Sustainable Schwag

eco imprints invites you to Dwell Design Conference in LA June 5-8

2008-05-28T21:26:00.000-07:00


DWELL ON DESIGN Thu Jun 5, 2008, 9:00 am to Sun Jun 8, 2008, 7:00 pm PDT Los Angeles Convention Center Buy Tickets \| Add to Calendar \| Invite Friends \| Set Reminder \| More Info
Eco Imprints invites you to join the editors of Dwell magazine and more than 50 design leaders for a 4-day design conference + exhibition + home tours where you can exchange ideas with the people and companies driving innovation and change in the modern world.

Immerse yourself in modern design. CONFERENCE Over 50 cutting-edge architects, planners, and designers together to explore what's going on in the modern world. EXHIBITION Everything you ever wanted to know about modern design in one very big place: 200+ exhibits, a prefab extravaganza plus landscaping, architects, designers and their products, and a lot of other goodies. HOME TOURS Get out of the ivory tower and into some real homes. We've set aside Saturday for single-family homes on the Westside and Sunday for urban dwellings downtown. AFTER HOURS FORDBRADY Gallery Event: Have cocktails and mind meld with conference presenters, Dwell editors, and your new illustrious design buddies at the FORDBRADY Gallery (www.fordbrady.com) on Thursday, June 5th, 6-9pm PST. Dwell/Wacom Live Design Challenge and Party at MoCA: Attend this groundbreaking design challenge event; where sketches will be projected onto the 70 foot plazas wall of MoCA (www.moca.org) on Friday, June 6th, 6-9pm PST. Open bar provided by 360 Vodka and IZZE.

TICKET AND COUPON REDEMPTION To redeem your coupon codes for the Conference or Exhibition, please click on the Registration button and enter one of the following codes: Discounted Conference ($50 Off): GRP22SP Free Exhibition: BDODEC



CONFERENCE: JUNE 5-6 / EXHIBITION: JUNE 7-8 / HOME TOURS: JUNE 7-8
FORD BRADY GALLERY PARTY: JUNE 5 / LIVE DESIGN COMPETITION AT MOCA: JUNE 6
LA CONVENTION CENTER / DWELLONDESIGN.COM

San Francisco Join's Earth Hour — WWF's Global Energy Saving Promotion

2008-03-31T21:02:00.000-07:00

When we leave our offices after a long day of greening the promotional world, we shut down our computers and turn out the lights. The evening ritual is really pretty easy, and it makes our monthly energy bills a little more bearable.

Many of our neighbors downtown have opted to maintain a tradition of leaving their offices illuminated at night. San Francisco's glowing skyline makes for a romantic view, but it's largely unnecessary and the power plants that keep those pretty lights shining produce greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

This weekend San Francisco was among 35 major cities worldwide to participate in Earth Hour, a worldwide campaign sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund to highlight the threat of climate change. This great grassroots program encouraged individual households, corporations and government offices to go dark for at least an hour. According to WWF officials, up to 10 million people participated. Lights were dimmed from the Golden Gate Bridge (see inset), to the Sydney Opera House, to Rome's Colosseum, to Buddhist Temples in Thailand.

During the event here in San Francisco, more than 6,000 free compact flourescent lightbulbs were given away to promote the importance of energy efficiency. Nice little swag tie-in. Eco-conscious Bay Area based search engine, Google, found a way to promte Earth Hour to millions of visitors worldwide. All day long, Google users encountered reverse type against a black background and these words: "We've turned the lights out. Now it's your turn."

Some were skeptical about the effectiveness of an event encouraging people to turn out their lights for an hour. Indeed, the energy savings is a drop in the bucket. But the event is a wonderful way to get people involved and raise awareness about the links of excess energy usage to producing greenhouse gases. Besides, sometmes it's fun to be in the dark. We applaud the WWF and all participants for a world class sustainable promotion that created a great vibe, generated buzz, and didn't require any cheap plastic giveaways.

Recycled Circuit Board Products

2008-03-22T23:56:00.000-07:00

Hidden inside our computers are components of brilliantly colored shapes and intricate patterns. Saved from the landfill and given a second life, these pieces reveal a beauty that would otherwise go unnoticed. Here's the work of a local artist that creates wonderful circuit board jewelry and keychains from a variety of computer components. We've also sourced dozens of cool and useful recycled circuit board items including business card holders, coasters, luggage tags, mousepads, clip boards, journal covers, and more.

Despite progress made over the last few years, computer related waste remains a global and local problem. Turning that waste into useful products is one way to solve the challenge. To find more recycled circuit board products, check here. To learn more about the broader issue of trashing your PC in an eco-friendly way, go here.

Reebok Fined $1 Million For Toxic Promotional Bracelet that Resulted in Child's Death

2008-03-18T20:41:00.000-07:00

Despite high-profile recalls and more and more alarmingly toxic products making their way into the consumer marketplace, some promotional marketers still choose to avoid scrutinizing the sometimes dangerous materials used in producing custom branded merchandise.

In an altogether avoidable tragedy, athletic shoe and apparel giant Reebok agreed last week to pay a $1 million fine for distributing a promotional charm bracelet which resulted in the death of a four-year-old boy from Minneapolis. The fine is the largest ever paid for a violation of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. It sheds light on the dangers of the many cheaply produced promotional products distributed in the United States without proper testing or consideration of the damage they can cause humans and the environment. The charm bracelet (pictured above), was distributed as a free gift with the purchase of Reebok children's footwear. It included a heart-shaped pendent containing toxic levels of lead which was swallowed by the boy. The death resulted in a recall of 510,000 of the Chinese-made pendants that were distributed worldwide beginning in May 2004. Reebok denied violating federal law when it signed the agreement last week.

