And… just like that, we are almost onto stage 3 of our 4 step roadmap out of lockdown in the UK (internal screaming).
Exiting Lockdown: The Next Steps for the UK
As of 17th May, we will see the return of events, more friends (if you have more than 5) and the reopening of most businesses including cinemas and hotels. Hygiene measures and social distancing will still be a thing of normality throughout May and beyond, so it is important that these sectors are well prepared for their reopening.
Products to help you get prepared
We are currently running an introductory special offer on our Polyester Face Masks until the end of April – so don’t miss out. To redeem simply quote PFM50SU on your PO. These are available with spot colour or full colour transfer printing on a rapid 5 working day lead time. To see our full range of protective face coverings click here.
Keep your staff members and customers safe with our Health and Safety Executive (HSE) approved hand sanitisers offered from our biofree® range.
UK manufactured in-house
WHO approved formulation
Contains 75% alcohol
Diverse range from travel size to jerry cans
Our extensive collection of hygiene essential packs include some of our best-selling biofree® hand sanitisers.
We can help to make sure your business follows the latest COVID-secure guidelines with our top-quality British-made floor graphics, signage and acrylic screen guards that don’t compromise communication or culture. Our floor graphics are made using R9 rated anti-slip and anti-scruff material suitable for outdoors, hard flooring and vinyl. Perfect for:
Cinemas
Hotels
Stores
Events
Workplace
For added safety, we are proud to have created an industry-first: Biomaster ink. Biomaster is an antimicrobial spot colour printing ink developed in-house that disrupts the growth of bacteria and ensures the product provides complete antimicrobial protection effective for its lifetime. We offer Biomaster spot colour printing on our range of biofree® writing instruments.
With the return of sports and events in May and permission to leave the house, water bottles are a great product to gift attending guests. Sustainability is so important and promoting your business on a reusable product that will be used daily, is a smart move and will give you long-lasting exposure.
For more detailed information on the UK’s roadmap out of lockdown, and to learn about key products for each step, join us on Wednesday 28th April at Midday for our Promo Roadmap Webinar.
April has hosted Stress Awareness Month for the past 29 years, a vital event for many and perhaps now more than ever. Since Coronavirus restrictions became a thing of normality, over 65% of the adult population experienced heightened stress levels in the UK.
It is extremely important that we continue to look after ourselves and those around us when we notice signs of stress. Increased stress levels can leave the body feeling fatigued and can lead to further and sometimes serious health issues. Stress can also leave the mind highly active leading to trouble sleeping and with time can cause anxiety and/or depression.
On April 7th is World Health Day, an initiative created by WHO that helps raise awareness on a particular global health concern. The Coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the socio-geographical divide in public health services, education and food. This year the topic is based on building a fairer world and the importance of recognising the lack of support in some countries.
Tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle
When feeling overwhelmed with emotion is it helpful if you have a coping mechanism that works. If you haven’t managed to figure out what that is just yet, here are a few tips that could come in handy.
The NHS has put together a list of top stress-busting apps, most of these are free to download and can be a creative tool if you feel you are not ready to reach out just yet. On the topic of apps, our personal favourite is Balance. It is a meditation app that helps with stress, mood and sleep.
After a year-long ban from the office, the anticipated return to work, although exciting, may bring a feeling of uncertainty, worry and stress to some. Our staff each have their own Mood® Motivation Cards, a small portable pack of cards that help to boost staff morale and remind us all that we can do anything! Head to our Mood® blog post where we talk about all things motivation.
Enjoy the outdoors, after all, it is free and has been proven to boost serotonin levels (the happy hormone). On days that haven’t gone to ‘plan’, we recommend getting outside and doing exercise. This does not have to be running a marathon! A quick 20-minute daily walk will do wonders and you can even combine this with a visit to the local shop to buy chocolate (we won’t tell anyone).
