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JEREMY’S JOURNAL Business blogging by publisher Jeremy Corner of Blue Eyed Sun.
Au Naturel Jeremy Corner, owner of greeting card publisher Blue Eyed Sun and distributor of BambooCup, looks at going au naturel. For over 30 years greeting card publishers have been proactive with ensuring the board they use comes from sustainable sources that are, in a sense, farmed crops of trees that are replanted in forests which are managed mindfully. FSC and PEFC accreditation both provide reassurance of this for consumers. With the widespread consumer backlash against plastic, many publishers and retailers alike have been unsure how best to proceed. As with climate change,
some are still in denial about whether a problem even exists or anything needs to be done at all. The fact is plastics and microplastics do damage our environment, harm wildlife and pollute the food chain. The legislation change that led to the 90% drop in single-use carrier bag use shows how government and multiples can produce the biggest plastic-free wins. With most national retailers ‘going naked’ with their cards, cellowrapped cards will soon account for less than a third of all UK greeting card sales. 80
PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
Not all retailers want unwrapped cards though, as many worry about damaged stock, which is also wasteful and environmentally unfriendly. For publishers, handling two different sets of wrapped and unwrapped cards is problematic as it essentially doubles stock holdings and ties up cash. The over-riding concern is that people could give up on sending cards altogether.
The way it was Traditionally cards were sold unwrapped with the envelopes nested separately behind the cards in the card pocket in store racks. You selected your card and grabbed an envelope. If the envelopes were missing, you could borrow one from a nearby pocket. Well-merchandised displays meant that cards and envelopes were quickly and easily replaced. You still see this set up in stores like WHSmith and of course many indies. As more specialist cards came into the market and the diversity of retailers grew, wrapping in polypropylene grew in popularity because it’s transparent, protects cards, gives a feeling of ‘newness’ and keeps specialist envelopes with their cards. Top: There is a wide-spread consumer backlash against plastics to help protect our planet. Top right: Caroline Gardners’ ‘fantastic no plastic’ peel away seal on its cellowrap-free cards. Above right: Stormy Knight has used its cute branding on its cards’ seal. Above left: James Ellis is going completely recyclable on its cards, using paper confetti instead of glitter in its Shakies cards.
Plastic alternatives Previously seen as a signifier of ‘newness’, plastic is now starting to be seen as a signifier of ‘environmental damage’. Many consumers are beginning to demand change. In certain instances, where the cards are intricate and may be damaged if they are not wrapped, we are seeing a distinction being made between necessary and unnecessary plastic wrapping. Some publishers have opted for ‘topless’ cello bags that don’t have the extra fold, nor the plastic ‘peel and seal’ strips attached to them. There are alternatives like oxodegradable plastics and plant-based PLA (polylactic acid). The former, which have been found to break down into environmentally damaging microplastics, are set to be eliminated by the end of next year. PLA is growing in popularity as it is biodegradable in the right composting conditions and has a lower carbon footprint