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Stacey

Looking professional versus environmentally friendly

I've just done some alpaca rovings blended with silk (won't mean much to the non spinners among you) that I want to sell and I'm in a quandary about how to package them. What I feel like doing is putting them in a clear plastic bag with my logo and name printed onto card and stapled accross the top to seal it shut but that's plastic, card and staples. The most environmentally friendly way to do it would be a printed paper 'band' around the middle but I'm wondering if that doesn't look a bit 'homespun' pardon the pun.

What do you think?
tahir

Nice heavy paper with a decent print would look fine. Any more teacosies yet?
judith

The printed band works for me.
2steps

me too Smile
Stacey

OK - thanks Smile


Tahir - I've done 3 more but they aren't properly finished and I'm not sure I like them Sad
tahir

Stacey wrote:
I've done 3 more but they aren't properly finished and I'm not sure I like them Sad


Beauty's in teh eye of the beholder, let us know when they're done and I'll show the missus
Mrs Fiddlesticks

can you source some biodegradable bags?

have a scroll down to the bottom of this page dunno if they're the right size as they're designed for greetings cards but if they're doing them then someone else must be as well.
goldy1

A lot of the hand spun stuff I see is just tied and labeld either with a band or a tag. I've seen some of this stuff in very fancy shops. Very Happy
Stacey

Good idea Mrs Fiddlesticks - I'll have a trawl roud.

Goldy - I sell my hand spun with just a recycled brown tag and a label on it but this is rovings so it needs something to hold it together. It's alpaca and silk so it's particularly 'fluffy'.
Tradbritfowlco

thanks fiddlesticks - those biodegradeable bags are just the ticket for my greetings cards, the polythene bags i put them in have always irked me!
Nick

Are we the right people to ask? Because we're here, we're likely to accept cosmetically worse packaging, if it's greener. So, we'll all agree that a bit of recycled rag would be OK. The market suggests it's not, actually. I'm not saying don't be green, but if you wish to sell outside that market, it should look as presentable and professional as possible. So, I dunno. Smile

I know, that's no help.
tahir

nickhowe wrote:
Are we the right people to ask? Because we're here, we're likely to accept cosmetically worse packaging


I disagree, I voted for the card because it allows the punter to see the yarn without any impediment, and there's the added benefit of being able to feel it. And most yarn companies, even expensive ones sell all their yarn with cardboard bands of one type or another.
Stacey

I start that marketing course on thursday so it'll be interesting to see if my ideas change. Thing is, I was asked what my USP is and I realised that it's the 'ethics' thing - lots of people make felt but they don't question the source or whether there were animal welfare isses. So, in effect, people exactly like the downsizer community are my target market - but maybe with a bit more spare dosh Very Happy
Nick

Then I'll hush up! Smile
Stacey

nickhowe wrote:
Then I'll hush up! Smile


Noooo, don't do that - I need all the input I can get Very Happy
sadierhanne

I pack everything in reused boxes, usually wine boxes or ex betterware boxes - i use reused packaging - it is more imortant to me to be environmentally friendly than to buy in loads of new packaging - i do have to have some new stuff but it is all recycled as much as i can afford - my prices do not really allow for very expensive recycled packaging - i'd rather my customers be able to clean green that it be beyond a lot of pockets.

Some items do need to be wrapped in plastic though - i use a label which says " Packed with care using reused and recycled packaging" I am going to design a new stciker which makes a point of advertising the fact that i reuse as much as i can.

It's what is in the box that counts.
Tradbritfowlco

thanks for the link to the biodegradable bags - now all my cards are in them from now on - jst ordered a load!
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