Any Colour - As Long As It's Green

There's no doubt about it, 'green' today in the promotions industry, is the fashion industry's equivalent to black. Black is part of every designer collection, it's in the high street, it's always in fashion ' any season, and it goes with everything. But the 'green' we are talking about in the promotions industry is not a colour ' it's becoming a 'must have' element of any campaign.

The term 'green' is a way of describing environmentally friendly and/or eco friendly products. I think a quick reference to Wikipedia is called for! According to Wikipedia, 'Environmentally friendly (eco-friendly and nature friendly) are synonyms used to refer to goods and services considered to inflict minimal or no harm on the environment.'

 

In this feature we are also including recyclable products, goods made from recycled products and re-useable products that can reduce impact on the environment when used instead of throwaway goods. So let's start with reusable bags from the appropriately named KeepMe, a company which takes its ethical stance a step further by donating promotional merchandise to charity.

The campaign to re-use shopping bags, and rid the earth of the plague that is free single-use plastic carrier bags, really seems to have worked and I know many people who keep canvas or cotton bags in their cars, handbags and desk drawers, ready to grab when the need for a quick visit to the shops arises.

But while re-useable bags have been a commercial success and allowed KeepMe to expand and improve its range of promotional products, joint Managing Director, Steve Anderson, is keen to emphasise the fact that ethics have been a key factor in making it all happen.

 

 

The company regularly donates free bags to charitable organisations for conferences and fund raising events. And Mr Anderson believes that these donations are not just good karma but good business. 'Good profit and good ethics have always been bundled together at KeepMe Promotions. We use sustainable materials and socially responsible manufacturing processes in the pursuit of a product that people want to re-use. The whole point of this approach is positive company profile, both for ourselves and for our clients ' and the provision of free bags for charity is one of the best ways of making that happen.'
Keepme

 

MAKE A NOTE OF THIS
Another blight on the landscape is the several tonnes of newspaper that are discarded on the London Transport system every day ' so, the Londonpaper takes recycling seriously.

 

 

Commissioned by the Londonpaper, Event Merchandising has developed recycling
to turn the waste newspaper into reusable products. A tonne of used Londonpaper was collected from the News International warehouse, sent to a UK-based factory and then converted into a quantity of A4 ringbinder note pads to be reused both internally and externally.

A great illustration of how to turn rescued copies of papers into something useful, reiterating the importance of sustainability and reusability!
Event Merchandising

GREEN TERMS
Ah, 'sustainability' and 'reusability' some more of those terms relating to the 'green' theme. These terms are bandied about somewhat frivolously sometimes, so buyers beware of 'green washing' which is a term used when an unscrupulous supplier (not any of those mentioned here!) is trying to imply their product has 'green' characteristics that cannot be evidenced and may not be true!

Margot Parker, Director of EuroConsult.com and a Director of the British Promotional Merchandise Association, gives the following advice to suppliers, 'Whatever your claims about a product, the use of words to describe it, such as 'organic', 'biodegradable' and 'environmentally friendly' do need to accurately describe what you are offering. Brands are seeking to be able to substantiate clean and green processing methods. Voluntary Universal Standard SA8000 (developed by Social Accountability International) gives social accountability in relation to the conditions under which the goods are manufactured. Consumers certainly do connect with Fair Trade certified products, especially in today's difficult business climate. It is the consumers who are driving the Fair Trade bus.'

Margot advises buyers, 'Using reputable suppliers is key and inspection and testing specialists like Intertek and SGS do carry out supply chain audits. More than ever, in harsh economic times you need to be sure of your suppliers and how strong they are. Will they cut corners under pressure in the recession?

'There are many EU Directives which need to be considered when one thinks about promotional products and just one of these is REACH (registration, evaluation, authorisation, and restrictions of chemical substances) (EC 1907/2006). Chemicals and dyes in textiles as well as other products will need to be clearly documented and registered at the new REACH registration centre in Helsinki Finland.', Margot concludes.
Eurocom Consult

 

 

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AWARDS FOR CHEMICALS INDUSTRY
Speaking of the chemicals industry, Special EFX, manufacturers of awards and other corporate gifts, tells us that the Chemical Industry Award 2008 was designed to be environmentally friendly as well as eye-catching.

 

 

The 219-millimetre tall award incorporates three decorative panels made from composite plastic sheet produced from recycled water and gas pipes. The addition of laser engraved 'rivet' detailing further emphasises the industrial nature of the awards.

Melanie Osbourne, Sales Director of Special EFX, said, 'We now routinely incorporate recycled and renewable elements into our designs, relishing the creative opportunities provided by materials produced from discarded plastic bottles and bags, plastic cups, toothbrushes, gas and water pipes, glass, old electronic circuit boards, Wellington boots and natural materials, such as slate and wood.

