SUSTAINABILITY POLICY

1:0 Aims 

2:0 Actions 

2:1 Energy / Water Use 

2:2 Tools, Resources and Waste Management 

2:3 Postage and Packaging 

2:4 Supplies and Suppliers 

2:5 Other Activities 

3:0 Accountability 

1:0 AIMS 

  • Energy and water conservation.

  • Minimising waste and managing waste effectively.

  • Minimising material and resource use. 

  • Investigating and utilising carbon neutral shipping.

  • Prioritising sustainable and small business suppliers. 

  • Promoting sustainable gifting strategies.

  • Promoting information about sustainable issues.

2:0 ACTIONS 

2:1 Energy / Water Use

  • Monitoring energy and water use on an ongoing basis.

  • Switching off lights and electrical devices when not in use. 

  • Turning off/repairing dripping taps.

  • Use of eco mode on iron and washing machine.

  • Washing fabrics only when absolutely necessary.

  • Air drying all fabrics.

  • Use of energy-efficient light bulbs 

  • Minimising printer use.

  • Keeping heating thermostat as low as possible.

  • Utilising all suitable waste water in garden/pot plants.

To action 2025/2026

  • Investigate switching to energy supplier using 100% renewable energy.

  • Installation of solar panels and water meter.

  • Investigate and action tracking business carbon footprint. 

 

2:2 Tools, Resources and Waste Management

  • In the process of establishing digital waste tracking in compliance with the Waste Data Service. 

  • Reusing items such as packaging wherever possible.

  • Utilising reusable tools and resources wherever possible. 

  • Appropriate recycling of any waste that can’t be reused (including printer cartridges etc). 

  • Prioritising wood, metal and glass resources over plastic, eg wooden rulers, eco friendly pencils over pens, glass spray bottles.

  • Purchasing secondhand tools and resources wherever possible. 

  • Use of environmentally friendly cleaning laundry products, including homemade products. 

  • Careful measurement and sizing of textile products to minimise waste fabric. 

  • Reusing waste fabric where possible, such as for padding packages and wrapping items. 

  • Using fabric scraps and card offcuts to make further items such as gift tags.

  • Donating fabric scraps to schools for art and craft.

  • Donating large waste but reusable pieces of fabrics to charity shops.

  • Purchasing stationery supplies from sustainable businesses such as eco-craft.co.uk. 

  • Mostly paper free with records kept on computer and no print outs sent with orders (other than Not on the High Street orders which require a printed invoice). 

To action 2025/2026

  • Complete sign up for digital waste tracking ASAP. 

  • Continue sourcing the most eco friendly resources possible, including secondhand. 

2:3 Postage and Packaging 

  • All product packaging such as belly bands and wrap instruction booklets are printed on 100% recycled Kraft card.

  • All labels are printed on recycled paper with eco friendly adhesive. 

  • All packaging used for postage is either reused or made from 100% recycled cardstock. 

  • All packaging is 100% plastic free.

  • Suppliers using plastic free packaging are prioritised.

  • Where parcels need to be taped, using only recycled paper tape with eco friendly adhesive. 

  • Cards for online orders are delivered ‘naked’ (no unnecessary packaging). 

  • Clear sleeves for greetings cards are only used where necessary to protect the product (mostly display in shops). 

  • Where protection is deemed necessary, using sleeves made from compostable EN13432 film. 

To action 2025/2026

  • Further develop auditing, organisation and reuse of packaging for parcels. 

  • Research carbon neutral postal services and balance with P&P affordability.

  • Increase footprint in local shops to lessen reliance on postal services. 

2:4 Supplies and Suppliers 

Textile items

  • Using mostly secondhand fabric and fabric remnants.

  • Where brand new fabric is necessary, using traceable organic cotton, naturally eco friendly linen or hemp.

  • Using traceable organic cotton thread or eco friendly Tencel thread. 

  • Using organic cotton yarn and organic cotton tape.

  • For fastenings, using food industry waste shell buttons, corozo buttons (eco friendly plastic substitute, vegan option) or plastic free metal cord stops. 

  • Sourcing most of our secondhand fabric from local charity shops, thus minimising travel, supporting local initiatives and reusing. 

  • Sourcing supplies from small UK-based businesses, local where possible.

  • Sourcing supplies from businesses with sound sustainability profiles; our two main regular textile suppliers are Organic Textiles Company organiccotton.biz and jamestailoring.co.uk.

To action 2025/2026

  • Continue researching suppliers for the most sustainable options possible. 

Reusable cards 

  • Reusable greetings cards are printed by sustainable printing company print.work, using a dry toner press system and inks made from organic biomass. 

  • Cards are printed on FSC certified 100% post consumer waste recycled cardstock.

  • Removable inserts are cut from 100% recycled Kraft card. 

  • Paper envelopes are made from 100% recycled Kraft paper.

  • Reusable fabric envelopes are made from unbleached, organic cotton calico, organic cotton yarn, eco friendly Tencel thread and post consumer waste shell buttons. 

  • Reusable fabric cards are handmade using fabric scraps, vintage cotton thread and glass beads.

  • Fabric panels are attached to the card with VOC-free and biodegradable OkoNorm craft glue. 

2:5 Other Activities 

Through social media presence and website blog:- 

  • Disseminating information about waste issues, particularly in relation to gift wrap and greetings cards.

  • Offering ideas for more eco friendly gifting practices. 

  • Raising awareness of reusable cards as a ‘thing’.

  • Raising awareness of eco friendly alternatives to single use cards. 

To action 2025/2026

  • Continue developing the blog and online platforms for spreading our message about sustainable gifting practices. 

3:0 Accountability

  • Checking this policy whenever purchasing decisions are made, to ensure purchases tally with policy. 

  • Checking this policy whenever a new product is developed, to ensure the product corresponds with our sustainability aims. 

  • Reviewing this policy and sustainability performance at least twice a year. 

To action 

  • Establishing measurable sustainability performance, such as business carbon footprint tracking, in order to make measurable improvements. 

Last updated, July 2025