As sustainable living gains momentum in a rapidly evolving world, consumers today are very conscious of the type of products they use and how they have been developed. In such a scenario, the corporate sector and businesses are constantly under pressure to ensure that their operations and end products are eco-friendly. This philosophy and approach apply to the world of promotional custom merch, too. Eco-friendly merchandise and packaging are essential for both commercial and individual customers today. In the case of the former, it is crucial that they can buy merchandise that is customisable, can be branded, as well as sustainable.
Today, in this article, we will address the topic of sustainability in gifting and merchandising.
What is Sustainable or Eco-friendly Merchandise?
Sustainability is a term that describes the need to meet current demands without compromising conditions so that future generations can meet their demands without any challenges. Sustainable or eco-friendly merchandise encompasses gifting products with negligible carbon footprint while being designed, manufactured, or customized. In this context, sustainability addresses the entire product lifecycle, from sourcing local raw materials to using local labor, eco-friendly packaging, etc.
The emphasis is on zero or low-energy wastage by adopting energy-efficient processes and following best practices throughout.
Benefits of Sustainable Merchandise
- Helps Differentiate Your Business: Sustainable merchandise is the trending thing, and companies that enforce eco-friendly ways always stand out in the crowd. Also, there are more chances of getting traction from customers who love the cause of the environment.
- Helps Build the Brand: Sustainability helps strengthen the brand image and reputation of your company. Eco-conscious customers, committed to a cleaner future, are bound to become your loyal customers.
- Engage Better With Customers: Loyal customers are bound to strongly connect emotionally with your business’ vision and mission policies through sustainable custom merch. They are also going to talk about your brand and spread the word through word-of-mouth.
- Help Create A Greener Future: The use of eco-friendly custom merch and gifting items will help conserve resources, minimize every person’s carbon footprint, and help create a cleaner future.
Challenges of Sustainable Merchandising
Is sustainability easy? No. The road ahead to shifting to sustainable gifting is surely not easy, as there are plenty of challenges. That’s why it is crucially important to support entities like Merch Monkey that are working as pioneers in the merchandising industry. This is a leading merchandising platform in Europe with an attractive array of gifting items. From printed t-shirts and lanyards to high-tech gifting options, there’s an entire range to pick from.
Here’s a brief about the challenges of gifting sustainable custom merch-
- Eco-friendly merchandise costs more compared to conventional gifts. That’s because the raw materials and the energy-efficient processes are expensive vis-a-vis the traditional line.
- Sourcing high-quality, natural, chemical-free, and local raw materials can be time-consuming. Similarly, eco-friendly packaging materials are not easy to procure. The logistics of arranging these remain a challenge.
- The lack of standardisation and regulations around best practices is another big challenge for the industry. Thereby, merchandising companies take time to build trust in their customers. Therefore, it is always best to go with credible partners like Merch Monkey for sustainable gifting, as they have done a great deal of work on this front.
- The use of unethical means and chances of fraud are high. Many sellers and businesses often greenwash their items to make their products look sustainable and earth-friendly.
Best Eco-friendly Merchandise For Gifting
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Hardcover Notebook
An impressive and minimalist gift, it is also pretty stylish and trendy. At Merch Monkey, the hardcovers are made from recycled paper. There are multiple colours and models available, along with the option to order sizes that suit your taste.
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Tote Bags
These are an all-time favorite. Your all-time companion, for every venture outdoors, be it to the grocery store or a late-night party. We use recycled materials or organic cotton to make tote bags at Merch Monkey. It is one of the most popular gifting items, especially as these bags help reduce plastic waste.
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Sustainably-made Pens
Another popular choice as gifts is the bamboo ballpoint pens at our platform. Made from eco-friendly bamboo, these pens are excellent as a gifting choice, especially in the affordable range.
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Sports Bottle
Water bottles are important as people move outdoors to stay hydrated and active. Our sports bottles are made from chemical-free materials, like BPA-free materials. Designed beautifully, these bottles are the perfect testament to our commitment to creating an eco-friendly environment.
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Tumblers Made from Bamboo or Stainless Steel
These tumblers are perfect for keeping cold beverages cold and hot beverages warm. Any day, bamboo tumblers are a better option than single-use glasses and cups. You have the option of tumblers with or without lids.
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Other Bamboo Products
At Merch Monkey, our sustainable range consists of products like tablet holders and mobile phone holders. These bamboo-made products are functional and valuable in modern times. We have used the best brains to design and engineer these superior products for gifting.
Conclusion: Why Merch Monkey?
One of the top merchandising companies, Merch Monkey, is the perfect partner for sustainable gifting. As a company policy, we prioritise sustainability and make use of products made from wood, bamboo, recycled paper, and more. We undertake stringent checks to standardise our products and have a flexible approach to customisation and branding merchandise as per our customer’s requirements.
Along with excellent products, we offer expert guidance to help our customers make the right choice. Besides the gifting choices mentioned above, we also have sustainable lanyards, pocket knives made from wood, and eco-friendly backpacks. Read the reviews on Trustpilot to understand how much loyal customers appreciate the brand and its product line.