e.g. milk bottles, shampoo bottles, ice cream tubs), and PET (e.g. bottles for water and other drinks). Together these products account for around 36% of plastics use in
13668-464: The preferred choice for the mass production everyday objects. Their biggest single application is in packaging, with some 146 million tonnes being used this way in 2015, equivalent to 36% of global production. Due to their dominance; many of the properties and problems commonly associated with plastics, such as pollution stemming from their poor biodegradability , are ultimately attributable to commodity plastics. A huge number of plastics exist beyond
13802-475: The prequel movies, but also in The Clone Wars, [because] then we make more people happy." The designers explained the design process of a minifigures and how they feel responsible for their accuracy. Lego Star Wars designer Madison O'Neil explained, "Part of that is just trying to fit these details in. The leg print, the arm print, wherever we can that's a new thing that we're starting to be able to do
13936-413: The properties of plastics to better suit their intended applications. Additives are therefore one of the reasons why plastic is used so widely. Plastics are composed of chains of polymers. Many different chemicals are used as plastic additives. A randomly chosen plastic product generally contains around 20 additives. The identities and concentrations of additives are generally not listed on products. In
14070-526: The same body shape and pose, There have been a few variations, such as Jabba the Hutt from Star Wars , or the wampa and the rancor which are even bigger in size. Most bigfigures don't contain removable heads, though there have been recent exceptions, such as Thanos . A precursor to the bigfigure was released in 1999 under the Rock Raiders theme. In 2016, a new mold for a minifigure-style human baby
14204-484: The same general shape, but without any moving parts, roughly the same height as a regular minifigure's legs. From 2010, they were initially produced in metal colors to represent trophies and statuettes, but from 2011 onwards they got printing to represent characters in sets produced in micro-scale, too small for regular minifigures, or to represent diminutive characters such as Ant-Man . They are also available in smaller scale sets such as 71043 " Hogwarts Castle". Within
14338-537: The same scale as the current minifigures, but had a different design. They had solid torsos without separate movable arms, solid lower body pieces that were not moveable, and heads without printed features. They had a small variety of headpieces in various colors, including caps, pigtail hair and cowboy hats. The first modern minifigures were released in 1978, included in Castle , Space , and Town sets. These were designed by Jens Nygaard Knudsen, who had come up with
14472-797: The set was that the L.U.L.S. minifig was contained in a 'try me' compartment of the box allowing customers (and excited children) to wear down his battery while he was still on the shelf. The set was discontinued after a year with a separate identical design but with 3 extra normal minifgs replacing the L.U.L.S. minfig. Yet another variation on the minifigure is the magnet figure, from such themes as Star Wars , Batman , Indiana Jones , and City . The magnet figures are not included in regular sets but are instead sold in packs of three or more. Some of these include accessories and display base bricks. These figures include magnets in their legs, which allow them to stick to metal surfaces. Magnet figures are nearly indistinguishable from standard figures in appearance. Unlike
14606-506: The six months ending 30 June 2022. Revenue for the period grew 17 percent to DKK 27.0 billion compared with the same period in 2021, driven by strong demand. Consumer sales grew 13 percent, significantly ahead of the toy industry, contributing to global market share growth. In February 2023, Millennium Falcon (set number: 75192) and The Razor Crest (set number: 75331) were listed on "The biggest Lego sets of all time" by Lego fansite Brick Fanatics . In March 2023, The Lego Group reported that
14740-591: The skin tone from yellow to a more natural skin tone between 2003 and 2004, and by 2005 the yellow skin tone was retired in the Lego Star Wars line. In 2019, the number of Lego Star Wars minifigures has surpassed 1000, with the Battlefront II protagonist Iden Versio bearing code sw1000. The first few sets based on the original trilogy were released in 1999, coinciding with the release of The Phantom Menace . The first wave of Lego Star Wars sets included model 7140, an X-wing fighter . Sets based on
14874-466: The standard minifigure head, but unique torsos, arms, and legs designed to resemble a skeletal structure; although different, these figure parts are still detachable. Skeleton figures and others alike stir up controversy on whether they should be considered a minifigure or just a "figure", due to the lack of standard minifigure parts. Additionally, some minifigures, mostly pirates, sometimes include peg legs and hook hands . Shorter legs, without joints at
15008-528: The term "plastics". Dozens of different types of plastics are produced today, such as polyethylene , which is widely used in product packaging , and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), used in construction and pipes because of its strength and durability. Many chemists have contributed to the materials science of plastics, including Nobel laureate Hermann Staudinger , who has been called "the father of polymer chemistry ," and Herman Mark , known as "the father of polymer physics ". The word plastic derives from
