April is Earth Month, and the timing is perfect for an in-depth discussion of sustainability in both print and promo. Branding Together co-hosts Theresa Hegel of ASI and Cassie Green of Apparelist welcomed Ben Grossman, co-president of Grossman Marketing Group (asi/215205) and founder of SwagCycle, and Mel Lay, marketing director of Allmade Apparel (asi/34341), to talk about their sustainability journeys and some of the biggest challenges the print and promo industries still face when it comes to lowering their environmental impact. Stay tuned until the end of the episode for a quick test of your eco-knowledge.
Mentioned in this month’s episode:
- Promo for the Planet
- Printing Industry Fights To Keep Carbon Black in Inks
- Ridwell for Hard-To-Recycle Items
- BuyNothing groups
- SwagCycle
- Allmade
- Captain Planet and the Planeteers
Podcast Chapters
6:30: Cassie and Theresa share their personal sustainability practices
13:32: Ben and Mel discuss their environmental efforts
21:41: Sustainability awareness is growing in promo
26:56: Supply chain snarls and other challenges for eco-brands
33:10: How to stay motivated and positive despite the challenges
38:12: What’s your superpower?
40:50: Cassie quizzes Theresa on her sustainability savvy
Key Takeaways
Sustainability Focus: This episode of Branding Together is dedicated to sustainability, highlighting its importance in both personal and professional contexts, especially within the print and promo industries.
Carbon Black Misconceptions: Cassie Green of Apparelist discussed the ongoing misconceptions about carbon black in printing inks, emphasizing that it’s not harmful and that the print industry is fighting against bans on its use.
Personal Sustainability Practices: Hosts Green and Theresa Hegel shared their personal sustainability practices, such as using Ridwell for recycling and participating in local BuyNothing groups, emphasizing the journey of making small impactful changes.
A Big Milestone: Ben Grossman, founder of sustainability initiative SwagCycle, shared that SwagCycle has facilitated over $10 million in charitable donations and kept more than 3 million items out of landfills through recycling and upcycling initiatives since its launch.
Lowering the Impact: Mel Lay of Allmade Apparel (asi/34341) discussed the eco-friendly apparel company’s use of recycled polyester, organic cotton and modal – as well as other efforts to be sustainable.
Challenges in Supply Chain: Lay highlighted the challenges in the supply chain, such as the impact of droughts on organic cotton farming and the need for transitional cotton to support sustainable practices.
