Ecofeminism & The Pink Industry

The "pink industry" of Disney Princesses, comprised of dolls, clothing, games, home décor, and toys, is a $5.5 billion dollar enterprise, second only to Disney's original and still most profitable franchise, Mickey Mouse. With an industry this large, prevalent, and popular, it is inevitable that there would be significant societal impact and criticism concerning the environmental repercussions resulting from the sheer volume of manufacturing materials and waste. One might also anticipate a consumer-driven appeal to the corporation's sense of ethical social responsibility. Disney's pink industry princess products are indeed designed with sustainability and business savvy in mind and align, if only superficially, with the concept of ecofeminism, a philosophical and political movement that combines ecological concerns with feminist ones and suggests that damage to the earth is also damage to womankind. Specific aspects of the pink industry that have undisputed long lasting detrimental environmental effects are the princess dolls, toys, packaging, and dresses, which account for only some of the twenty-six thousand Disney Princess items on the market, ranging from the dresses and toys all the way to beds, makeup, diapers, and couture and wedding gowns. This paper examines and analyzes Disney’s “ecofeminist” and “ecofriendly” designs, as well as evaluates the environmental consequences of its ever popular princess product lines to see whether the company’s commitment to its customers, like its storylines, saves the endangered feminine protagonist, the earth.