26 May 2022 • 3 minute read
If you’re reading this blog, you probably already know about Green Gift Cards. You might be familiar with what we do and our work in supporting retailers provide gift cards which are environmentally friendly and support their sustainability goals.
You may also already be using environmentally friendly gift cards in your business. But why stop at gift cards?
We wanted to take the concept of paperboard cards further. What was stopping these robust, sustainable alternatives to plastic from being used beyond the gift card market?
Why couldn’t they be used for loyalty or membership cards, or even event passes or access and ID cards?
The short answer is nothing. These 100% plastic-free recyclable cards could indeed be used beyond the gift card sector. What needed more investigation were the printing and customisation options to ensure the cards met the needs of today’s card users. Plus we wanted to be sure the cards were robust enough to be used on a regular basis.
There are billions of plastic cards in use globally. Think about what you have in your wallet or use daily. Even with the shift to using apps, plastic cards are still widely used every day as loyalty cards, membership cards, access cards and ID cards.
Swiping your card to gain access to an office or gym, tapping a card to get points at your favourite coffee shop, and holding a card against a contactless keypad to gain entry to a hotel room or restricted area. All of these are examples of the many everyday uses we have for consumable cards.
Most of them end up in landfill sites and, as you are probably all too aware, plastic does not break down. Its longevity was one thing that was applauded when plastic became mainstream. Hooray – we’ve found a product that lasts forever! There was little thought given to the environment and how sustainable this approach was.
You only have to type plastic waste or plastic recycling into your search engine to find some of the startling, and depressing, statistics on the subject. For example, most UK households throw away at least 40kg of plastic each year. We only recycle around 45% of this (*stats from Recycling Bins).
We have spent nearly 2 years working with partner companies who share our mission of trying to rid the world of unnecessary plastic. This has included research and trials to ensure our paperboard cards are compatible with existing tech and desktop dye sublimation printers and RFID technology.
We tried other types of material for our cards including bioplastics, chalk and wood but they all came up short. The premium quality paperboard from our paper partner’s mill in Sweden stood up to the job.
Paper producer Holmen Iggesund rank in the top 1% of sustainable companies in the world. They operate a zero to landfill policy and always plant more trees than they harvest. Plus, the mill runs on biomass energy rather than fossil fuels.
All of this contributes to enviricard and our sister brand Green Gift Card being the first card producer in the world awarded the Plastic Free Accreditation Mark.
The enviricard shop is now open. The cards are ideal for short runs and small quantities, making a green option more affordable and accessible for smaller businesses. Whether you’re a school, coffee shop or museum or a bigger business like a council, hospital trust or conference organiser we have a solution that works.
Ultimately businesses can choose to shift from plastic cards to a paperboard solution, opting for plain white cards, cards with base printing or fully customised printed cards. All can be supplied with or without smart tech included.
If you are new to using a card programme, the enviricard team can provide consultation and advice on how to get started. For more details or to order your base cards directly visit www.enviricard.com
Greener
Compostable and recyclable
Cheaper
Save up to 40% compared to plastic
Quicker
Turnaround average 20 working days
Introducing our range of plastic-free cards
Since 2006 we have been innovating and disrupting in the card market to develop what is a leading range of environmentally-friendly card solutions. So what sets us apart?
Well that’s the thing, there’s a number of reasons why Green Gift Cards are renowned in the world of card production. It is the material we use for our cards and the certification that the cards come with. It is also the compelling environmental story (we urge you to watch the video) that is behind all of our cards and the fact that, once finished with, our cards are compostable and can be recycled in normal household waste streams. Oh and we’ll say it again – being environmentally-friendly doesn’t mean they are more expensive. In fact they offer great value compared to plastic cards.
Request a callback
If you would like to talk to us about your next card order or would like to know more about what makes our products so unique, call us on 01794 725 454 or request a call back.
White paper
Read our latest white paper to find out one simple change organisations can implement today to help tackle the issue of single and limited use plastic.
Request a sample pack
If you would like to actually feel and see the quality of our Green Gift Card, we will happily send you some samples.
Partners
We work closely with some of the biggest and best in their field to bring you market leading environmental solutions for your cards. Learn more about our partners.