Taking time out before bed to read or write down any feelings, great ideas, tasks or even to draw. Putting a pen to paper and allowing yourself to offload can sometimes be the best form of therapy and can help you to make sense of your emotions or pinpoint the cause. This type of activity can help the brain to switch off and focus on the task at hand. Browse our range of stylish and high-quality notebooks here. Our colour range is unrivalled in the industry so there is sure to be a notebook for everyone. Paired with one of our many stylus pens, you’re set to switch between notebook and tech.
Stress Buster Calendar
The team here at The Pen Warehouse and Snap Products have collected our best tips for when it comes to mental health and have created a 30-day self-care calendar. Follow our daily challenges and we hope you have an April full of calm and self-care.
1st: Try a new recipe 2nd: Walk 12,000 steps 3rd: Do a 3 min breathing exercise 4th: Carry out a mindless activity – paint by numbers 5th: Each your lunch outside 6th: Reach out to a friend 7th: Happy World Health Day! Drink 3L of water 8th: Set a new goal (this can be small) 9th: Write down 3 things you are grateful for 10th: You time 11th: Go for a picnic 12th: Watch your work colleagues’ fave film 13th: Tidy out your wardrobe 14th: Watch the sunset 15th: Go on a coffee date 16th: Make a new music playlist 17th: Go for a 25 minute walk 18th: Make your favourite breakfast 19th: Create a to-do list for tomorrow 20th: Do some gardening 21st: Perform a random act of kindness 22nd: Try out some yoga 23rd: Have a lie-in 24th: Light candles & read a book 25th: Listen to a podcast 26th: Visit somewhere new 27th: Make some art 28th: No phone for 1 hour before bed 29th: Have an early night 30th: Confide in a friend
Promotional products to promote a healthy lifestyle
Amongst our collection of 900+ (and growing) products, we can offer a great selection that will help to maintain a healthy body and mind for your customers.
With summertime and freedom within an arm’s reach (sanitised, of-course), we want to ensure all of our staff are safe in the workplace. So, we’ve got a few procedures in place that we’d like to update you on.
Our newest office additions
Employees are met with an automatic thermographic camera upon arrival at the office. This is an efficient and safe method to measure the temperature of staff before they enter the building and if necessary, gives us the ability to safely isolate those reading above the norm.
We have a plentiful supply of our in-house manufactured HSE licensed biofree® hand sanitiser located throughout the building and strategically placed ‘wash your damn hands’ tote bags in our office (we like subtlety here). On top of this, all employees have been provided with their own reusable face masks and personal hand sanitiser. Check out our hygiene packs which offer all of this in one letterbox friendly package.
Ensuring staff are able to do their job whilst being kept at a safe distance from each other is paramount. We are grateful that we have these essential office additions readily available as they are produced in-house. We have floor signage so individuals know where they can safely stand in relation to another employee, and we have acrylic screens in place where desks are positioned towards each other. Makes quite a good sticky-note board too.
More recently, we introduced bi-weekly in-house covid testing for all staff using lateral flow testing kits. I know, could things get more exciting? Wait they can… none of our staff have yet tested positive! As part of a UK wide COVID-19 monitoring scheme run by the Department of Health & Social Care, the process is not made mandatory for staff however, results for those who participate are uploaded to a Government portal and outcomes are distributed efficiently via text so that work can resume without any worry.
Our roadmap to normality
It’s important we stay positive as a work family and look forward to the future and progression of our business, whether that is with full, limited or no restrictions. Take a look below at our internal roadmap as we navigate back to normality.
We are excited about the prospects of opening our doors to visitors again, this digital age is great however, there’s something about putting a face to a name and seeing things in person. During this difficult time, subject to Government orders we aim to keep staff morale high and engage in team-building activities with our end goal being our summer BBQ!
To check the latest Government guidelines regarding Covid-19 you can visit: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
World Water Day is a global event hosted by the United Nations on the 22nd March every year. It is a day to call attention to the importance of fresh, clean water and highlight the reality that almost a quarter of the world’s population do not have access to this. World Water Day is the celebration of water and its benefits to our lives.
Did you know?
Sustainable usage and management of water is of global concern as it is said that by 2050, half the population will be living in water-stressed regions, including the UK.
