Sustainability
Why Reusables?
More than one billion greetings cards are purchased annually in the UK alone. Any card that has foiling, glitter or other plastic accessories cannot be recycled. And for cards that don’t have these elements, the ink has to comply with standard de-inking processes in order to be suitable for recycling. The wrapping paper issue is as bad, with more than 225,000 miles of paper dumped every year. Greetings cards and wrapping paper are inherently single use. And while better than landfill or incineration, recycling creates its own carbon footprint, and paper pulp can only be recycled a few times before the fibres lose viability. The most sustainable option is always to reuse what we already have. And so we developed our unique reusable greetings card. The card that keeps on greeting, it can be passed along indefinitely from one recipient to the next. And to accompany the cards, our handmade reusable fabric gift bags in three different sizes to fit most gifts. Check out cards here and bags here.
Sourcing
We check out our sources carefully to ensure that they are as sustainable as possible. Our new fabrics and accessories are mostly supplied by two of our favourite suppliers, James Tailoring and Organic Textile Company. Much of our reclaimed fabric is sourced from local charity shops and small independent sellers. Card, envelopes and other paper accessories are supplied by Eco-Craft.
Embroidered Card Production
Our Embroidered range of reusable cards is handmade using offcuts of fabric from our gift bag production. Plastic-free sparkle is added with Japanese glass seed beads and the decorative stitching uses vintage cotton embroidery thread. The embroidered panels are mounted on Elephant Natural card blanks (see above), using okoNorm craft glue. This environmentally friendly acetate-based adhesive is free from VOCs, non-toxic and biodegradable. As with the Eco Print Card range, the Embroidered cards include inserts and envelopes made from 100% recycled Kraft card and paper.
Eco Print Card Production
Quite apart from being reusable, every aspect of our Eco Print card range is as sustainable as we can make it. The cards are produced by print.work, using environmentally responsible printing processes such as dry toner systems, non-toxic ink made from organic biomass and compatible with standard de-inking processes. Although we hope the cards will remain in use indefinitely, they can be fully recycled at any plant - unlike many greetings cards. The cards are printed on Elephant Natural cardstock. This is an unbleached card made from 100% post-consumer waste and FSC certified. The paper mill follows strict standards for environmental management and uses chlorine free processing to produce its Elephant Natural cardstock. The removable inserts for the cards are hand cut from 100% recycled Kraft card and the envelopes are made from 100% recycled Kraft paper.
Materials
We have a strict policy not to use any new fabric other than organic cotton. Cotton is often described as one of the worst crops for pollution and water use. Organic cotton production is a much better option environmentally. However, any new product creates a carbon footprint, and wherever possible we use reclaimed fabrics such as vintage saris. We also avoid plastic. This means sewing with organic cotton thread or eco friendly Tencel, rather than the more commonly used polyester thread. It also means sourcing non-plastic accessories such as shell or corozo nut buttons for our envelopes, and metal cord stops for our drawstring gift bags. Any card or paper used is 100% recycled, and we keep product packaging to a minimum.
Sustainability Policy
We are a small family business based in Somerset. Sustainability is central to everything we do, and we work hard to be as eco friendly as possible. Apart from our products, which focus on reusability and sustainable sourcing, we aim to run as green a business as possible. To this end, we regularly audit our processes and systems to ensure they are as eco friendly as possible. If you want a detailed look at the sustainability aspect of RAPPU, you can check out our sustainability policy here.
Postage & Packaging
Our postage and packaging is plastic-free. We use 100% recycled card boxes and sleeves for postage, and we always reuse paper and fabric offcuts for padding parcels. Where a parcel needs securing, we use paper tape with environmentally friendly adhesive. We also minimise paper use. This means that you won’t get a paper invoice with your order, other than for Not on the High Street purchases (a company requirement).