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Japan Crafts
Est.2006
JAPAN CRAFTS

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Pink Bags are Going Green!

27/5/2021

6 Comments

 
 We all need to do our bit to reduce our use of plastics, and the amount of plastic I use as a business has been weighing on my mind for some time now. In particular, the infamous 'pink envelopes' may be cute, but when I see them stacked up in packs of 1,000 they seem like an enormous waste 😔

Ebony recently wrote a very eloquent blog post about the importance of reducing our plastic waste here


Some customers have suggested using cardboard packaging, but this is completely impractical. Sending fabrics in cardboard, during this time of contact-free deliveries which often end up dumped on a soggy doorstep in the rain, isn't ideal. You may not be aware that due to the sharp increase in global internet shopping, coupled with social distancing in factories AND Brexit, there is also a shortage of cardboard! Basically, the majority of cardboard produced goes straight to Amazon.

I can't do much about the amount of plastic a lot of items come wrapped in from Japan (besides badger the manufacturers!), but I have researched alternative mailing bags and have managed to find a viable solution.

So, as soon as my current supply of pink bags is used up, I will be switching over to fully compostable mailing bags made from plant starch! You can pop these bags in your kitchen caddy and fill them with peelings for the compost heap, knowing that's one less plastic bag going to landfill.

These bags also feature a double glue strip, meaning they can be used twice as mailing bags so they are worth hanging onto for next time you need to send something.

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Of course, nothing is ever quite that simple and the main reason I've put it off for so long is the cost. Each bag costs about 20p more than the pink ones but hopefully if more businesses start to use eco-friendly packaging, the price will come down.

So rather than pass this cost straight on to customers, I've decided I will share it, by increasing the cost of postage by just 10p when I start to use the compostable bags. I can't see that anybody will mind such a small increase, and it may even prompt people to make one larger order rather than several small ones, which will also save on the environmental costs associated with multiple deliveries.

As ever, the postage charge is a flat rate, meaning you can order as much as you like and it remains the same, even when it costs me more.

I do hope you are happy to come along with me on this environmental journey, and would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below x
6 Comments
Catherine Williams
27/5/2021 12:28:38 pm

Well done. Great idea. More than happy with just 10p increase.

Reply
Tetiana Nuttall
27/5/2021 01:33:50 pm

I definitely don't want to be judgmental about small businesses using plastic but my heart sinks a bit when I receive lovely items wrapped in what ends up being single-use plastic. So I'm so glad to hear about what you're doing. As you've described, it's not a straightforward change to make, it's involved lots of consideration, and it's just great that you've found a solution which will work for you and your customers.

Reply
pamela williams
27/5/2021 04:30:40 pm

Well done ! Every little helps.:-)

Reply
Lin
27/5/2021 04:32:39 pm

Well done for sourcing an alternative to single use plastic bags - not easy or cheap, but a great step in the right direction.

Reply
Janet
28/5/2021 03:38:07 pm

Excellent ! I am more than happy to pay a few pennies more to help eliminate single use plastic. The bags you describe sound very good & an excellent alternative. Love the fact they are reusable as postage bags...thankyou for finding them ❤

Reply
Helen
3/6/2021 10:05:01 am

A very good move - more than happy to pay a little extra for the change to these useful and recyclable bags. Thank you!

Reply

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    I started Japan Crafts in 2006 and have been bringing wonderful fabrics and techniques to people in the UK ever since.

    This blog showcases all the latest products as they arrive from Japan, as well as news, highlights from the quilt shows we attend, and articles about Japanese arts and crafts.


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