Ecopreneurist

This is a guest post by John Simonetta, owner of Proforma Simonetta Freelance, an eco-friendly promotional items consultancy (see proformagreen.com). John’s blogs are designed to keep us up to date on the “greening” of his industry.

Bamboo as a material was a big mover in 2009. The industry saw bamboo cloth being used in caps, shirts, towels, jackets, heavy totes and even robes. As a replacement for hardwood, bamboo is used in awards, cutting boards, umbrella shafts, and any number of tool handles.

For 2010 the move to bamboo does not seem to be slowing down. As a quick-growing, renewable, natural resource bamboo seems here to stay in the promotional products market. Here are two quick ideas in bamboo new for 2010.

The KIVA Ball Point from LogoMark is one of the first bamboo body pens to hit the market this year. I suspect there will be more. Like most items from LogoMark this pen has a little more style and flare than its peers.

The bamboo pen body gives the KIVA a natural feel and the black, blue or green plastic tip and clip is biodegradable plastic. These pens EQP for $1.45 with one color imprint. With PLA pens for Shepenco running at around $0.50, the KIVA is not meant to be competing in the cheap eco-pen field, but rather as a nicer, client or employee gift pen, perhaps as part of a package with  LogoMark’s bamboo office picture frame or bamboo business card holder.

A number of basic bamboo shopping totes are also coming to market including a bamboo version of the very popular Big Thunder tote by American Ad Bags.

This Bamboo Thunder is 100% Natural Bamboo – which is naturally biodegradable and an eco-friendly sustainable resource – and has a incredibly soft touch that you just do not get with poly or canvas bags. For added strength the Bamboo Thunder offers stitched seams in the sides and at the bottom gusset.

One issue might be price. The Bamboo Thunder by American Adbag runs EQP $3.00, which is more than the $2.10 EQP price of the screen printed polypropylene Big Thunder by Bag Markers (yes different manufacturers, same name, go figure). Both bags measure in at a whooping 13″ x 10″ x 15″. Yes that is a 10 inch gusset.

If you are an ASI distributor Dustin is the contact to talk to at LogoMark. What more info on the Bamboo Thunder, talked to Courtney Rasmussen at American Adbag.

If you are interested in the these items or other bamboo ideas to promote your own business contact your local promotional items vendor or email info@proformagreen.com for information and pricing.

This is a guest post by John Simonetta, owner of Proforma Green Marketing, an eco-friendly promotional items consultancy (see proformagreen.com). John’s blogs are designed to keep us up to date on the “greening” of his industry.

Placing a company or organizational logo on a timepiece has been a cornerstone in the promotional products industry for many years.

Placing your logo on the face of a watch allows your brand to be seen again and again by the wearer of the timepiece. However it is the type of timepiece on which that logo is placed that tells the wearer the most about the organization from which the watch was given.

The mission of Sprout Eco-Friendly Timepieces is to simply “make the most eco-friendly watch we possibly can” and coming from a company that has been in the business of making timepieces for over 50 years, the company has an impressive list of claims supporting that mission statement.

By weight, the small size Sprout™ watch is 80% eco-friendly and the large size Sprout™ watch is 86% eco-friendly. What does that mean? It means making watches from sustainable and eco-friendly materials, for example their manufacture includes 99% biodegradable corn resin instead of traditional plastics, organic cotton and bamboo used in bands and faces, mineral crystal for lenses instead of plexiglass (so it can technically be recycled as all glass can be recycled), and using only mercury free batteries.

On top of that Sprout™ packaging is made from at least 80% post consumer fibers, and all Sprout™ watches are in compliance with the CPSIA and are lead and phthalate free.  The corn resin used in  Sprout™ watches is also in full compliance with the American ASTM D6400 as well as the European EN13432 standards for compostable material.

So all in all a rather bold eco statement from a very nice looking wristwatch. And happy, they look happy don’t they?

Of course this column is about eco-friendly promotional items, so it was very fascinating to recently learn that Castle Merchandising, Inc. (ASI 44315) is currently offering branded Sprout™ watches for an EQP price of around $37.00 per unit.

As well as being a great watch, I think Ecopreneurists should look at these timepieces as a great teaching tool. They are proof that a hip and functional timepiece - or indeed an common article – can be made from sustainable materials. I think these would be a great marketing idea for branding at the high school and college level, as well as for organizations working in the environmental space.

