Carousel Calendars has pledged to reduce the use of single-use plastic packaging as part of its commitment to improving sustainability.
This commitment will see the Exeter-based company, which distributed 6.7million calendars in 2018, will remove all plastic from its boxed calendars by 2020, with the ultimate aim of making all of its reusable packaging, recyclable or compostable by 2025 or earlier.
“For a calendar-making company that uses a large volume of materials to create our products, using recyclable materials and reducing plastics, we are making commitments to do better here, as well as continuing to uphold our high standards in regards to ethical trading and the use of FSC paper,” commented Steve Plackett, md of Carousel Calendars. “Reducing the use of plastics, particularly single-use plastics, is something that all companies need to be looking at,” adds Steve.
Carousel’s products use polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE), both of which are currently accepted in many recycling centres, but the company’s key goal is to reduce the use of packaging entirely. Steve assured that the company is “working on products that use no plastic packaging, and these 2020-dated titles will be launched at the NEC Spring Fair.”
As a result of removing all plastic from Carousel’s boxed calendars will result in an overall reduction of over 4,000kg, which is about the same weight as three and a half average-sized cars.
The Plastic Free Packaging range has been developed this year as the company’s first step towards reducing plastic from its calendar ranges. These wall calendars are packaged with unlaminated, printed board outer envelopes. Doing this has helped eliminate the plastic packaging and do away with the cardboard stiffener.
The range features the new Sea-Change calendar, produced with the Marine Conservation Society (see top image). It also features classic titles like Emma Bridgwater Family Organiser and WWF Amazing Wildlife.
The publisher also has a policy to only work with suppliers that have been through a two-pillar SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit) audit and the company’s own personal audit, while 99% of its paper products are now sourced from FSC-accredited suppliers.
“We are committed to doing better in terms of our impact on the environment and are honest about the areas where we need to improve. But through research, trial and error, and listening to feedback from clients and customers, we are hopeful that we can play our part in protecting the future of the planet,” adds Steve.
Top: Carousel has made the environment a top priority.
