18 Jun 2025 • 3 minute read
From Forest to Your Wallet, and Beyond
In today's world, we're all more aware of how our choices affect the environment. Even something as common as a gift card has an impact. But have you ever stopped to think about where a gift card truly comes from, how it's made, and what happens to it after you've used it?
At Green Gift Card, we want to take you on a journey from seed to gift card and back to the soil. Our story is centred around sustainability; it is built into every step, from suppliers who carefully manage their forests to partners who utilise advanced printing technologies. Our journey is inspired by companies that are truly committed to a greener future and showcasing how sustainable gifting is possible.
The story of a Green Gift Card begins long before it reaches your hands. It starts in responsibly managed forests owned by Holmen Board & Paper. Holmen oversees the entire supply chain of their unique paperboard, Invercote. Ensuring the raw materials are both of top quality and incredibly sustainable. They are key to Green Gift Cards' environmental promise.
Holmen's forestry isn't just sustainable; it's regenerative. They plant a whopping 40 million new trees every year, but only harvest about a third of that amount. This means their forests actually grow larger year after year. They call this "more than sustainable," ensuring that for every tree harvested, at least three new ones are planted. This practice helps fight deforestation, captures carbon, and protects vital ecosystems, creating an endless supply of renewable resources.
At Green Gift Cards we use the high-quality material Invercote paperboard. This isn't just any paper; it's known for being strong, durable, and, most importantly, renewable. It's made from pure cellulose fibres, carefully processed for quality.
What is amazing is that the fibres used to make our paperboard cards would traditionally have been regarded as waste and disposed of.
The Holman Board & Paper mill itself is a leader in environmental care, recognised by EcoVadis among the top companies for sustainability.
Their purification systems are so good that fish caught near the mill are just as clean as those from unaffected areas. Holmen also generates its own heat and electricity, often sharing extra energy with local communities. This complete approach, from forest to mill, makes Holmen a leader in sustainable practices, even earning it a spot on the UN Global Compact 100 list.
With Invercote paperboard at the core of the Green Gift Card, every other component of the Green Gift Cards must adhere to high quality and strict environmental standards. Green Gift Cards are designed with the planet in mind.
A major benefit of Green Gift Card is the plastic-free certification. In a world struggling with plastic waste, choosing a plastic-free option makes a big difference. This means no harmful microplastics will get into our environment, and the card can be recycled when you're done with it. While plastic cards can sit in landfills for centuries, Green Gift Cards offer a truly circular solution.
In addition to our plastic free cards, we are committed to utilising advanced technology and innovation to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of our products. Our collaboration with Ricoh, a worldwide leader in digital printing, was showcased at Drupa 2024, a prominent printing trade fair.
At Drupa 2024, Green Gift Cards and Ricoh showed how digital printing is changing sustainable gift card production. Their partnership focuses on Ricoh's Pro C9500 digital press. This machine is essential for printing on the thick paperboard used for our eco gift cards, handling materials up to 800 microns thick. Further helping the industry switch from harmful plastic cards to fully recyclable paper-based ones.
Digital printing offers many advantages. The Pro C9500 enables short-run, on-demand printing, significantly reducing overproduction and waste. This flexible approach means cards are only printed when needed, saving materials and energy. The environmental impact is huge: digitally printed paper-based cards have a tiny carbon footprint of just 4.28 gCO₂e per card. Compare that to 46.97 gCO₂e for a digitally printed, non-recyclable PVC card (as confirmed by CarbonQuota). That's about a 90% reduction in carbon emissions per card.
The Green Gift Cards and Ricoh partnership, showcased at Drupa 2024, embodies "HENKAKU"—transformational innovation. This collaboration is actively eliminating plastic cards from the industry, offering a sustainable, scalable, and eco-friendly alternative. This not only meets consumer demand and reduces environmental impact but also lowers CO2 production, gives clients greater control, and provides faster turnaround times through wise resource use. Their united front at Drupa 2024, alongside partners like Enviricard and Holmen Board & Paper, underscored their dedication to a greener card industry.
The journey of a Green Gift Card doesn't end when you use it. Its commitment to sustainability extends to its end of life, actively promoting a circular economy. Just as Green Gift Cards encourage giving "leftovers life" in other areas, the card itself can be renewed through proper recycling. This simple action keeps them out of landfills, allowing their valuable materials to be processed and reused, effectively closing the loop and minimising waste.
Choosing a Green Gift Card is more than just picking a present; it's a conscious decision to support sustainable practices and significantly reduce your environmental impact. From the regenerative forests managed by Holmen, which provide the raw materials, to the plastic-free production and vegetable-based inks, and finally, to the innovative digital printing partnership with Ricoh that ensures efficient, low-carbon production – every step of this journey is carefully designed with our planet's well-being at its heart.
So, the next time you're looking for the perfect gift, consider the remarkable journey of a Green Gift Card. It's a gift that not only brings joy to the recipient but also makes a significant contribution to a healthier, greener future for all of us. It's a small change with a powerful ripple effect, proving that thoughtful choices, backed by true innovation and sustainable partnerships, can truly make a world of difference.
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.
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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.
Customers
Green Gift Cards works with a diverse range of customers, from global brands to independent retailers, all committed to reducing plastic waste.
