Solomon’s Seal (Photo credit: A. Drauglis)
You see the same thing in almost every grocery store: Reusable bags made out of recycled material are being used to carry items, entire aisles are dedicated to organic food and even the paper coffee cups carried by shoppers proudly display a small blurb about how the cup is either biodegradable or made from a certain percentage of recycled products. It seems like everyone has jumped on the “green” bandwagon these days… your company can, too, by starting with something as simple as the products you choose to promote your brand.
Before you start, arm yourself with as much knowledge of the eco-friendly industry as possible. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Know Your Material – Biodegradable plastic can be used for almost anything – pens, mugs, even USB flash drives. Fabric can also be made “green” by using organic cotton, bamboo or hemp. Recycled PET can also be a great alternative for items that typically use polyester or plastic.
Keep Every Step of the Process in Mind – If you’re looking to print a logo on a t-shirt made from organic fabric, for example, will you be using environmentally-friendly ink? Plastisol inks use phthalates and polyvinyl chloride, which aren’t eco-conscious. Instead, use water-based inks or inks that have non-PVC resins and non-phthalate plasticizers. If you’re packaging a product, keep that in mind as well – choosing a recycled box and recycled paper for any inserts is also something to consider.
Stay Informed – Sites such as Green Seal, a nonprofit organization that gives their seal to products that have met rigorous environmental leadership standards, and the DMA Environmental Resource Center, which provides tools and articles that assist businesses in marketing in a more eco-friendly way, can help you to stay up-to-date on everything eco-friendly. Not only will this help you to make sustainable decisions for your company, but it will also help you to become more knowledgeable for eco-conscious clients and prospects.
Keep the Initiative Going – Promoting your company with sustainable promotional products is an easy way to start helping your business to be more conscious of the environment, but it shouldn’t stop there! The more that your company goes green, the more it can benefit. Companies that focus on reducing energy consumption can also reduce their energy bills and tax credits may be available to companies who use environmentally-friendly business practices. Additionally, the Green Business Bureau reported that companies who promote a healthier workplace, whether it is through organic food selections or the use of environmentally-friendly cleaning products, reported 20 percent less sick days used by employees a year!
So, get out there and ‘go green’! Your customers will be happy that you did and so will the planet.
Resources: http://www.asicentral.com/asp/open/content/content.aspx?id=4620&green
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