With plastic pollution being a hot topic currently, the impact of our decisions such as our lack of recycling, lack of eco choices and our demand for single-use plastics is having effects closer to home than you may believe. In 2018, Manchester University found the River Tame in England to have the world’s level of microplastic pollution ever recorded at that time, globally. If this isn’t shocking enough, microplastics have been found in Antarctica.
With lack of suitable infrastructure in third world countries, their waterways often become a place of waste disposal as it is quick and economical. The impact of this leaves rivers and beaches contaminated with rubbish, chemicals and sewage, making it harmful for both the human population and wildlife.
Water Goals
Providing water and sanitation to all by 2030 is one the United Nations sustainable development goals, so what can we do to help?
What can we do to help?
Turning the tap off when you brush your teeth
Buying a sand timer to limit your showers (1 minute = 17 litres)
Not buying as many jeans (1,000 gallons of water is used to make just a single pair)
Using the dishwasher only when it’s full
Use a watering can to water the plants, not a hose
Cutting down on your meat and dairy consumption
Making eco-friendly swaps. Promoting your business via our range of Eco-Friendly Writing Instruments will convey a positive message to your clients
When was the last time you put pen to paper and stepped away from the glare of a computer screen. Are you someone that writes every day or maybe not at all? You may be surprised to know that there are numerous benefits of writing from a checklist of to-do’s for the day, goals or even writes down your feelings – they all act as an aid in support of productivity and mindfulness. “Someone who writes clearly often tends to think clear.” 1.
The Evolution of the Pen
Writing instruments were created by the needs of civilisation in order to be able to create, share and learn through writing and imagery. Pens in particular, allow us to easily retain information and also enable us to communicate knowledge easily. Think about it, if you couldn’t talk for some reason the next option would be to write. For some, it is their favourite way to communicate.
So who invented the Pen?
On record the oldest papyrus which features writing, dates back to 2000 BC, which leads us to the conclusion that it was the Ancient Egyptians who first invented a tool for this.
History of the Pen
Pens are that great we build our business and our name, The Pen Warehouse, around them.
We have the widest selection of promotional writing instruments in Europe and is the leading supplier in the UK and Ireland. Our range includes ballpens, rollerballs, fountain pens, gel pens, wooden pencils, mechanical pencils, crayons, colouring pencils, rulers, erasers, pencil sharpeners and pencil cases. Our pens can be printed, engraved, etc., etc.
The Uses/Benefits of a Pen –some of the key benefits of writing:
Free you from stress
You are able to put your thoughts on paper and rationalise them rather than going over them in your head giving you a true sense of reality.
Allows clarity
When writing you look for words which help you to describe things with more clarity. You are able to express yourself better and gain structure and order.
Enables productivity
For example, writing a task list, you are able to see it visually in front of you and are able to re-order, prioritise and see the tasks you have ahead making it easier to move forward.
Retain information
This helps to engrain things in the mind which otherwise can be soon or easily forgotten.
Tell a story
You are able to devise your own stories, you don’t even have to share this; it could be for personal enjoyment only.
Storing memories
Writing them down and putting them in that safe place which will always be a constant reminder of something that is close to your heart.
How does a Pen help your Mental Wellbeing
The mind is able to slow down and calm. When physically writing your mind is able to process your own feelings and emotions. Writing allows those inner thoughts to come to the surface and allows you to bring clarity and perhaps light on a situation that has been on your mind for sometime.
Have you ever felt like you have brain fog and thoughts in your mind that you continuously go over and over. Not great for concentration is it, putting pen to paper allows you to prepare for making that decision you have been putting off. The things that were cluttering the mind will now allow you to gain a sense of insight and clarity. You are then able to recognise the importance of these thoughts and feelings.
I’m sure everyone has woken up at some point during the night and gone down stairs and written out what’s been keeping them up or playing on their mind. This tends to help free you from your own thoughts and feelings and allows you to process them sensibly.
There is a sense of fulfilment that can be achieved through writing. A personal development plan, the beginning of your business plan or your latest appraisal. This allows you to see the personal journey you have been on and see how far you have come.