'Companies and organisations at home and overseas are becoming increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of all their buying decisions, and the demand for awards and trophies with either a large recycled or renewable content is growing rapidly.'
Special EFX

 

 

ECO FRIENDLY PLASTIC CARDS
Plastics is one area where they are many claims of 'greenery'. Which is why Matt Payne, MD of The Plastic Card Shop undertook three years of research before launching the ecocard' range, which includes cards made from four different eco friendly materials:

• PETg (a recyclable plastic),
• Recycled PVC,
• Ingeo PLA (a plastic made from plants, not oil and it's compostable) and
• Bloomcard'' made from recycled junk mail and incorporating wild flower seeds. Simply plant the card at the end of its use and you'll be rewarded with a display of poppies, daisies and buttercups ' a lasting memento of the brand or campaign.

 

 

The PETg, PVC and PLA ecocards have the look and feel of traditional plastic cards and can incorporate all the usual features such as a magnetic stripe or a bar code.

Matt (who provided our Top 10 Tips on environmentally friendly products) says, 'It's not just cards we've made eco friendlier. Our gift card packaging is made from recycled material or FSC certified paper. We can supply simple card carriers or more elaborate packaging to add a luxurious element.'

The Plastic Card Shop already supplies well-known high street chains, including Somerfield and Hackett. ecocard' has an informative website which contains advice, FAQs and explanations of the many and various recycling and composting terms and logos.
ecocard'

 

 

LANYARDS AND WRISTBANDS
With green initiatives and environmentally friendly solutions at the forefront of today's product development, ID&C's latest addition to their product portfolio offers a new alternative to polyester lanyards and wristbands.

 

 

Made from 100% recycled material, including the attachments, ID&C's new eco-friendly solution uses PET (Polyethylene terephthalate ' recycled from carbonated soft drink bottles) to create lanyard clips fastened to recycled organic cotton. For the wristbands, an aluminium fastener is used which can then be recycled after use.

Director Matt Wilkey explained, 'Product research and development is an area that ID&C has always invested in. We have seen the interest in greener products increase over the last few years and wanted to design a product that could be used for different applications across the promotions, sports, corporate and music industries.'

The wristbands and lanyards can be pantone matched to fit with corporate colours and branding. They are available with safety breaks and come in different lengths to suit any application and safety requirements at events.

ID&C

 

PROMOTIONAL PENS
pac-hs, who already supply a wide range of carrier bags as well as promotional items, are now offering promotional products made from re-cycled materials. Did you ever wonder what can be done with recycled CD jewel cases, recycled Tetra Pak containers and recycled vending cups

 

 

Well, pac-hs have the answer, these waste materials along with recycled paper and corn starch are being used to make items including: ball point pens, pencils, pencil sharpeners, card holders, Frisbees and yoyos.

Pac-hs

 

 

IT'S MAGIC!
Inspire Promotions has been supplying magic and puzzle cubes for use as business gifts for the last three years and has now introduced both made from 100% recyclable plastic and printed to clients designs on recycled paper.

 

 

Each cube is supplied in a recycled card-mailing cube branded EcoCube. Lead time only 25 days from receipt of artwork.

Inspire Promotions

 

 

IT'S MERLINS!
Merlins Marketing Limited, suppliers of genuine salon quality nail files, can now supply nail files with the core made from recycled materials. Additionally, the minimum quantity throughout the range is only 120 units.

The range, all printed in full colour, includes:

• Standard, mirror and buffer nail files in either 7in or 3.5in;
• 3.5in key ring nail files;
• Credit card size nail files and much, much more.

Merlins Marketing

 

 

IT'S RECYCLED YOGURT POTS!
Purple Zebra is reporting that recycled awards are being requested increasingly and they are supplying awards made from various materials that have been recycled, from recycled glass and zinc to even using yoghurt pots to make this bespoke award.

 

 

'However, the majority of our business still comes from their crystal glass awards and the bespoke metal awards,' says Paul Bonning at Purple Zebra, 'but the customer is king and we produce what they ask us for!'

Purple Zebra

So, whether you are looking for 'green' ballpoint pens, business gifts, awards, promotional giveaways, re-usable carrier bags, stationery, corporate gifts, mouse mats or even lanyards, there's a wide range of eco friendlier goods available in this industry.

Carole Bull
Editor

 

 

If you agree or disagree with any topics we have covered, or wish to discuss or explore them, then please enter your comment on our Blog or send your comment direct to me at editor@promotional-merchandise.org.uk

 

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