For more information on the retail Sprout sales please visit their website. If you are ASI, John Costelli is the contact at Castle Merchandising to speak with. If you are interested in the Sprout line to promote your own business, contact your local promotional items vendor or email info@proformagreen.com for information and pricing.

This is a guest post by John Simonetta, owner of Proforma Green Marketing, an eco-friendly promotional items consultancy (see proformagreen.com). John’s blogs are designed to keep us up to date on the “greening” of his industry.

Looking to get the most design for your money on Earth Day shirts this year? Well once again Vantage Apparel is offering their Name Drop Graphics program for Earth Day apparel items. And new for 2010 Vantage is offering not only screen-printed designs but also Digital Print, Embroidery, Laser etching and Laser Applique.

Vantage Apparel is one of the leaders in the industry for eco-friendly apparel, with a special focus on organic cotton t-shirts, sustainable fleece, and eco printing. With the introduction of these new imprinting methods the program has been expanded beyond just t-shirts, to jackets, fleece, bags, caps, pretty much any item the Vantage Apparel offers.

Why use the Name Drop Graphics program? A lot of organizations want to make a big splash around Earth Day but may not have a budget for a big time design when it comes to organic cotton t-shirts and other apparel items.  The Name Drop Graphics program makes getting a great design at a great price simple. In a move I can only say is very ecopreneurial, Vantage is teaming up with distributors like Proforma to offer 22 Earth Day designs ready for the addition of your organization name or company logo. Just pick your design, your color, and your apparel item, and you are done.

Runs start at as few as 12 units via digital printing methods and domestic runs can go as high as 10,000 units. Organic cotton and other eco-friendly materials are available as well as traditional fabrics. The plan is very practical in terms of matching the needs and budgets of all participants by finding the right mix of apparel options.

Schools, clubs, city departments, charities, businesses, etc., for any and all this is a great way for an Ecopreneurist to make a big splash without having to fill the entire swimming pool out of their own pocket.

If you are interested in viewing all the Earth Day pre-graphics in the Name Drop Graphics program you can download the .pdf here. For more information on Vantage visit their website.

Please note that Name Drop Graphics program for Earth Day is not mentioned on the Vantage website, so if you want more information on the program, including pricing, please email info@proformagreen.com. Or if you are in the promotional items business you can contact Julia Macdonald at Vantage.

I was listening to a report recently that determined that, rather than trying to save the planet by purchasing green cleaners, organic food and other green products, consumers generally are motivated by health- theirs and their children’s.  This is, of course, a bit of a “duh’ for me, since I and most of my marketing colleagues came up with this conclusion awhile ago. But it is a boon to green brands trying to go mainstream.

Seventh Generation’s new ad campaign reflects this new marketing philosophy as it targets moms of young children. Organic baby food manufacturers find their business booming and major brands are extending their brands to include green offerings.

This of course leaves the deep green demographic in a quandary. What to do when your favorite green “hippie” brand goes mainstream? While this seems to be a question that marketers are pondering with great concern, I think it is perhaps overblown. There is a history of niche brands going mainstream. That’s more or less how this economy works. Smaller companies come up with great ideas. The idea gains traction. Big companies buy smaller companies in niche or start their own competition brand or small niche company hits the jackpot on their own and goes mainstream.

This is of course leaves a new niche to fill. Smaller companies can then spring up to meet the needs of the recently abandoned niche.That is, if you were thinking of starting a company marketing a product to the deep green consumer…now if the time. Read the rest of this entry »

Part 2 in a series where Krates Ng (co-founder of Mokugift environmental rewards) interviews fellow ecopreneurs.  Today, Krates interviews Linda Lannon of PeopleTowels.

1) Why did you start PeopleTowels?

My business partner, Mary Wallace and I started PeopleTowels, because we believe that every person can have a positive impact on the environment by making small lifestyle changes.  PeopleTowels is one of those small sustainable acts with a big environmental impact.

2) Is there a story about the name?

Actually my son came up with the name.  We liked PeopleTowels because it’s a wake-up call that paper towels are a mindless convenience that are not eco-friendly.  The name also empowers every person to have a sustainable choice rather than be forced to use paper towels or air dryers when they’re out and about.

3) What was the toughest challenge in getting your company started and how you got over that?