Cannot see the wood through the trees? I think it’s safe to say that one should never underestimate the power of the Pen and writing things down.
Manifestation or the law of attraction ever heard of it or believe in it? Even if you do not, if you were to take all the things you want to achieve, note them down, review them every day. The likelihood of them happening is higher than if you didn’t because you would be actively thinking about them and that manifestation all started with a pen! If we still haven’t convinced you Oprah and Drake do it, maybe they will!
Mood® Motivation Challenge – Remember words have power!
Over the course of the next month each week spend no longer than 15-20 minutes writing down positive memories. By participating in this activity it will allow you to focus away from negative thoughts and allows you to focus on the good.
Or
Write about the not so positive and alleviate that brain fog!
Something that you worry about
Is there something that keeps you awake at night?
Get that thing down that you have been avoiding
Then for each of these items write in a column, what part of them you can control and then what you cannot control. Review what you can and get to work!
We are now in full swing with Mood® Motivation Month and hope you have enjoyed our content so far. Having shared the positives of writing and affirmations on the mind, we now look to explore another area of wellbeing that can often get overlooked, hydration.
So then… are you a water baby?
No, we don’t mean are you the first one running towards the open sea on holiday or unpacking your lilo before the suncream. We are referring to whether or not you make hydration a priority. If you Google health benefits of water, the list is endless. Some of the most popular reasons for keeping an optimum hydration level are:
Improved concentration
Organ preservation
Reduction in joint pain
Clearer skin
Better mood
Study after study all point to the same benefit that water is more than good for you, it is great. After all, 60% of our body is made up of water. With the heart and brain made up of a staggering 73% water.
Ok you get it, drink more water!
Drinkware and Promotional Products
On reflection, Blue Planet was a moment of change for many people. It raised questions regarding the impact of single-use plastics on our environment and what that will mean for our future. This has unlocked a more conscious way of living, with the need to reuse at its heart.
This shift in how we choose to live has changed consumers’ buying behaviours with an increased interest in promotional drinkware, in particular bottles. Sourcing City reported in its latest Industry Report (published February 2020) that the Sports Bottles category has jumped from fifth to third, with a market value revenue increase of nearly £10m in 2019 and plastic giveaways dropping from 3rd to 5th place. This illustrates a move away from single-use promotional items.
The Mood® Collection’s water bottle has been a firm favourite in the industry since its release, with branding options including full colour dye sublimation, spot colour printing up to two colours and long-lasting laser engraving. Choose between three finishes – gloss white, powder coated or classic stainless steel. The Mood® Vacuum Bottle is made from food-grade double walled stainless steel and holds 500ml of water or your favourite drink. It’ll keep your cold drinks ice-cool for 24 hours, and your hot drinks piping hot for 12 hours. With individuality and self-expression being core values of the Mood® brand, our water bottle is available in 11 different colours and endless branding potential.
Mood® Motivation Challenge
So now it’s over to you. We have explained some of the key benefits for keeping hydrated, so let’s put those benefits to action.
First thing first, dig out your water bottle;
Take a selfie (stick with us here…) first thing in the morning once you have decided to take on the challenge;
Add a reminder on your phone or smart watch every few hours to drink (if you are competitive, why not set a goal?);
Add having a glass of water to one of the routine parts of your day. For instance loading the dishwasher, pour a glass before your start. The aim is to finish the water by the time the dishwasher is loaded;
Take a glass of water to bed, maybe do not drink it before you sleep (unless you want to be woken in the middle of the night), but have it ready to drink when you wake up;
If you want to take it one step further, create a habit tracker! You can find loads on Pinterest here.
Take a selfie every week and compare your month’s progress. You will be impressed by what you see.
Bottled or Tap Water?
And finally, help us settle a debate internally…
Not all water tastes the same right?! So send us your reasons for why your type of water tastes best and the most creative explanation will win a personalised Mood® bottle. We have an Evian vs tap water tug of war going on internally… which one is it for you?
Let us know by contacting marketing@pens.co.uk by 31.03.21.