15142-499: The themes most prominent minifigures while battle droids are, by quantity, one of the most often appearing minifigures in all of Lego. The first Lego Star Wars minifigures to ever be released were Luke Skywalker and Ben Kenobi from #7110 "Landspeeder". Tan colored OOM battle droids are the first Lego Star Wars minifigure by production code (sw0001a) and have only four different unique designs, all of which are only different oriented arms and an additional backplate. Lego switched
15276-762: The thermosetting process, an irreversible chemical reaction occurs. The vulcanization of rubber is an example of this process. Before heating in the presence of sulfur, natural rubber ( polyisoprene ) is a sticky, slightly runny material; after vulcanization, the product is dry and rigid. Around 70% of global production is concentrated in six major polymer types, the so-called commodity plastics . Unlike most other plastics these can often be identified by their resin identification code (RIC): Polyurethanes (PUR) and PP&A fibers are often also included as major commodity classes, although they usually lack RICs, as they are chemically quite diverse groups. These materials are inexpensive, versatile and easy to work with, making them
15410-498: The thing is, in 3D programs you don't have gravity and with a model like this that have a very high pivot point, it's going to cause some challenges" In 2022, Lego announced that it will be releasing three Diorama building sets from the Star Wars universe on 24 March 2022. They are sets #75329 Death Star Trench Run Diorama, #75330 Dagobah Jedi Training Diorama and #75339 Death Star Trash Compactor Diorama. In 2023, Lego announced that it will be releasing two Diorama building sets from
15544-399: The three combined have sold over 21 million. In May 2009, Wired reported combined sales of 20 million. As of 2012, all Lego Star Wars video games had collectively sold more than 30 million copies. As of 2016, more than 36 million games were sold. As of 2019, the series has sold more than 50 million copies of Lego Star Wars video games. In April 2022, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
15678-620: The traditional cylindrical shape; the first was Jar Jar Binks , included in a Star Wars set in 1999 Since then various other minifigures like Yoda , C-3PO , Harry Potter goblin figures, tuskens , geonosians , Zeb Orrelios , Kit Fisto , Plo Koon , Davy Jones and Bossk also use non standard heads. Kit Fisto was the first minifigure to not use an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene head, using rubber instead. Traditional accessories, such as hairpieces, hats and helmets, cannot be placed on these non-standard heads. Some minifigures, such as wookiees , gamorrean guards and ewoks use, instead of
15812-546: The two eyes and smile, however starting in 1997 with Willa the Witch of the Fright Knights facial expressions became more complex including open mouths and detailed eyes. Another departure from traditional parts was the use of spring-loaded legs. These legs are joined at the top. These legs were only featured in basketball sets, 2002–2003. Other leg variations include short legs for children or dwarfs, or long legs (used in
15946-440: The use of natural skin tones was expanded to all licensed products; in which figures were created to represent film actors and other living people. Popular examples between 2005 and 2008 include Star Wars , Marvel , Batman , The Lord of the Rings and Indiana Jones minifigures. By 2006, Lego had reportedly produced 4 billion minifigures. There are at least 3,655 different minifigures produced between 1975 and 2010 and
16080-444: The volume of modern cars is made of plastic, but this only accounts for 12–17% of the vehicle weight. High-performance plastics are usually expensive, with their use limited to specialized applications which make use of their superior properties. Many plastics are completely amorphous (without a highly ordered molecular structure), including thermosets, polystyrene, and methyl methacrylate (PMMA). Crystalline plastics exhibit
16214-581: The volume of plastics production are driven by user demand, the price of fossil fuel feedstocks, and investments made in the petrochemical industry. For example, since 2010 over US$ 200 billion has been invested in the United States in new plastic and chemical plants, stimulated by the low cost of raw materials. In the European Union (EU), too, heavy investments have been made in the plastics industry, which employs over 1.6 million people with
16348-497: The world's major water bodies , for example, creating garbage patches in all of the world's oceans and contaminating terrestrial ecosystems. Of all the plastic discarded so far, some 14% has been incinerated and less than 10% has been recycled. In developed economies, about a third of plastic is used in packaging and roughly the same in buildings in applications such as piping , plumbing or vinyl siding . Other uses include automobiles (up to 20% plastic ), furniture, and toys. In
16482-726: The world. Most of them (e.g. disposable cups, plates, cutlery, takeaway containers, carrier bags) are used for only a short period, many for less than a day. The use of plastics in building and construction, textiles, transportation and electrical equipment also accounts for a substantial share of the plastics market. Plastic items used for such purposes generally have longer life spans. They may be in use for periods ranging from around five years (e.g. textiles and electrical equipment) to more than 20 years (e.g. construction materials, industrial machinery). Plastic consumption differs among countries and communities, with some form of plastic having made its way into most people's lives. North America (i.e.
