The Eco-Friendly Card Co’s indie customers enjoy a slice of life to celebrate 30 years
Cake and chocs were in abundance as The Eco-friendly Card Company celebrated 30 years with customers enjoying the sweet treats on the publisher’s Autumn Fair stand this week.
Show organiser Hyve Group delivered a special birthday cake to co-owner Sue Morrish and her team as the trade fair opened at Birmingham’s NEC on Sunday, and she also had a supply of delicious Champagne chocolates from award-winning artisan maker Cocoa Loco for customers who placed orders.
Sue said: “Highlights included doing a podcast for The Giftware Association and a film clip for Products Of Change about our 30th anniversary, meeting up with artist Adam James Severn and finishing off the scrumptious anniversary cake we were given by the show organisers!
“It was great to see customers old and new, especially Windsor Place Cards & Gifts – previously Occasions – of Liskeard who must have stocked our cards for a good part of the last 30 years!”
Having initially intended to give away 30 boxes of chocs, which Sue chose because Cocoa Loco’s organic and Fairtrade chocolate comes in 100% plastic-free packaging so fits with The Eco-Friendly Card Co’s own ethos, she managed to obtain extras for their independent customers, including garden centres and bookshops.
The business was set up as Glebe Cottage Studio by Sue’s husband Scott in 1993 as a vehicle for his photographic card range and, with Sue quickly getting on board, they immediately made an environmental commitment, choosing only to use recycled envelopes.
They have gone on to become the first DTR publisher to become FSC-certified in its own right, and the first to use compostable bags for cards way back in 2006, as well as scooping a host of leading eco-awards, and still only work with independent retailers.