How many notebooks do you have? Empty notebooks, half empty notebooks, notebooks with pages ripped out. The excitement of heading to the shops to buy a set of new shiny stationery still fills us with joy, the promise that we will fill the pages until they are bursting with stories, doodles and more but how many times have you not wanted to ruin that first page in your perfectly pristine notebook – you are not alone!
The Invention of the Notebook
In 1888 according to a legend, Thomas W. Holley of Massachusetts invented the legal pad when he innovated the idea to collect all sorts of paper scraps from various factories and stitch them together. In 1900, the latter evolved to be the modern traditional yellow legal pad, and the rest is history!
Mood® Notebook
In 2019 The Pen Warehouse and Snap Products introduced the Mood® Notebook into our collection, offering effortless style and professionalism on-the-go. The Mood® Notebook offers a luxurious soft-feel PU cover in 23 striking colours, 160 pages of sustainable FSC® certified lined paper, a sturdy back pocket for loose papers, an elastic closure and a convenient bookmark ribbon so you don’t lose your place. The Mood® Notebook is more than just a notebook, it’s a celebration of individuality and self-expression, the perfect addition to your stationery collection.
Mindfulness Writing
Mindfulness can strengthen your creativity and in turn creativity can strengthen the practice of mindfulness. Mindful writing stimulates our ongoing awareness and allows us to communicate our inner and outer experiences with ourselves and others. Daily writing can help us get in touch with our values and understand what is important to us. Getting into a routine of writing down your daily observations and thoughts can help you become more present in the moment and your daily life.
‘Paper is to write things down that we need to remember. Our brains are used to think.’ – Albert Einstein.
There are four types of learners and ways people learn that all include some form of reading or writing.
Visual – strong preference for seeing information and writing things down
Auditory – learn better when information is heard or read out to them
Read/Write – retain information better when displayed as words
Kinesthetic/Tactile – need motion to learn and enjoy activities that allow them to touch
What type of learner are you?
How to Use Your Notebook
Opening a blank notebook can be daunting, that first mark on a clean page… but fear not! We have prepared a list of ways to use your notebook;
Journaling
Bullet Lists
Recipes
Doodling
Memories
Poems
Scrapbook
Ambitions
Goal Setting
Languages
Mood® Motivation Challenge
Remember us asking how many notebooks you have lying around? Well now is the time to use them. Your challenge this week is to pick up an old pad or use one of our Mood® Notebooks and write a line each day. What can you add? Why not start with one of the following;
Something you are grateful for
Things you have learnt
Something new that you tried
A doodle to describe part of your day
Positive things that have happened
A helpful to-do list for the day ahead
Share your #MoodMoment with friends on social media and see if they will join you on this challenge!
The Facts
Neuropsychologists have identified the “generation effect” which basically says individuals demonstrate better memory for material they’ve generated themselves than for material they’ve merely read.
Writing by hand forces your brain to process information in a more detailed way, which helps you successfully load that information into your memory.
Having a written list of things you want to accomplish makes them feel more real, and prioritises them in your brain.
It feels challenging for most at present and with a product launch on the horizon born out of mindfulness, we thought what better way to collaborate with our customers than through a month of motivation!
To celebrate the launch of our Mood® Motivation Cards, we have introduced Mood® Motivation Month for the month of February, sharing inspiring, uplifting, positively challenging and informative content on a weekly basis
Launch Video
Our launch video features our employees, who when we handed them the pack had never seen the Mood® Motivation Cards before. We gave them one card and asked them to say the first word that came to their mind, when they read it. Their reactions are real and that’s the bit we wanted to capture, because that is the impact of these cards. It’s a moment of realisation or love or strength. It is a moment of feeling something good or we hope, great!
The Journey
The Mood® Motivation Cards concept and end product was developed over a period of 4 months. The Coronavirus pandemic and its impact on mental health and wellbeing led the team here into thinking of ways to spread positivity and challenge negative thinking. After much research (Pinterest), brainstorming (Zooms galore and random sketches) and planning (Excel, Hangouts, Slides) a library of motivational messages was curated. The Mood® brand has always promoted individuality and self-expression, so our Motivational Cards were the perfect addition to the collection. This range has been designed to be a powerful promotional tool designed to encourage mindfulness, represent company values and show kindness.
