With environmental concerns very much at the forefront of business, political and personal agendas, work is well underway in various quarters of the greeting card industry to investigate further ways it can improve its environmental credentials.
“As an industry, our environmental credentials are already high, but it is gratifying to know that suppliers, publishers and retailers are all pushing for further improvements,” said Sharon Little, ceo of the GCA (Greeting Card Association), citing the trials on bio-gradable glitter instigated by Powder Arts with printers Windles and Loxleys as a case in point.
Recognising that there are myths and misconceptions surrounding the complexities of different substrates and processes, the GCA is looking to bolster the information hosted on the association’s website that covers environmental aspects.
As part of this an updated factsheet for greeting card publishers developed in conjunction with the Forest Stewardship Council has just been uploaded onto the website, (www.greetingcardassociation.org.uk). Download a copy by clicking here.
The factsheet covers what constitutes FSC board, all about using an FSC-certified printer, use of the FSC logos as well as other frequently asked questions.
Someone who is asking lots of questions to challenge its suppliers on the environmental front is Ian Jackson, md of Polytint, part of the Simon Elvin group.
As part of the group that supplies a lot of multiple retailers with own brand cards, Polytint prints a lot of its cards in China.
“Factories in China have been under massive environmental pressures from the government there, in fact the legislation is even stricter than in the UK. Fortunately all the factories and printing facilities we work with are one step ahead on this front,” Ian told PG Buzz. He did reveal that he is driving “a research project into recyclable or bio-degradable cellobags,” and expects to know more about the findings in a month, after which news of any developments will percolate through to other companies in the group (which include Paper Rose, Glick and Simon Elvin).
