Many of us are now more environmentally conscious than ever, and we expect our favourite brands to follow suit. Businesses are upping their sustainability efforts to meet consumer demand and improve their brand’s eco-friendly ethos. Next time you’re ready to order a new set of promo products for the office or a unique promotional gift at your next event, why not have a think about choosing a product that’s sustainable?
If you think about the amount of printed collateral such as pens, mugs, notebooks etc used by businesses across the globe each week, it’s easy to imagine the amount of waste generated when they’re disposed of. By using or giving away products made from all-natural materials you’ll not only make a positive impact on the environment, but your brand will be at the forefront of your customer’s mind.
Step up your green game and become environmentally savvy with these eco-friendly branded products…
Water Bottles
One of the worst culprits of single-use plastic waste are plastic water bottles that are discarded once the drink has been consumed. Plastic litter now clutters every part of our planet, from remote parts of the Antarctic to the deepest ocean trenches. Plastic takes hundreds of years to decompose, and this is just way too long and harmful for the environment.
Are your current water bottles made from plastic and unusable after one use? Perhaps it’s time to opt for a biodegradable option. A biodegradable bottle only takes several months to decompose which is a million times better for the environment. Stainless steel is also an environmentally friendly material because it is 100% recyclable. Stainless steel will also keep your drink much cooler for longer, so it’s a great alternative to plastic bottles!
If you’re not yet ready to invest in a 100% recyclable option then you could try antimicrobial-made mugs which are a hygienic, strong, and re-usable alternative to plastic.
Bags
Plastic bags have kept our shopping dry and our goods safe for years. They were invented back in 1959 and developed to help save the planet after paper bags were considered bad because they resulted in forests being chopped down! How ironic that all these years later, we’ve now put in place measures to minimise the use of plastic bags due to their detrimental impact on the environment. It takes 1000 years for a plastic bag to photo-degrade into a microplastic which then absorbs toxins and pollutes the environment as well as harming marine life and the food chain.
Fast forward to 2021 and thankfully, there are now lots of eco-friendly options available to us. Paper bags are back in popular demand because they’re easier to recycle and are biodegradable. Despite them using 4 times as much energy as a plastic bag to produce, they are the better option for the end-user because of their biodegradable nature.
Reusable cotton bags would need to be used 1000 times to have a comparable environmental footprint to plastic, but they’re still a great alternative to using plastic disposable bags because we can cut down the amount of litter on land and in the ocean.
With the vast array of sustainable options now available to us, businesses now have the freedom to promote an eco-friendlier brand message by opting for a more sustainable promotional bag.
Stationery
The price point and practicalities of branded stationery products make them a great addition to internal business branding or promotional gifts. For the most part, stationery has a short-term life span, and after a pen or notepad has been used it ends up in the bin. Because most of these products are made from plastic or not properly recycled, it creates an overflow of unnecessary waste which is very damaging to the environment. Recycled, FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) made, or decomposable pens or pencils, are a much better choice for businesses who are looking to improve their eco credentials.
Seed Packets
The ‘grow-your-own’ movement is on the rise with increasing concern about our ever-growing carbon footprint. Plants and flowers are considered a critical resource because they release oxygen into the atmosphere, absorb carbon dioxide and regulate our water cycle. With this in mind, many businesses are now opting for ways to encourage DIY plant growing such as promotional seed packet giveaways.
Branded packets filled with seeds to grow flowers, plants, or fruit & veg, are a great promo product when tied in with employee engagement schemes, for example competitions such as DPD’s Halloween pumpkin growing competition. Your recipient can get on board, get growing and connect with your brand in a more meaningful way whilst supporting the earth’s ecosystem! It’s a win-win situation for all.
If you’d like to find out more about creating a more sustainable brand, give us a call on 0115 951 2468 or email us at [email protected], and one of our team will be in touch.
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