There’s Now a Jane Goodall Barbie Doll—and It’s Made from Recycled Plastic

Jane Goodall is nothing short of an icon. She was just 26 years old when she started her pioneering work in the forests of Tanzania, giving the world its first up-close-and-personal look at the magical world of chimpanzees. Now, more than 60 years later, she's still inspiring the next generation to dream big—even as they're playing with Barbies.

Being turned into a Barbie—dubbed the Dr. Jane Goodall Barbie® Inspiring Women™ Doll—was something 88-year-old Goodall never expected to happen. But she couldn't be more excited about the evolution of the toy.

"I’ve seen little girls playing with Barbie dolls and certainly at the beginning, they were all very girly-girly and I thought little girls need… some choice," she told Reuters. "Mattel has changed its range of dolls and there’s all kinds of astronauts and doctors and things like that. So many children learn about me at school. They’ll be thrilled to have the Barbie doll."

To create the Barbie, Mattel partnered with the Jane Goodall Foundation and its Roots & Shoots program. The program has the goal of inspiring young individuals to "protect others, animals, and the environment," and learning about conservation from a young age through this doll is a great way to start.

The Jane Goodall Barbie is made of a minimum of 75% recycled plastic, making it a more planet-friendly option than other dolls found on store shelves. It also comes complete with Goodall's must-haves—field attire, a pair of binoculars for exploring, and a field notebook. Oh, and you can't forget David Greybeard—Goodall's favorite chimp.

Goodall says she hopes her doll will create more interest and fascination in the natural world. "It doesn't really matter if they have a career in conservation, as long as they live conservation in their daily lives," she says. Currently, the Jane Goodall Barbie can be purchased for $35.