Our business is only 3 months old. Our biggest challenge is awareness.  We are a new category in sustainability and we need to get the word out about our product and it’s environmental benefits.  When people realize that by switching from paper towels to PeopleTowels in public restrooms, in one year they will save ¼ of a tree, decrease landfill by 23 lbs and conserve 250 gallons of water, they “get it.”  Almost everyone we meet wants to do the right for the environment – something within their control that doesn’t cost a lot, yet has a positive environmental impact.  Cloth grocery bags, coffee mugs at work, reusable water bottles and now PeopleTowels are part of that eco-friendly lifestyle.  These small changes multiplied by millions really have an impact.

4) Can you describe the moment when you knew that PeopleTowels hit full stride as a business?

After 3 months, we have a ways to go before we hit full stride. However, I believe full stride for PeopleTowels will be similar to reusable water bottles—when PeopleTowels are widely adopted by individuals and businesses and the corresponding environmental benefits of saved trees, reduced landfill and water conservation are realized.

5) If you had to pick one product in your lineup, which one would you showcase and why?

While we’ve had nothing but a positive reaction to all of the eco-chic designs in our inaugural product line, the best-selling PeopleTowel is ‘This Is Not A Tree’.  It says it all- with a funky all-over tree design and the words – This is not a tree.  It’s really fun and our customers love it.

6) How is PeopleTowels going to grow in 2010? And how can other ecopreneurs help?

PeopleTowels will grow in 2010 in several ways.  For the B2C aspect of our business we are using all the social media channels to spread the word about our new product.  We are currently sponsoring our first annual Earth Day design contest.  After the online voting for the best design we’ll manufacture the winner’s design on a PeopleTowel and sell it online. 2010 will be a strong year for the B2B side of the business as we develop and grow relationships with retail partners and businesses.

My fellow ecopreneurs can help in the same way I can help them— by creating awareness through their social media networks; be it blogs, Facebook or Twitter for PeopleTowels.  At PeopleTowels we are constantly looking for eco-solutions, innovations and companies with whom we can partner or write about.  I hope other ecopreneurs  reading this blog will get in touch with me.   I’ve meet some phenomenal ecopreneurs and  though we have different approaches, different ideas;  I believe we all have the same motivation for starting our new businesses—reducing our environmental impact and leaving the planet a better place for future generations.

Part 1 in a series where Krates Ng (co-founder of Mokugift environmental rewards) interviews fellow ecopreneurs.  Today, Krates interviews Brendan Gill of PlentyWays.

1) Why did you start PlentyWays?

We’ve always wanted to create an environmentally focused organization and its really our first opportunity to do that.  At school and college we learned about the climate change issue and it became obvious that this issue is going to form a backdrop to our entire lives.  Its already a crucial matter, but it is only going to grow more and more important over the coming decades.  We wanted to be involved with this issue and to do our bit to help.

2) Is there a story about the name ‘PlentyWays’?

These days its very hard to come up with a name.  Finding something short, simple and with an available web address is difficult so when we finally came up with PlentyWays, we were really satisfied.  The idea behind it is that there are plenty of ways to make a difference.  That’s really our guiding philosophy: through the products we make available, the tips we provide, the services we review, we are trying to show people all the ways in which they can do their bit.

3) What was the toughest challenge in getting your company started and how you got over that?

There was a combination of challenges at the beginning.  It took us a long time to come up with our name, we even tried crowd sourcing it and put up a bounty of $200 we were so stumped, but even that proved fruitless.  The second big challenge was picking out the right products to offer our customers.  There are a lot of green products out there now and the number is increasing by the day.  We had to do a lot of research into what we thought were the most popular ones and would be most useful to our users.  Its a lot of work to then build relationships with the companies that make these products as well, which we are still working on.

4) If you had to pick one company in your lineup, which one would you showcase and why?

When people ask me what they can do to go green, the very first thing I ask them is if they have switched from incandescent bulbs to CFLs.  This is the most simple straightforward thing someone can do which is guaranteed to save both energy and money.  Sometimes it can be a challenge to convince people of a more expensive option that is more ecological, but using CFL bulbs is a complete no brainier.  Also people who are waiting for their current incandescent supply to run out before switching to CFLs – a quick calculation will show you that in almost all situations you should switch straight away.

5) How is PlentyWays going to grow in 2010? And how can other ecopreneurs help?

