When asked about the significance of the launch, Katie Brickle, brand communications manager at IG Design Group UK said: “It’s absolutely huge – part of a very important long journey that we are committed to.”
All the products under the new brand have been conceived to promote a circular economy through the materials’ regeneration. The products are printed on recycled FSC paper, using water-based inks. The range is produced within IG’s UK manufacturing site.
Stand out elements include how there is no plastic shrink film on the roll wrap, instead they feature IG’s own approach of paper ‘bands’ to hold the wrap in place. The handles on the giftbags are made from rolled paper while the decorative bows are all made of paper and packaged in recyclable plastic free boxes, even down to the cardboard euro-hooks.
Also included in the product line-up, which is new for IG Design Group, is a range of everyday greeting cards. (As it stands IG Design Group UK’s everyday card business involves bespoke ranges for its retail customers such as B&M, Poundland, Wilko and Aldi).
As Lance Burn, managing director of IG Design Group UK (IGDGUK) explains the launch of Eco Nature is part of the group’s, holistic approach “to building a truly sustainable business model. We are achieving this by creating a sustainable organisation of like-minded colleagues who truly believe in using methods that do not harm the environment and so contribute to securing natural resources and quality of life for future generations.”
IG Design Group UK has invested in excess of £3m over the last two years in its UK manufacturing facility, including a high-speed bag manufacturing capability and complimentary gift bow-making equipment. “Combined with our state-of-the-art water-based-ink printing and roll wrap manufacturing capabilities we are the only UK turnkey solution provider for wholly UK designed and manufactured coordinated wrap, bag and bow gift-packaging,” explains Lance.
The Eco Nature stationery collection, which is available from May, includes notebooks, pencils, pens, filing, reusable cups and pencil cases the designs of which all feature statements which echo their environmental credentials such as ‘Make it matter’, ‘Be the solution’ and ‘Less is more’.
This launch is the latest in a series of steps IG Design Group has taken to make the massive group more sustainable. These include the removal of plastic packaging where possible across its many thousands of products as well as the implementation of clear on pack recycling labelling for the consumer. It has also removed all flitter and single use plastic items from its Tom Smith cracker range.
To offset its CO2 emissions from its domestic freight, the company has funded the planting of 29,250 sq mtrs of new native woodlands.
In recognition of its practices, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has awarded IGDGUK its highest grading of ‘three trees’ in its Timber Scorecard scheme.
“I’m immensely proud that we continue to invest significant resources in supporting lower-carbon-footprint UK manufacturing also securing quality, UK manufacturing jobs. I’m equally proud that when we do resort to overseas manufacturing we proactively invest in UK forestry plantation to offset the carbon footprint of doing so,” added Lance.
Top: A selection of the Eco Nature stationery
