Sustainability is important for many companies, including us here at IGO Promo. In a previous article, we offered tips on how you can make your company more sustainable using products from our environmentally friendly range. When you’re shopping around for sustainable products, it’s important to not only look at the products, but also the materials they are made from. Navigating the world of sustainable material can be a little tricky, which is why made this article explaining the most common options to you!
The importance of sustainable materials
There are many things you can do as a company to become more sustainable, ranging from separating waste properly, replacing plastic cups with proper mugs, switching your light bulbs, and much more. But, as we advocate for, you can look into using products made from sustainable materials, which are not only good for the environment, but also for your company’s brand. Just think of the positive word-of-mouth sustainable giveaways and business gifts will provide. Recipients will immediately recognise that you pay attention to sustainability and thank you for it. Let’s dive into the different sustainable materials you should be aware of.
Bamboo
Is bamboo sustainable? Oh yes! It’s one of the fastest-growing plants in the world requiring very little maintenance and can be continually cut down, sit and regrow and cut down again. That’s why it’s also referred to as ‘green gold’ in some parts of the world. Interestingly, bamboo absorbs and filters CO2 from the air much like trees. Besides being fully recyclable, bamboo is also a very strong and flexible material, meaning a lot of different products can be made from it – from furniture to toothbrushes. All of this adds up to bamboo being a really popular sustainable choice.
We have a wide selection of bamboo products, including bamboo pens, wireless chargers, cutting boards, and notebooks.
Cork
Cork has recently become extremely popular, but what exactly is it? If you didn’t know, cork is actually made from the bark of cork oak, meaning the tree will not have to be cut down to harvest the cork, and the tree will regrow the bark so it can be harvested again. For a long time, cork has been used to make bulletin boards, coasters, or to seal off wine bottles. But today, there are a lot more cork products to choose from, which are all sturdy and recyclable.
Popular cork products from IGO Promo include cork pens, notebooks, and pencil cases.
rPET
Did you know that all Coca-Cola bottles have been made from rPET since 2020? This sustainable material is also gaining in popularity. But what exactly is rPET? rPET stands for recycled polyethylene terephthalate or recycled plastic. This is not only a sustainable material, but the production of rPET material also results in less CO2 emissions and less water consumption than the production of plastic. Plastic bottles are collected, sorted, ground, washed and after melting this clean recycled plastic, new, sustainable rPET material is created.
Check out our rPET water bottles, pens, backpacks, sunglasses, and umbrellas.
Felt
What is felt and what are the advantages of this sustainable material? Many animals regularly shed their fur and felt can be made from these hair fibers without extra burden on the environment. Felt has many advantages: it absorbs little to no dirt and moisture, it is a sturdy material, it is 100% biodegradable and it has a natural antibacterial effect. For example, the material is frequently used to make felt bags.
Consider personalised felt bags or felt laptop bags for your next promotional gift.
Jute
Jute is nicknamed ‘Golden Fiber’ because of its golden color and shine. This material is a very durable alternative to cotton and nylon. But what is jute anyway? The material is made from the Corchorus, a plant that can grow without additional watering, fertilizers, and pesticides. The soil also becomes more fertile, the plant absorbs CO2 and produces a lot of oxygen. The material is strong and is therefore frequently used for the production of jute bags, which you can have printed.
IGO Promo offers various jute bags, e.g. a shopping/tote bag, or backpack.
Wheat straw
Wheat straw feels like plastic and lasts a very long time. It is made from the leftover stalks after harvesting wheat grain. This stem is converted into pulp and this is used, for example, as a raw material for making bioplastic. This material is then fully recyclable, which makes it extra sustainable. Wheat straw products also have a very natural appearance, which makes them a popular material.
Check out our pens and sunglasses – all made from wheat straw.
Wood
Wood is of course a well-known material, but is wood sustainable? Nowadays you can assume that all legal logging is sustainable. New trees are planted for this. Pay particular attention to the FSC or PEFC quality mark with strict requirements for sustainable and social forest management. The extraction and production of sustainable wood require little energy, which leads to lower CO2 emissions. And that also applies to recycling wood. This ensures that it can certainly be counted among the sustainable materials.
Wooden products are really popular. Check our pens, pencils, and even games!
Sustainable Christmas gifts
Make sure to explore sustainable options for your Christmas gift shopping. This will show that your company is an organisation that cares about the environment, which reflects positively on your brand. Choose a gift you think is fitting for your recipients and have your logo or message printed on to brand yourself.
IGO Green
When you order products from IGO Promo, you help contribute to a better environment. With every order, IGO donates a percentage to One Tree Planted, an organisation reforesting parts of the world in need. The larger the order, the more trees are planted. That’s IGO Green!
Want to learn more about sustainable promotional items?
Would you like to know more about the possibilities for sustainable business gifts for your organisation? Feel free to contact our employees! We are happy to help you make the right sustainable choices. We’re only able to make the environment better together.