There’s nothing quite like receiving a gift, or giving one. That’s why it’s a multi-billion dollar industry. It’s a feel-good thing to do, especially in hard times. But our love of this heart-warming pastime is hurting the planet. For every product produced, purchased, shipped, gifted, used, regifted, returned or thrown away, vast amounts of natural resources are consumed which can’t be replenished.

Let’s be honest. The gifting industry is a notorious producer of waste. Seasonal global events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday reinforce the need to load up. Outdated conceptions about gift presentation increase household waste around Christmas and Thanksgiving by about 25%, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Throwing unwanted gifts away is still common practice too.

But the way we think about gifting can and is changing. Already, consumers are choosing green. American Express research in the run-up to Christmas 2021 found that 62% of UK consumers would be making at least one sustainable gifting choice. More people are buying second-hand or giving experiences instead of physical things. Another popular option is gift cards. A troubled option in itself, we hear you say. And you’re right. Every year millions of plastic gift cards end up in landfills. But there are fully-recyclable, compostable and biodegradable paper-based cards like those from Glascard who work with companies to offer eco-friendly gift cards.

What we’re doing to ensure sustainability

We’re tackling single-use plastic in an industry that is famous for waste. Glascard is part of the DCK group, where we produce sustainable packaging. Specialising in such a way means we Adhere to the highest sustainability standards and seek out certification. Like our recent Forest Stewardship Council^® membership, in which we went through a rigorous audit to satisfy strict qualifying criteria.

The FSC^® is one of the most essential initiatives promoting responsible forest management worldwide. Products carrying the FSC label are independently verified, telling consumers that they come from forests managed to meet our social, economic and ecological needs now and in the future.

We’re proud to be part of it. Our MD Kevin Murphy put it well when he said that ‘what makes sense for the environment makes sense for business, and our FSC certification is part of our commitment to develop and maintain environmentally sustainable business practices. We look forward to offering our customers a chance to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability by choosing FSC-certified products.”

It’s a challenge faced by businesses and consumers across the globe every day. But by making sustainable choices, in any way we can, we’re all doing our bit to reduce waste.

Want to learn more about our sustainability mission? Or are you interested in switching to eco-friendly gift cards? Your customers will thank you for it. Let’s talk.