David Attenborough’s Blue Planet programme has become one of the most talked about documentary in households in the country, creating awareness for all ages and starting conversations about our planet and what we can all do more of to help it.
The print industry is constantly evolving and looking for alternatives to ensure the environment is thought about when producing paper, packaging and envelopes which is why the FSC certified suppliers are recognised as making the industry sustainable and meeting the guidelines set by the Forest Stewardship Council.
For mailing houses like Dmlink the change in the wrapping used for enclosing brochures, magazines and documents has changed significantly from the LDPE plastic wrap used for virtually every mailing to the compostable potato starch wrap now used by the majority of their clients. The opaque look of the wrap has been a change their customers have embraced and actually now prefer the stylish finish it gives, along with the improved technology at the Royal mail for reading the addresses and details, they see this as the only way forward in the industry.
So what are the environmental advantages? Clearly, the most obvious advantage is the reduced reliance on LDPE plastic wrapping. There are no plasticisers or toxins in the starch-based wrapper and as a result, it is 100% biodegradable, fully compostable and should be disposed of in suitable composting conditions. It is therefore more environmentally friendly than its plastic alternatives. The potato starch wrap can be disposed of both in home composting bins, or where accepted by authorities, in food waste recycling or green bins. It is every bit as durable and can be printed on in just the same way as the plastic alternatives.
Cost of the compostable wrap used to be a barrier for many companies when it initially came out however with increased demand we have seen the cost decrease significantly and with large organisations such as The National Trust using the biodegradable wrap they are leading the way, with hundreds of companies following.
Steve Toon, the owner at Dmlink is urging more companies to follow suit “ We believe everyone has to do their bit for the environment and so we now offer a like for like price for our customers who switch from LDPE poly wrap to our compostable wrap. The environment has to be considered when we send anything and if we can have a small but important impact then we are practicing what we preach”
So what will you use for your next mailing, big or small? We advise that a call to Dmlink might be your best way of doing your bit for the environment and your budgets.