16616-409: The year grew 27 percent versus 2020 to DKK 55.3 billion and consumer sales grew 22 percent over the same period, outpacing the toy industry and driving market share growth globally and in largest markets. On 28 September 2022, The Lego Group reported that the Lego Star Wars , Lego Technic , Lego Icons (formerly Creator Expert), Lego City , Lego Harry Potter and Lego Friends themes had earned for
16750-400: Was also an unpopular decision. Following the initial release of these figures Lego announced no more were to be produced, due to their unpopularity and more expensive production. One set, the "7261 Clone Turbo Tank ", which featured an L.U.L. version of Mace Windu , was even reissued with a standard version of the minifig and an extra Clone Trooper figure to make up the cost of the set. There
16884-470: Was also at least one high end City themed set ("Police HQ") that included a police officer with a light up 'torch'. Another L.U.L.S. minfig in police uniform appeared without the 'saber' part of the light saber and a yellow LED in the 'handle' of the light saber, reusing the L.U.L.S. design outside the Star Wars setting as an effective 'torch'. He appeared in a high end City set based on a standard and well selling City "Police HQ" design. A complaint about
17018-644: Was estimated at over 150 million tonnes in 2015. The plastic industry includes the global production, compounding , conversion and sale of plastic products. Although the Middle East and Russia produce most of the required petrochemical raw materials, the production of plastic is concentrated in the global East and West. The plastic industry comprises a huge number of companies and can be divided into several sectors: Between 1950 and 2017, 9.2 billion tonnes of plastic are estimated to have been made, with more than half this having been produced since 2004. Since
17152-630: Was first announced in February 1999 at the North American International Toy Fair , serving as a tie-in to Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace , that would be released in May. The Lego Star Wars designers have revealed how they have "changed strategy" to get popular minifigures into cheaper and more accessible sets. Lego Star Wars Creative Lead Jens Kronvold Frederiksen explained, "We have changed our strategy
17286-609: Was introduced. Although similar to a microfigure in body shape, it has a detachable head and actual molded arms (albeit, non-posable). It has mainly made appearances in LEGO City sets, such as the "Fun at the Park" set. It was also notable for appearing as an accessory for the Babysitter in the 16th series of Lego Minifigures , and LEGO "10255 Assembly Square", which is the 2017 Lego Modular Building . In The Mandalorian sets,
17420-657: Was listed as one of the UK boxed chart top 10 by Eurogamer . Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga has sold more than three million copies. Several films and videos based on Lego Star Wars have been produced; additionally, Lego Star Wars characters cameo in The Lego Movie (2014). Multiple Lego Star Wars reference books , short stories and coloring books have been released. Additionally multiple Lego Star Wars magazines release monthly. The Lego Star Wars brand has also produced plush toys , alarm clocks in
17554-410: Was only licensed from 1998 to 2009, but The Lego Group extended the license with Lucasfilm , first until 2011, then until 2016, then again until 2022, and then once more until 2032. Lego Star Wars is based on the Star Wars saga and franchise. The product line directly focuses on the Star Wars characters from the films and TV Series, with the exception of a few special characters. It
17688-958: Was released as the largest MBS set with over 3,000 pieces and 21 minifigures. In 2020, Lego released three brick-built helmets of selected iconic characters from the Star Wars universe. They are #75277 Boba Fett , #75276 Stormtrooper , and #75274 TIE Fighter Pilot . Meant to be displayed, name plaques of the helmets' characters are included. In March 2021, Lego announced that it will be releasing helmets #75304 Darth Vader and #75305 Scout Trooper on April 26, 2021. In February 2022, Lego announced that it will be releasing helmets #75327 Luke Skywalker (Red Five) , #75328 The Mandalorian and #75343 Dark Trooper on March 1, 2022. In January 2023, Lego announced that it will be releasing helmets #75351 Princess Leia (Boushh) , #75349 Captain Rex and #75350 Clone Commander Cody on March 1, 2023. Lego design master Kurt Kristiansen had revealed
17822-610: Was released on 1 October 2023. With similar complexity to the Ultimate Collector Series sets, sets under the Master Builder Series are built with the purpose of playing, featuring numerous play features, functions, and interior details as compared to the UCS, which are meant more for display purposes. The first set of the MBS is the #75222 Betrayal at Cloud City , which was released in 2018. In 2020, #75290 Mos Eisley Cantina
17956-429: Was that the minifigures are made out of many different types of plastic, because they need to have different abilities and characteristics," Design Director Michael Lee Stockwell explained, "Some have to be flexible, some need to use clutch power and whatnot," and continued, "So the hands are different material than the heads, for example." Stockwell explained how coming up with playsets based on new shows and movies
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