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TOP 10 TIPS on sourcing eco friendly promotional products

Posted in Editors Column on Fri 20 Mar 2009

By Matt Payne, MD of The Plastic Card Shop

The Plastic Card Shop supplies cards that are used for various purposes in the promotions industry – as gift, loyalty, identity, membership, discount and entry cards. How are entry cards promotional I hear you cry? Take the case of a hotel key card; you have your hotel information on one side … leaving the other side free to promote a service within the hotel, perhaps a bar or spa.

Matt Payne founded his company 10 years ago when plastic was … well, just plastic! However, Matt has spent the last three years researching eco-friendlier plastics and card in order to supply a range of cards to suit companies’ CSR policies and has just launched a new range of ecocards (see Feature).

Here he gives the benefits of his research into plastics and as well as general tips to apply when sourcing eco friendly promotional products.

1. Do your research – Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and Recycle Now are good places to start and very helpful too.

2. Where’s your evidence? Ask for certification to back up the products’/manufacturers’ claims. Interestingly we tested some materials claiming to be eco friendly and they contained all sorts of nasties!

3. Don’t just think about the product; the packaging and even the transport can be eco friendlier too.

4. Think about disposal and recycling too at the outset of the project – it’s about the whole recycling loop. Some materials, although environmentally friendly, cannot yet be recycled and just contaminate the recycling stream.

5. Check the supply chain and don’t undo the benefits you are seeking to achieve – a product that is made in China and flown over here is hardly friendly to our environment.

6. Also check whether child labour is involved in the manufacture – although this is an ethical and not an environmental issue, it’s still relevant to your CSR policy.

7. Make sure all stakeholders in the campaign understand what you are trying to achieve – CSR agenda has to come from the top.

8. Beware of green-washers – this comes back to point 1 – do your research – some of the products I see and the claims made are incredible – how is a computer screen cased in bamboo environmentally friendly?

When it comes to plastics:

9. Be aware of the different types of plastics for instance: