Looking professional versus environmentally friendly

Latest Articles

Looking professional versus environmentally friendly
Page 1, 2 Next

Downsizer Forum Index -> Small Business Questions, Ideas and Advice

Author

Message

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 07 11:20 am Post subject: Looking professional versus environmentally friendly

I've just done some alpaca rovings blended with silk (won't mean much to the non spinners among you) that I want to sell and I'm in a quandary about how to package them. What I feel like doing is putting them in a clear plastic bag with my logo and name printed onto card and stapled accross the top to seal it shut but that's plastic, card and staples. The most environmentally friendly way to do it would be a printed paper 'band' around the middle but I'm wondering if that doesn't look a bit 'homespun' pardon the pun.

What do you think?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45723
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 07 11:23 am Post subject:
Nice heavy paper with a decent print would look fine. Any more teacosies yet?

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22790
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 07 11:24 am Post subject:
The printed band works for me.

2steps

Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Posts: 5349
Location: Surrey

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 07 11:36 am Post subject:
me too

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 07 11:37 am Post subject:
OK - thanks Tahir - I've done 3 more but they aren't properly finished and I'm not sure I like them

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45723
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 07 11:45 am Post subject:

Stacey wrote:

I've done 3 more but they aren't properly finished and I'm not sure I like them

Beauty's in teh eye of the beholder, let us know when they're done and I'll show the missus

Mrs Fiddlesticks

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 10460

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 07 11:50 am Post subject:
can you source some biodegradable bags? have a scroll down to the bottom of this page dunno if they're the right size as they're designed for greetings cards but if they're doing them then someone else must be as well.

goldy1

Joined: 17 Sep 2006
Posts: 729

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 07 1:16 pm Post subject:
A lot of the hand spun stuff I see is just tied and labeld either with a band or a tag. I've seen some of this stuff in very fancy shops.

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 07 1:25 pm Post subject:
Good idea Mrs Fiddlesticks - I'll have a trawl roud. Goldy - I sell my hand spun with just a recycled brown tag and a label on it but this is rovings so it needs something to hold it together. It's alpaca and silk so it's particularly 'fluffy'.

Tradbritfowlco

Joined: 15 Feb 2007
Posts: 526

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 07 5:30 pm Post subject:
thanks fiddlesticks - those biodegradeable bags are just the ticket for my greetings cards, the polythene bags i put them in have always irked me!

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 07 6:07 pm Post subject:
Are we the right people to ask? Because we're here, we're likely to accept cosmetically worse packaging, if it's greener. So, we'll all agree that a bit of recycled rag would be OK. The market suggests it's not, actually. I'm not saying don't be green, but if you wish to sell outside that market, it should look as presentable and professional as possible. So, I dunno. I know, that's no help.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45723
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 07 6:12 pm Post subject:

nickhowe wrote:

Are we the right people to ask? Because we're here, we're likely to accept cosmetically worse packaging

I disagree, I voted for the card because it allows the punter to see the yarn without any impediment, and there's the added benefit of being able to feel it. And most yarn companies, even expensive ones sell all their yarn with cardboard bands of one type or another.

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 07 6:29 pm Post subject:
I start that marketing course on thursday so it'll be interesting to see if my ideas change. Thing is, I was asked what my USP is and I realised that it's the 'ethics' thing - lots of people make felt but they don't question the source or whether there were animal welfare isses. So, in effect, people exactly like the downsizer community are my target market - but maybe with a bit more spare dosh

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 07 6:48 pm Post subject:
Then I'll hush up!

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 07 7:12 pm Post subject:

nickhowe wrote:

Then I'll hush up!

Noooo, don't do that - I need all the input I can get

	Downsizer Forum Index -> Small Business Questions, Ideas and Advice	All times are GMT Page 1, 2 Next
Page 1 of 2

View Latest Posts