Reducing single-use plastic

I phased out plastic cellophane sleeves for a compostable version in 2020. Since June 2021, I offer the most eco-friendly option – translucent paper belly bands – to wholesale customers to reduce the packaging on their cards. The rest of my products, apart from my desk pads and notebooks, are wrapped in compostable clear sleeves for protection.

My desk pads and notebooks are currently wrapped with polyolefin shrink film, and although it’s a thermoplastic, it’s made from 100% recyclable material. It can also be easily recycled, and doesn’t emit harmful vapours during heat-sealing and manufacturing processes. I’ve found it’s the best way to protect my desk pads and notebooks during handling, shipping, and displaying in stores, but I’m still looking into a more eco-friendly alternative that would offer the same level of protection.

Plastic-free, recycled and paper-based shipping packaging

I consistently save and repurpose the used shipping boxes, protective wrappers, and void fillers I receive from my suppliers and online orders.

To date, I’ve never purchased any void fillers, and I’m very pleased to witness the growing number of suppliers that have started using scrunched-up paper and cardboard instead of bubble wrap.

On the rare occasions I use bubble wrap in an order, I can assure you it was saved from previous orders and reused. If you’d like to make sure your order is completely plastic-free, simply mention it in the ‘Add a note to your order’ box during the checkout process and I’ll be more than happy to help.

Sometimes I can’t find used boxes suitable to ship certain orders, so I have to order boxes in specific sizes. When this happens, I proactively look for recycled shipping packaging first. (I also do this for envelopes, backing boards for prints, display boxes for products, and cardstock for promotional materials.)

I’ve been using paper sticky tape instead of plastic for many years – in fact, this is the very first sustainable thing I did for my business. Every little helps!

High-quality products and seconds sale to reduce waste

My mission is to make sure all my products are great quality, creating special and long-lasting gifts you (or your loved one) will treasure. 

That’s why:

✿ Every one of my products is of an extremely high standard and quality – cards, postcards, and prints are printed on thicker-than-usual cardstock, so they’re less likely to get damaged in transit. 

✿ The printing inks used are lightfast, so my prints will stick around for a long time. 

✿ My decorations are UV-printed, which makes them durable, as well as scratch and water-resistant. 

Occasionally my products are delivered to me with minor imperfections, like printing marks or bent corners. As I can’t sell them at their original price (or throw them away!), I hold a seconds sale once or twice a year where these imperfect products are heavily discounted and, ultimately, not wasted. (It doesn’t happen often, but if there are any products that are truly unsellable, they’re recycled appropriately.)