Hardly a week goes by without another announcement about how companies, governments, and organizations are seeking to leave less of a footprint on our planet. Intercontinental Hotels recently pledged to remove the 200 million miniature plastic toiletries it uses annually, by 2021. Brewers, Carlsberg and Guinness are just two of the beer companies who are getting rid of plastic rings that hold four-packs together.

Necessity is the mother of invention, and merchandise companies are innovating with alternative products. Bagco currently has a range of recycled cotton, which is made from recycled cotton and rPET (recycled plastic bottles). All samples are sent in paper bags with minimal packaging for orders – one cardboard box and this is the box that the goods are packed in from the factories. The company also makes a donation to Plastic Oceans for every recycled bag sold.

Process improvement

The Leather Business has just launched a new range of recycled leather products, The Reco Collection featuring 10 of the best-selling lines manufactured in a unique way. Natural latex avoids using chemicals to stick fibers together. As well as using biodegradable poly bags, when despatching orders, the company reuses all of the packagings and avoids foam or other non-recyclable materials.

Pinfold Promotions hosted an end-user event in Nottingham, with 14 key suppliers showcasing their latest promotional merchandise.