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Something that many of us may not think about in the fiber community is our individual environmental impact. We may partake in practices at home like recycling cans and using reusable shopping bags, but when it comes to our businesses there is room for improvement. There are many ways, both big and small, that you can make a difference. This guide will provide you with some tips and resources to create change in your business with the goal of reducing your environmental impact as a maker.
5 Ways to be Sustainable in your Knit or Crochet Business
1. Recycled material and biodegradable packaging
The first thing your customer will see when they open that box is the packaging. I’m sure you’ve seen unboxing videos on social media where people unbox their latest yarny goodies for their followers. When your customer opens that box that is their first impression of your business. You may choose a decorative printed paper, crinkled paper shreds or even packing peanuts. Instead, using a packaging that is biodegradable or made from recycled materials will reduce your environmental impact.
EcoEnclose is a packaging company that offers a variety of eco-friendly packaging options that are compostable, biodegradable and made from recycled materials. They also give you the option to customize your packaging with your business logo. This way you can keep your packaging on-brand and green!
Botanical Paperworks is another eco-friendly packaging company that offers zero-waste packaging options that can actually be planted. Each product contains seeds so you can literally stick the packaging in the ground and grow a plant from it. How cool is that? This type of packaging is different from the norm and will also make a great impression on your customer.
2. Use plant fiber or natural fiber yarns to make your items.
Acrylic yarn is one of the easiest yarns to find. They are offered in every craft store and through many online retailers as well. However, acrylic yarn is very harmful to the environment. Acrylic yarn is made of plastic which will take decades to break down. An alternative is to use plant based fibers like cotton and silk or natural fibers like wool and alpaca. These fibers are biodegradable and can be broken down much quicker than plastic. In my opinion, the texture and feel of plant based fibers and natural fibers is much softer and less scratchy than acrylic. I personally prefer these options with wearable items contrary to acrylic.
One of my favorite yarns is Lion Brand Re-Up. This yarn is made from recycled cotton. Cotton can use a lot of water when it is processed, but this recycled yarn saves 1,400 lites of water per skein! That’s enough water to fill up a jacuzzi. I’ve used this yarn for the Catalina Sunhat and the Reusable Pouch.
Another favorite of mine is Coboo from Lion Brand. Coboo is a cotton and bamboo blend that is super soft and has amazing drape. I have used this yarn in some of my designs like the Seascape Shawl.
Another plant-based fiber yarn is tencel. Tencel, also called lyocell, is made from sustainably-soured eucalyptus trees. Tencel is a very soft yarn that is also breathable; similar to linen. Wool and the Gang has a great tencel option.
When it comes to natural fibers wool, alpaca and mohair are some great options. You can find many options through Wool and the Gang, We Crochet, Knit Picks, Lion Brand and more.
3. Offer your customers electronic packing slip and invoice
If you think about it, every package your send out includes one packing slip and one invoice. That’s two pieces of paper per every order you sell. You can reduce the amount of paper used in your packaging by offering your customers the option of an electronic packing slip and invoice. You already have the document on your computer, but instead of hitting print hit send! This option also shows your customer that you are conscientious of your environmental impact and gives them the option to join you in the effort!
4. Attach natural or recycled material tags and labels to your finished products
A great way to advertise your business is to include tags or labels on your products. Tags and labels will allow your customer to always remember where they got that item from. However, many tags and labels are made from plastics and synthetic materials. An alternative is to use more eco-friendly items such as wood, leather and recycled materials. I use mahogany wood labels on many of my finished items. I chose this option because I like the professional look it gives to my pieces while staying on brand.
5. Print business cards on recycled paper
As much as we try to eliminate our paper use in our businesses, it’s hard to eliminate paper entirely. One example is business cards. Every business has business cards. They are the perfect add-in to include in your packages as a keepsake remind your customer of your business. They can keep the card for themself or they may give it to a friend as a referral to your business. Printing your business cards on recycled materials shows your customer that you are aware of your environmental impact and actively try to reduce it.
Many printing companies offer eco-friendly options for printing your business cards. Vistaprint offers cards that are made from 90% post-consumer recycled materials. Moo offers cards that are tree-free and made from 100% recycled cotton t-shirts. How cool is that? You can use their template to create a design or upload your own.
As a bonus, you could also include a card that tells your customer how you practice sustainability in your business. Many printing companies also offer the option to print a small card on the same bases as their business cards.
I hope in reading this you are inspired to improve your business practices in a more sustainable way!
Happy Stitching,
Jess