Considering the environmental impact of everything I do is very important to me. I try to avoid or reduce it as much as possible, but we all know this is not so straightforward. I’ve ranted about the term “sustainability” before, but let’s face it, the resources needed for digital businesses and selling *anything* can quickly escalate and it’s not something I want to ignore.
I do not intend to pretend like this is all “green”, because it’s not. But I do like transparency, and I think you deserve to know this. Here you can read how I’m trying to make this business as environmental-responsibly as I can think of. Your feedback and new options are always welcome! Drop a comment below or e-mail me at [email protected].
- Digital Sustainability
- My website is hosted on a green hosting provider
- Product Sustainability
- The products in my shop are on a Print-On-Demand model. This means they get produced when you make an order, instead of bulk-producing items that could then go to waste (did you know 85% of all textiles produced end up in landfills?!). This helps reduce fabric waste & energy consumption compared to fast fashion.
- I work with Pixels.com for the Fine Art shop and with Printful.com for the Lifestyle shop (coming back soon). Both have facilities throughout the world, so your orders will be produced and shipped from optimized locations so that the transportation distance is reduced – just one small way of cutting some emissions in the process.
- You might already be thinking: “But what about where products are sourced from?”. Printful offers several products, from mugs & bean bags to clothing items. The source material can come from many countries (and they’re transparent about its origin). However, since I’m still researching all the product information, for now in my shop I only offer those products whose origin I can learn about and am aware that are not being produced in any environmentally or socially irresponsible way.
- For example: the T-shirts in my shop right now are Bella+Canvas products, and you can learn more about their sustainability & production here, including their wastewater system, energy & sourcing.
- The packaging is not perfect, but I do like Printful’s transparency and constant effort in improving. Other providers I tried before opening the shop still pack with a lot of plastic and styrofoam, but Printful uses cardboard for some items (for others they still use plastic & recycled plastic bags). So far, I find this is the least wasteful option while still delivering quality products.
- Other fast facts about Printful orders:
- Damaged or returned items are donated to charities
- GOTS & OEKO-TEX Certification on their inks and technology
- Fabric scraps get recycled and used in packaging and the recycled products they offer
- They support a very cool (imo) education program
- They’re always improving. You can learn more about Printful here (this is not a paid ad, I just want to share with you how I’m sourcing the products you can buy with my designs).
- Other details:
- Since the planning stage, I had very clear that this business is partly a way in which I can contribute to others’ conservation efforts. A part of braeuNERD’s yearly profits will be donated to Conservation & Research Organizations in Guatemala.
“The small choices we make each day can lead to the kind of world that we all want for the future”
Jane Goodall