Materials
Quality, sustainability and professional print finishing are core factors to us. Each card and packaging is UK-manufactured in our Hampshire-based factory from FSC® certified paper, ensuring responsible material sourcing.
Choose from a standard gloss finish or opt for matt lamination for a tactile, soft-feel finish.
There is no excess packaging with these cards. The full colour printed wallet is used to store the card deck for the lifetime of the product.
The Power of Mindfulness
Where do you start? A daily routine of positive affirmations is a great way to begin your day and this is where Mood® Motivation Cards are an essential part of your mindfulness tool kit. Read through each message in the deck and pick out the ones that really resonate with you, that echo your values and feelings in this moment in time or if you like surprises, pick one at random, commit to it. Carry it with you throughout the day and in moments of stillness be that card.
Each message is an important reminder you are winning, so keeping your favourite card in your purse or wallet, or having it pinned at your desk may be a good idea – it will remind you that you can achieve what you believe. Repetition and daily practice are important factors for positivity, self-confidence and motivation to blossom.
Weekly Challenge
So now over to you… Choose one our Mood® Motivation Messages that resonates with you or is relevant to your beliefs and goals. Repeat this message to yourself when you wake up, when you look in the mirror and regularly throughout the day. If you are really committed, put a check-in in your diary 3 times a day.
Or, share a #MoodMoment with a colleague, customer, friend or family member. Show support, appreciation and kindness. A small gesture can go a long way.
You can download our GIFs and social media assets here that you can share on WhatsApp or over social media. Why not share one with a friend?
Share a #MoodMoment
How to choose your Mood® Motivation card deck:
Size
Boxed pack of 10 cards
Boxed pack of 20 cards
Style
Corporate (based on Mood® colours that match your company branding)
Colourful
Bespoke (your own messages or company values)
Personalise
Add your logo or marketing message to the front of the card and outer box
Add individual personalisation
Finish
Standard gloss
Matt lamination
Delivery
One delivery address
Fulfilment to multiple addresses
Branding is available on the outer box and top-side of cards only. Individual personalisation is available for an extra charge.
One of the many things we’ve learnt on our journey to reducing the environmental impact of our practices and products is that, when it comes to sustainability, it’s always better to reuse than to recycle.
This is because recycling is an energy-consuming procedure which requires existing materials to undergo a process in order to become raw materials. Reuse, however, provides a sustainable alternative which lessens demand on our natural resources while reducing various forms of pollution.
Refillogy.com
This led us to develop Refillogy.com: a comprehensive solution to disposable commodity items which ensures safety and transparency for the end user. When it comes to writing instruments, the best form of sustainability is to achieve multiple uses from the same pen, and for this a refill replacement service is an absolute necessity and something we’re happy to facilitate via our new domain.
Our long-life refills offer a sustainable solution to your writing needs by transforming a traditionally single-use item into one that can be reused time and time again. Our refills last much longer and need to be replaced less frequently than their supposedly ‘jumbo-sized’ alternatives, because many jumbo refills are in fact not filled all the way to the top with ink. In what might be considered a closely guarded secret of the industry, most jumbo refills only contain ink in the capillary section rather than the chamber itself. The weight of pens with jumbo refills actually comes from the plastic components within the pen – not from the ink. Believe it or not, there is usually far more ink in a thinner refill than a jumbo refill, with most jumbos only providing around 500 metres of writing length versus the 800-1500 metres provided by standard refills and upto 3,000 metres provided by metal Parker refills!
We’re proud to offer long-life refills that are both true to their name and thoroughly tested in-house to ensure we’re providing the best quality product possible. What’s more, our refills are filled with high-quality German Dokumental® ink for a smooth, even writing experience which outlasts other available refill options. Because the ink in our refill selection is indelible to ISO12757-1+2, it will last an incredibly long time when applied to the page and will not fade or perish over time.
