My sustainability practices
What my small business is doing to help
As a nature-loving illustrator and small business owner, I care so much about the natural world. That’s why I’m committed to constantly learning about how to reduce my impact on the environment, and putting any changes into practice.
FSC-certified and recycled cardstock
The greenest envelopes available
Eco-friendly materials
Organically processed 100% Fairtrade cotton, sustainable birch plywood, and eco-friendly UV inks
Environmentally conscious manufacturing processes
Suppliers who also care about the environment
Conscious shipping packaging
Plastic-free, recycled and paper-based
Reducing waste
High-quality products and ‘seconds’ sales
Reducing single-use plastic
Compostable sleeves and translucent belly bands
Greeting cards and envelopes
I’m proud to say that all my paper products are printed onto FSC-certified stock (made using paper harvested from legal, responsibly managed forests), and the recycled paper used in my fleck kraft envelopes is made from 100% post-consumer waste (that means it’s produced from paper that’s come straight from your home recycling bin). Each envelope is slightly unique in colour and texture, and is the greenest type of envelope available.
Even if my cards aren’t hung up or repurposed, they’re fully recyclable (same goes for the envelopes).
My business cards, thank-you notes and complimentary postcards
My business cards, thank-you notes, and complimentary postcards (that go in wholesale and shop orders) are also made of 100% recycled cardstock. And the pretty, nature-inspired illustrations make them noticeboard-worthy, so they’re too nice to bin!
Art prints and desk pads
The grey backing boards that come with my leafy prints and desk pads are 100% recycled and recyclable.
Bags
My botanical bags are made of 100% Fairtrade cotton and printed with water-based inks using eco-friendly manufacturing processes. The supplier carries a GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certification, which means the bags have been processed completely organically from crop to completion.
Wooden decorations
My hanging decorations are made of sustainable birch plywood, which is FSC-certified, and printed with eco-friendly UV inks using energy-friendly machinery. (The supplier I use is environmentally conscious and recycles their waste.) My decorations are UV-printed rather than digitally printed because the printed area is more durable, scratch and water-resistant, creating reusable products that last longer.
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.)
Have any other eco-friendly ideas?
My business certainly isn’t perfectly sustainable, but I’m always open to ideas to help the natural world. I’d love to hear from you if you think there’s anything new I should try!
Get in touch via my contact form or email me at hello@katrinasophia.com