What does ‘eco-gift’ even mean? According to the dictionary ‘eco’ can be used to denote nouns like eco-product and eco-goods or adjectives like ecological and environmentally friendly. Terms like green and nature friendly are also used. In recent years, people have increasingly expressed that eco-products should be your first choice – then you are healthy, supportive of nature and green thinking and are valued in society. Do we know the benefits of making such a choice, both for us as humans and for nature? People depend on nature – we should all make an effort so that it could function like it is meant to. Responsible behaviour provides us with a cleaner and better environment. Nature will be grateful to us, with every breath it takes. The first step companies can take is to reduce their environmental impact and adopt eco-friendly practices.
Small acts can change the world
I believe that everyone has enjoyed a moment in their life: beautiful scenery, a good mood, the birds are singing, the sun is shining and you feel peace and gratitude in your soul. Not only living well, but also a clean natural environment can give you that feeling. More and more factories are built throughout the world to produce goods in extreme quantities, which will later be thrown away, either new or used. This creates unnecessary waste. One of the ways to reduce waste, especially plastic is to choose products made from recycled materials. Making products from recycled materials requires less energy than the usual manufacturing process. It also reduces air and water pollution. Fortunately, various solutions have been developed thanks to science in order to improve the situation, so that it would benefit both nature and consumers.
Another way to reduce unnecessary waste is to use natural, biodegradable materials in production. This means that these materials biodegrade by themselves. Companies are becoming more aware of this issue and want to show their customers through promotional gifts that they care about nature and the environment. Products that are made from recycled or natural materials help advance the company’s promotional gifts in a more sustainable manner. Consumption will not end, but the manner of consumption and what is consumed is slowly improving: people are making more informed choices. Products are now being made from several materials that help save nature or can be recycled after use. The best-known materials are cotton, organic cotton, recycled polyester, cork, glass, wood, bamboo and paper.
Organic cotton is good for the skin, natural, and contains GMO-free fibres, the production of which requires less water than regular cotton. Additionally, it doesn’t require any chemicals to produce, including fertilisers and pesticides. This keeps the soil cleaner, more fertile and at the right moisture level. The fabric scraps that are left over from the production of organic cotton are recyclable. The scraps of textile products can, for example, be recycled into new yarn, which can be used to make tote bags. For this material, we have T-shirts, sweatshirts and tote bags.
In recent years, bamboo has become a very popular material. It is exotic in a way. Did you know that bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants in the world? It can grow up to 910 mm in one day. The plant provides a very flexible and strong material, which is used in various fields, such as construction. Bamboo is antibacterial in nature, which means it is great for toothbrushes, combs or other beauty products. Bamboo fibre is also used to make nappies and clothes. Promotional products made from this material include, for example, pens, notebooks, powerbanks (a part of it), wireless chargers, speakers and flash drives.
Everyone has seen and touched wine and champagne corks, but has anyone ever wondered how and where is cork acquired? Cork is a completely natural raw material. A cork tree has to be at least 25 years old in order to gather the first harvest from it. The first harvest is usually not of the highest quality and is therefore used for shoes, flooring, isolation, etc. After harvesting, the tree starts growing a new layer of cork and can be harvested again in nine years. The tree itself grows to be 200-300 years old. This provides an ideal opportunity to use cork for products without having to cut down the entire tree. Cork can be found on products like tote bags, notebooks, pens, bottles, mouse pads and pencil cases as an additional detail.
‘I would rather cry in a BMW than smile on a bicycle.’
The quote above conveys the approach to today’s consumption, where people prefer luxury and comfort to simplicity. Yet living simply helps save nature and the environment around us. Who would like to laugh instead of crying? I believe the majority of us. Let us think and have a positive outlook on life: a sustainable society affects every individual on this planet called Earth.