The word eco is derived from the Latin root ‘oeco’ which essentially means ‘household’ and can easily be defined as our habitat and surroundings. So, how can the marketing world be more eco-friendly through their actions? Are there such things as ec0 friendly promotional materials
Promotional materials are sometimes viewed as wasteful and not particularly green. Because of this we’ve seen an uptake in eco friendly promotional materials. Not only are these products more appealing to consumers, they also promote an environmentally friendly ethos and strengthen brand reputation.
Practicality is key. Your recipient should want to use the product and take it home for future use. Not only that but choosing a quality product that sits well with your vision and values should engage your target audience enough to generate enquiries and leads. Your brand should be remembered in the first instance and thereafter too.
Bamboo
Bamboo is a popular eco-friendly promotional material because of its durability and natural antibacterial properties. Promotional kitchen items made from bamboo are fashionable right now. What could be more practical than a branded chopping board, cutlery, or crockery for your target audience’s canteen?
Pens, notepads, coffee cups and keyrings are the more established go-to promotional products and bamboo lends itself well to them which is fabulous news for businesses looking for something more typical. For something a little quirkier bamboo is brilliant for bottle openers, pocket compact mirrors, toothbrushes, mobile phone holders and even sunglasses.
Ocean plastic
The staggering amount of plastic in our oceans and the effect it has on marine life is devastating. Put simply, there are two ways to improve the state of the ocean; one is to stop using plastic altogether and two is to remove the waste from the oceans. Big brands like Adidas and Nike have jumped onboard by making running shoes that are essentially made from ocean plastics!
Discarded plastic ocean waste can be spun into yarn and this lends itself superbly to fabric promotional products such as branded shorts, backpacks, and t-shirts. In fact, more and more innovative fashion brands are taking heed by producing stylish accessories derived from ocean plastics, and various other promotional items produced from recycled ocean plastics include bags and water bottles. Being eco-friendly doesn’t stop at the product itself, mailing bags can be made from sugarcane or potato starch which are both 100% recyclable, or LDPE which is part-recyclable.
Planting
The great thing about promotional plants, pots and seeds is that they offer customers an experience. Instead of being put away until needed, planting a promotional product makes your brand more memorable. For the green fingered among us, these promotional items are right up our street, but for those less into getting the gardening gloves out it may spark up a new hobby or an incentive to think about their eco-friendly actions and get planting.
The sheer variety of plants and seed types also provides opportunities for brands to strengthen their brand identity. A health and beauty brand might focus on Lavender seed promo gifts, whilst a food brand may choose a variety of herb-based gifts suitable for the cooking pot.
Plant based products are brilliant for seasonal promotions too. DPD created a grow your own pumpkin kit for Halloween 2021. They sent out the packs to staff in May so they could sow them in time to compete in the biggest and best-carved pumpkin competition. Have a read of our case study to find out more.
For more information on our eco friendly promotional materials and the services take a look at our catalogue, fill out our contact form or call us on 0115 951 2468.
Back to case studies