To use the Refillogy online refill service, simply visit www.refillogy.com and enter the serial number printed on the side of the refill into the search bar on the homepage. You will then be presented with the correct refill(s) for your particular pen, which you can then select to order.
Writing Instrument Recycling Program: Creating More Ways to Recycle
We’ve also partnered up with the Writing Instrument Recycling Program: a nationwide scheme in which waste pens, pencils and various stationery items can be recycled completely free of charge at various drop-off locations across the country.
The scheme also offers TerraCycle reward points for all recycled waste over 15kg, which can be redeemed with any school, charity or non-profit organisation of the location supervisor’s choice. One TerraCycle Point is worth £0.01.
The Writing Instrument Recycling Program accepts any brand of pen, highlighter and marker pen, as well as all forms of correction fluid or tape. Currently not accepted are glue sticks, erasers, rulers and other cutting objects, as these may contaminate the recycling process.
We’ve also teamed up with Tree Nation to introduce a tree planting initiative when purchasing selected products, including metal pens such as the Mood® Collection Ballpen.
Whenever you notice the tree symbol throughout our product range, a percentage of sales from the order of that product will be donated to planting trees across the globe. This helps to effectively offset CO₂ emissions while preserving the environment and enhancing biodiversity. With over 300 species of plants, the work of Tree Nation actively tackles deforestation, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and improves air quality for a cleaner, greener future.
We consider Refillogy to be something of a ‘full circle moment’ when we look back at our sustainability journey so far. Although we’re by no means finished examining our processes and business practices in the pursuit of reducing our environmental impact as much as possible, our study of sustainability has allowed us to offer a service that tackles a key issue while offering a safe and practical solution.
Refillogy helps us and our customers implement a system of circular economy, eliminating waste and the continual use of our natural resources. The service also brings awareness to the idea of conscious buying and makes us think more carefully about purchasing products for long term (or even better – life-long) use, rather than opting for products which are designed to be disposed of after a brief lifespan.
We’ve got a long journey ahead of us and so many more topics to tackle and processes to redefine, but Refillogy gives us an anchor from which to offer our customers sustainable options, raise awareness and encourage conscious buying.
Join the refill revolution, and let Refillogy help you achieve real sustainability through the power of reuse.
Download a condensed version of this blog post for use in your own marketing collateral here.
Back in October 2019, EcoSense reported on the proposed Environment Bill and what it means for businesses in the promotional merchandise sector going forward.
The bill, which seeks to protect our country’s natural landscapes and overcome the most crucial environmental issues of our time, was presented for first reading in the House of Commons and must proceed through several further readings before it can be ratified into law.
During the first reading, the targets of the bill were outlined via plans and policies to improve waste and resource efficiency, air quality and biodiversity, along with conservation efforts and the regulation of chemicals. The bill will also ensure that any products which fail to meet environmental standards are subject to immediate recall.
Today, 26 February 2020, marks the Second Reading of the Environment Bill at the House of Commons, giving MPs the opportunity to debate the key principles and purposes of the bill. When the debate concludes, it will be decided whether or not the bill will be allowed to proceed onto the committee stage, where each aspect of the bill will be debated in detail and any proposals for change can be offered for consideration.
Because we are committed to the constant review of our business operations and product offering, we’ll be keeping a close eye on the development of the Environment Bill and providing regular updates on any progression as it passes through the various stages towards ratification. Businesses should be aware that they may need to implement changes once the bill comes into effect, and we will provide information on how we will align practices and products to make sure these laws are being followed.
Our Changes
There are key areas that the Environment Bill looks to cover and we have detailed below a few examples of the changes we’ve made in those areas so far to reduce our carbon footprint and waste output within the supply chain. Why not see if there is anything we’re doing that you can use in your own business practices? We’re definitely not experts in sustainability, but we’re figuring it out along the way as part of our journey and we want you all to be involved in the process. Once the Environment Bill is in place, it will apply to all members of the public and professional sectors, so it’s best to start giving it some thought now so you’re prepared for any changes that need to be made ahead of time.
