The festive season is a time for giving, but it can also be a time of excess, especially when it comes to packaging, waste and short-lived gifts that end up in landfill. The good news is you don’t have to compromise to make a more environmentally conscious choice. Taking time to send a Christmas card or gift to clients, colleagues and partners can be an impactful way to help build and nurture relationships.
At Q Print, we believe sustainable festive gifts can still be creative, thoughtful and effective, without costing the earth. As part of our commitment to offering the best in branded merchandise, we attend industry events like “Sustainable Merchandise World” to stay ahead of eco trends and discover innovative new products. Held recently at Milton Keynes Arena, the Sustainable edition of Merchandise World showcased suppliers going the extra mile to reduce their environmental footprint. From recyclable packaging to UK-made goods and eco inks, it’s encouraging to see so many suppliers taking sustainability seriously.
Here are three of our favourite sustainable festive gift ideas that are kind to the planet but still make a lasting year round impression:
1. Recycled Merchandise
Sometimes, it’s the simple things that go the furthest like a classic branded pen or notebook. We offer a wide range of promotional items made from recycled materials including pens, notebooks, tote bags and even fun desk toys like branded Rubik’s cubes made with recycled plastics. These items aren’t just functional; they give waste a second life instead of contributing to it and helps to also keep your brand front of mind across the year.
2. The Lan-Key
Ever wondered what happens to all those single-use lanyards after an event? Enter the Lan-Key, a clever little keyring made entirely from recycled lanyards.
These full-colour, UK-made keyrings are not only practical and eye-catching, they also come with a message: “MADE IN THE UK FROM RECYCLED LANYARDS.” It’s a perfect conversation starter and a great way to show your business takes sustainability seriously. Lan-Keys make brilliant low-cost giveaways that reflect your brand values and make your festive gifting a little greener.
3. Eco-Friendly Christmas Baubles
Want your sustainable festive gift to hang around . . . .literally? Eco baubles are a standout choice this Christmas. Made from sustainably sourced wood or recycled yoghurt pots, these unique decorations can be branded with your logo and gifted to clients to hang on their office tree. Not only are they festive and fun, but they are also a long-lasting reminder of your brand, year after year.
A last word
Sustainable doesn’t mean boring. It means thoughtful, purposeful and creative. With so many eco-conscious options now available, there’s no reason your festive promotional gifting can’t reflect both your brand and your values. We can also provide branded gift tags, cards and gift bags, all made in, you guessed it, recycled paper.
As well as sourcing suppliers that produce eco friendly products it is also important that our suppliers manufacturing processes are the least damaging to the environment as possible. For example, our main supplier for printed stationery has sustainability built into everything they do. Almost all their paper and cardboard waste is whisked away by a highly efficient extraction system and sent straight for recycling — zero hassle, zero landfill.
They don’t stop there. From litho plates and plastic packaging to electronic waste, they partner with certified recyclers to give every material a second life. The result? 97% of their material waste and 82% of their chemical waste are recycled — we are excited to be working with such responsible partners.
If you’re ready to make an impact this festive season but reduce waste, get in touch. We’d love to help you find the perfect sustainable festive gift for your business!
