We recognise that our operations have an impact on the environment and are committed to reducing this.
Our approach has helped improve our efficiency, the quality of our service, and our relationship with clients.
Eco-Friendly Ink Pioneers
We were the first screen printers in the UK to exclusively use 100% solvent-free water-based inks for paper and garment printing. We provide free support to print studios around the world to help them make the switch too. Read more about our waterbased inks.
MINIMISING USE OF RESOURCES
We only offer sustainable garment and bag options, unless a client specifically requests something different. We also charge proportionately less for eco-friendly garments, to further encourage our customers to make positive choices and reduce the use of pesticides.
We encourage our suppliers to use less plastic in their packaging and we re-use their packaging, rather than buying new boxes. We use our branded recycled paper tape to reseal the boxes, rather than plastic tape.
We use renewable energy provider Bulb and 100% of our electricity is from renewable sources. We require gas for our conveyor dryer, which is super efficient, and we do not use gas for anything else. The gas is 100% carbon neutral - at least 10% of it is green gas from renewable sources like food or farm waste and Bulb offset the rest by supporting carbon reduction projects around the world.
ETHICAL TRADING
We only source products from companies with robust ethical standards. The majority of the garments that we source are from Stanley/Stella or Continental Clothing - both of these suppliers are certified with the Fair Wear Foundation. Our main garment supplier researched their whole supply chain and achieved vegan accreditation because we asked them to.
Ethical Trading works both ways – we like to work with people that share our values and there are some businesses that we have refused to work with as we don’t want to support their unethical practices.
TOWARDS PLASTIC FREE
We have been reducing the amount of plastic used in our processes for at least a decade. Examples include: having our screens specially made with a wider block of glue around the edge to reduce the masking tape required, using recycled paper stickers for consignment labels rather than using plastic wallets that are stuck to the side of the box, re-using packaging and using paper bubble wrap, paper tape and recycled garment boxes to send out orders.
We have requested that our suppliers to move over to plastic-free packaging and, until this happens, will re-use or recycle all packaging responsibly.
eTHICAL iNVESTMENTS
We bank with Starling Bank so that our values extend to our finances, ensuring that our money does not fund state organisations in countries where there is a high degree of concern about a lack of human rights, or businesses with unethical practises such as tobacco manufacturers or arms dealers. It's also a completely paper free banking system.
Our savings account is with the Ecology Building Society, who are helping to build a greener society through sustainable residential & commercial mortgages, funded by ethical savings accounts like ours.
Eco Certification
Our Mission
To provide garment decoration in the most sustainable way possible, without compromising on quality.
To continually develop our processes to improve sustainability, and prove that the eco-friendly way can be better than traditional, chemically-intensive methods.
To share this knowledge and encourage others to go eco-friendly too.
OUR MEASURABLE GOALS FOR 2020
1. To reduce our average monthly waste (measured against output) by 25% from the September 2019 to September 2020.
2. To partner with a local tree planting scheme and show our support through donations and volunteer time.
3. To develop our embroidery service, to be in full operation by November 2020
4. To achieve Soil Association certification by November 2020
5. To work towards B Corp status to show the highest standards of social and environmental performance and that business can balance profit with people and planet.