Reduce Waste
All individual bins in our head office and warehouse spaces have been replaced with communal bins with separate compartments for paper, plastic and general waste so that each material can be sorted ready for recycling.
We reuse our goods-in boxes to package outgoing stock and any cardboard that cannot be reused is shredded and used as padding. This not only cuts back on the waste we create, but also reduces the need to recycle and saves energy.
All paper towels in our staff toilets have been replaced with energy efficient dual airblade dryers to cut down on energy consumption and waste.
We donate any stock that does not meet our quality control standards to local schools or charities to ensure the products are put to good use and kept out of landfill. We recently had a charity sale and raised over £200 from stock no longer being used.
Improve Resource Efficiency
By researching alternative product materials, we’ve been able to expand our collection to include environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic like wheat straw, wood, bamboo and recycled plastic and paper. This reduces the strain on the natural resources needed to make traditional product materials and instead lets us utilise sustainable resources that are more easily renewable.
We’ve switched from plastic to biodegradable paper packaging for all of our samples in an effort to cut down on single use plastics. We’ve also requested that all suppliers from the Far East use this tape on their packaging. This is another step toward ongoing improvements to sustainable business practices and the company is keen to harness the many advantages of paper products to send an unambiguous message to the consumer.
LED lighting is used throughout our premises, with sensory lighting in place for areas that are not used frequently.
Sustainable features in our new HQ
Biodiversity
Our Research and Development department has been busy testing the environmental claims of ‘green’ products such as bioplastics, which many manufacturers claim to be compostable in domestic facilities. Some even say you can place end of life bioplastics directly into the ground to biodegrade. Such bold statements of course need thorough investigation, as it would be irresponsible to discard of anything without knowing the possible implications of doing so. Read more about the environmental impact of bioplastics here.
The past few installments of EcoSense have focused on the environmental end of life impact of promotional products and have offered tips on how to reduce this impact through conscious buying and proper disposal methods.
Switching from plastics across our packaging means we also contribute less to plastic that ends up in the environment, having a detrimental effect on wildlife.
Regulation of Chemicals
Across our site, we’re investing in new ways to reduce our use of chemicals. This includes the use of new solventless technology and the use of alternative, eco-friendly options wherever we can.
All the chemicals we use in-house are from REACH compliant suppliers. REACH is legislation which is aimed at protecting both the environment and human health through the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. As part of this, it is essential to produce risk assessments and safety data sheets for chemicals, so users like us know exactly what to do to protect both our employees and the environment, from preventative measures to emergency actions. REACH guidelines and restrictions are regularly updated too, which means we always have to ensure we’re on the ball when it comes to knowing what we need to do! This includes making sure all our chemicals are still safe and free of restricted chemicals. We’re making sure that this information is available to everyone in-house with informational posters across the site! REACH will be an area that the Environment Bill covers in detail.
We recycle many of the solvents we do use in-house, making sure that we consume less as a company!
Chemicals are stored separately from the main production area in specialised containers to prevent accidental spillage or contamination of the environment.
Our water output is regularly tested to ensure that nothing is entering the water stream that shouldn’t be, protecting both people and the environment.
Air Quality
Our field sales representatives are provided with the latest technology to ensure their vehicles are as environmentally friendly as possible.
Having everyone together in our new HQ means that there’s less vehicle trips to and from our different sites!
Air conditioners throughout our sites are set to specific times, ensuring they’re not wasting energy.
Air inside the factory is regularly tested to make sure our staff also experience the right air quality.
Summary
Sustainability is a team effort and achieving it in a long lasting, meaningful way is far easier without having to navigate baffling technical jargon or legislation which you’re not even sure even applies to you or your business! That’s why we want to make it a bit easier and more digestible by sifting through the noise and delivering the facts. After all, if you can understand it, you can attain it, and as the Environment Bill states, we’re all going to need to work together to reach the goals that preserve our future. Be sure to check in with EcoSense over the next few months as we track the progress of the Environment Bill and offer simple advice on how to protect and enhance our environment and precious natural resources in accordance with the bill.
You can read more about the Environment Bill here:
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