PlentyWays has huge plans!… We are working extremely hard on our blog, which we are going to focus on helping people to go green.  We will keep our ears to the ground on all the latest environmental apps, services and products and review them on our blog making it easy for budding ecopreneurs to take advantage of them.  We also want to provide some apps of our own.  The first we made was a very simple tool to stay on top of the latest green news, which pulls in news from some of the most popular green-focused websites out there e.g. TreeHugger and NY Times Environment.  We also want to work on a system that can monitor the energy and monetary savings people can make with various green goods.  For example, if someone purchases a few CFL bulbs from us, we would like to use the date they purchased to automatically calculate how much energy savings that has resulted in and the effect on their wallet.  It will probably use an average energy cost and an average figure for daily light usage as default, but would allow people to customize the calculation to their situation by entering their cost per KWHr and average light usage.  Stay tuned to our blog for details on all new features.

This is a guest post by John Simonetta, owner of Proforma Simonetta Freelance, an eco-friendly promotional items consultancy (see proformagreen.com). John’s blogs are designed to keep us up to date on the “greening” of his industry.

ASI is the Advertising Specialty Institute, the trade organization for the promotional products industry. This year at ASI DALLAS (one of several yearly ASI trade shows) I was joined by Brady Anderton of FUELED FILMS (http://fueldfilms.com/). Brady is working on a project related to the greening of the promotional products industry, so similar in topic to my writings here at ecopreneurist.com.

Since Brady is a film guy he didn’t take notes so much as have his team film me while we talked. What we ended up with was a kind of rambling dialogue about industry changes for 2010 and the evolution of green in promo.

I figured we would edit some of these conversations into more manageable bits and post some of the footage here. For more visit http://www.youtube.com/ProformaGreen.

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If you are an ASI distributor talk to the vendors directly about these new items. Items seen are from AMERICANNA, ASH CITY, NUMO, LEEDS, QUICKPOINT, SHEPENCO. If you are interested in these items to promote your own business contact your local promotional items distributor or email info@proformagreen.com for information and pricing.

This is a guest post by John Simonetta, owner of Proforma Simonetta Freelance, an eco-friendly promotional items consultancy (see proformagreen.com). John’s blogs are designed to keep us up to date on the “greening” of his industry.

Pre-printing for bags is becoming more and more popular in our industry, and I have written about that in the past. Something new gaining speed is pre-printing for drink ware. Established in 1986 and dedicated to only drink ware, The Express Line has a “total branding” program for 2010 that I think is certainly worth a second look by the Ecopreneurist looking for a marketing edge.

Stainless steel and aluminum water bottles are quickly becoming a preferred promotional item for Ecopreneurist because these bottles fit many eco themes such as reduce & reuse and the movement to stop buying plastic water bottles. Also, just like caps and tee shirts, it seems everyone has a favorite water bottle they take everywhere, so bottles give great brand exposure at little cost.

What using a pre-printed program from a company like Express Line provides is more design for the money as it simply adds the client’s art or logo to an already available, and professionally done, stock design. For a full overview of this process take a look at the Express Line Total Branding PDF on their website.

Since Earth Day is right around the corner I want to use as an example the Express Line design #203 which plays to the Earth Day theme.

In this sample we have selected EXPRESS LINE item number #4479, the olive stainless steel 44oz BOLT, with an EQP of $8.99. As seen in the sample image, the pre-print wraps the entire bottle, and would do so on the BOLT 18oz (EQP $7.59) or 24oz (EQP $7.99) as well. In this case the logo being added is ECOLAB.

Color splash motifs, cherry blossoms, flower petals, dots, and pinstripes, are all samples of ideas represented in the 12 pre-designed art overlays in the Express Line Total Branding program, and can be applied to most every item in the Express Line catalog.

Changes in both bottle color and artwork colors are possible. Also most bottles in the Express Line can take a full, multi-color art rap, so if their designs inspire full wrap designs of your own, Express Line bottles can be printed with 100% custom wrap artwork as well.

Again, if you are already spending on stainless steel and aluminum water bottles, and you want the artwork on those bottles to be more impactful, take a look at this line and this program. It is a great way to stretch your marketing budget in 2010.

If you are an ASI distributor Nicki Russo is the contact to talk to at Express Line about this great program. If you are interested in the Express Line to promote your own business contact your local promotional items vendor or email info@proformagreen.com for information and pricing.

