Sustainability 07.01.21

Sustainability Update 1

Writer

James Wilkins

I mentioned in our first post on sustainability that we have seen an uplift in online orders during COVID-19 lock down and that it was plain to see that we were making poor choices using non-environmentally friendly packaging. This needed to change, and change it has! From next week, bubble lined mailer bags, plastic document envelopes and plastic tape will be replaced by paper mailers, paper document envelopes and paper tape.

We think that paper envelopes make a great substitute for plastic, or bubble lined mailers and represents a positive movement in the right direction. It's also something that we can execute quickly and seamlessly. The bags are constructed from durable 120gsm responsibly sourced paper, produced by a CO2 neutral company and because they are paper and plastic free, they are 100% recyclable and biodegradable.

We've used the very same sourcing company for our new packing tape. The product is a fully biodegradable, 100% plastic free and made from sustainably sourced materials.

Lastly we needed to tackle our document envelopes. To date we've been printing the order dispatch details and placing them in a self-adhesive plastic envelope that we then attach to the mail bag. We've now found a company, Enviroflute, that produces a truly eco-friendly document wallet. It is constructed of 100% paper that is sustainably sourced and is fully recyclable and biodegradable.

What this now means for you, is that all the outer packaging used to ship your internet order can be placed in a recycling bin. There is no need to remove tape, or plastics, because there are none. Easier for you and better for the environment.

Whilst the above represents a move in the right direction, it is by no means the end of the journey for order packaging. We have ideas in the pipeline to further improve on this quick-fix solution.

Until next time.

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