This is a guest post by John Simonetta, owner of Proforma Simonetta Freelance, an eco-friendly promotional items consultancy (see proformagreen.com). John’s blogs are designed to keep us up to date on the “greening” of his industry.

Once again Norwood takes a basic idea and makes it a whole lot better. Laminated woven polypropylene bags are not new to the industry. Nor are pre-printed totes. However Norwood took these two basic ideas, added a bit of Velcro, and presto, a brand new product idea is launched that is going to get your brand noticed in a hurry.

To be honest it took me a moment to get this concept. Really this is just a set of three bags, right?

Wrong. What the Recycling Bin Tote Set really accomplishes is a portable recycling station and a very smart promotional idea for any Ecopreneurist targeting office workers, parks, college dorms, any area where people collect in small groups.

Think about it, what does a dorm or office really need to kick start a recycling program? First step is a place to put the materials to be recycled. The three bags in the Recycling Bin Tote Set come pre-printed with the text PAPER (green tote), METAL (orange tote), PLASTIC (blue tote). Easy to understand.

Then – here is the genius – they attach to each other with Velcro on the top outer edge of each tote. And presto you have an instant recycle station, branded with your logo, for any indoor or outdoor space. The PAPER, METAL, PLASTIC text is even in multiple languages for that whole act local, think global ideal, and each tote is pre-printed with a symbol of the recyclable for that bag.

Each tote is a huge 11-3/8″w x 16-1/4″h x 11-1/4″d in size, with a 8″w x 6-1/2″h imprint area on the orange center tote only. Each set can also connect to another set since the Velcro runs the outside of the totes as well, so setting up multiple sets as needed is possible. And of course the fact they connect makes the totes freestanding as well.

Say you are an eco lodge that does picnics on your property, but away from the main building. Set up the picnic and then set out the Recycling Bin Tote Set. So you collect all the recyclables from the picnic, unlatch the Velcro, pick up the individual totes for easy carriage to your main recycling center. Done.

Repeat this idea at the college dorm-room, office meeting room, home, etc. Genius.

At EQP of $10.89 per set, wherever the Recycling Bin Tote Set is setup, there stands your logo as well, telling the crowds who is providing this great on-the-fly service (and yes they also make very nice shopping totes).

If you are an ASI distributor Mark Goldring is the contact to talk to at Norwood about this great idea. If you are interested in the Recycling Bin Tote Set to promote your own business contact your local promotional items vendor or email info@proformagreen.com for information and pricing.

This is a guest post by John Simonetta, owner of Proforma Simonetta Freelance, an eco-friendly promotional items consultancy (see proformagreen.com). John’s blogs are designed to keep us up to date on the “greening” of his industry.

I like the beach. A lot of folks like the beach. And this time of year dozens of cruise ships are taking people from cold northern climes to warm southern waters. Indeed an item as basic as brandable sunscreen is a big seller for our industry at this time of year. Believe me, cruise ships hold a lot of sunscreen.

However, over the past few years the world has come to learn that traditional sunscreen kills coral, indeed many places like Cancún in Mexico ban traditional sunscreen all together. So what is an Ecopreneurist targeting the snowbirds supposed to do?

Enter Aloe Up Sun & Skin Care Products. Aloe Up offers a natural, biodegradable (reef friendly), hypoallergenic, and non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores) sun and skin care line produced from aloe organically grown in Harlingen, Texas and sold in over 60 countries worldwide.

Aloe Up biodegradable SPF 25 sun lotion holds a minimum of 25% pure Aloe Vera Gel, is alcohol, mineral oil, and PABA free, is independently tested, and complies with FDA standards. Aloe Up products are fragrance free as well.

What does that all mean to the Ecopreneurist? Simple. This is the good stuff, and placing your logo on this item is the safe bet when it comes to brandable, upscale sun protection.

“Our products are biodegradable,” says Dan Ohlson, Vice President of Sales for Aloe Up Sun & Skin Care Products. “In the case of the screen this means it may be used in and around all coastal regions, including resorts in Mexico which have strict regulations banning screen due to the fact that it kills coral by killing plankton (its food source).” Ohlson went on to say that an item like Aloe Up SPF 15 Pro Sport will stay on in the water for up to 8 hours, will not sweat into your eyes on the golf coarse, it will not soak into your skin. {see video clip}

Read the rest of this entry »