Elite Athletes Creating a "Green Power" Movement

2008-03-17T22:00:00.000-07:00

The Sustainability movement has been growing among elite athletes who desire a clean, non-toxic environment in which to compete — and stay healthy. Look for a cool sustainable schwag campaign to make a statement about climate change at the notoriously polluted site of the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Tonight our friends at GreenLaces.org threw a fun, festive and super green St. Paddy's Day extravaganza to advance their mission of building global environmental consciousness through sports at the Beijing Olympics and beyond. Founded by an amazing group of world class athletes and headed by former Stanford soccer star, Natalie Spilger, GreenLaces is non-profit working to establish a unified international presence for sustainability through its website and a growing lineup of supporters. Their plan is to use the iconic power and spirit of great athletes and international competition to promote the importance of a united global fight against climate change.

Exactly 40 years ago the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, African-American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos created an international stir when they raised their gloved fists in a black power salute during their medal ceremony for the 200 meter dash. For the 2008 Olympics, we may see another gesture from athletes uniting around another critical social issue -- global warming.

GreenLaces will be distributing thousands of specially-designed shoe laces made of recycled plastic soda bottles. Athletes and patrons will wear them as a show of support. At the Greenlaces Party at Temple NightClub in San Francisco's SOMA, the most popular way to wear green laces was on the wrist. World class athletes are being recruited to incorporate GreenLaces on their footwear. While perhaps not quite as dramatic as the black power salute, the fashion and promotional possibilities are endless.

We are proud to support and help the Greenlaces cause, and urge you to check our Greenlaces.org to learn more and join the movement. Whether you're an stellar athlete or a certified couch potato, it's time we all unite and promote Green Power to the people!

Walmart CEO: "We Are Not Green"

2008-03-14T12:01:00.000-07:00

It's clear that Walmart has made significant green strides over the past several years. However, during this week's ECO:nomics Conference in Santa Barbara, California, CEO Lee Scott Jr. discussed his company's greening efforts. During his address, Scott covered how the retail giant is trying to reduce its carbon footprint, but he also noted that Walmart has more work to do on the issue. Scott also made it clear that the waste reducing, energy conserving steps taken by Wal-Mart are business decisions.

“We are not green,” he told conference attendees.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Scott spoke about Wal-Mart’s efforts to reduce, cardboard, packaging and the amount of plastic in bottled water. However…

The impetus for the company in doing all this isn’t just to please environmentalists, he said, but more to save money.“ It really is about how you take cost out, which is waste,” he said. The savings by taking out wasted material helps keep prices low for Wal-Mart’s customers, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck. Indeed, Mr. Scott – in remarks to reporters after his talk – said the current economic slump is prodding Wal-Mart even more to undertake its waste-reduction program. “When is a better time?,” he said.

- WSJ

Happy Birthday, Peace Symbol

2008-02-19T14:59:00.000-08:00

Few graphic icons are as recognizable as the peace symbol. This week is the 50th birthday of the classic mark, which was originally created by an English commercial artist and anti-nuclear activist named Gerald Holtom. There’s also a cool website to commemorate it. Lots of artists have submitted their personal takes on the peace sign. You can find the custom-brandable, biodegradable, 100% organic bamboo compressed mini towels bearing the peace symbol here. Happy birthday, peace!

Eco Umbrellas

2008-02-18T20:58:00.000-08:00

The five-day forecast predicts more rain here in San Francisco and climate change seems to keep us all guessing when it's gonna stop. Good time to break out the new Eco Umbrella we just sourced. It's a stylish 48" model with a bamboo shaft and handle and a water-repellent fabric made of 100% recycled PET fabric. The handle has a nice natural feel to it, its lightweight, and has sturdy fiberglass ribs. Good imprint area and affordable. We also have earth friendlier mini umbrellas and golf umbrellas available in black or green, but without the bamboo. And we've sourced some colorful and earthy imported shade umbrellas for summertime.

For info on this product contact us at: Eco Imprints

Words of Wisdom from Louis Armstrong...

2008-02-16T01:33:00.000-08:00

I found this poignant clip of the great Louie Armstrong towards the end of his life introducing -- and then singing -- one of the most beautiful songs ever. It's interesting to get his wisdom on the lyrics of What a Wonderful World, and what they meant to him. Few works of art have better communicated the importance of green leaves and blue skies to humankind. Louis Armstrong was as pure and joyful and authentic as the come. And he sure knew what he was talking about. Enjoy.

The Greening of Events & Trade Shows...

2008-02-10T12:38:00.001-08:00

Great article by Ilana DeBare in today's San Francisco Chronicle about the waste generated from the convention, meeting and event industry. According to the piece, this $107 billion market serves 136.5 million people attending 1.2 million events annually. While there's no clear data on the environmental toll taken from these gatherings, there's no doubt that the millions of plastic name badges, disposable water bottles, bags, styrofoam and plastic food containers and utensils, and promotional giveaways are producing serious negative impacts on our planet.

Our San Francisco firm, Eco Imprints, was established to provide alternative ways to promote events and brand marketing initiatives without inflicting so much environmental damage . We've been involved with dozens of large and small conferences throughout North America in the last few years -- and toured San Francisco's waste management facilities to document the tons of event materials and cheap plastic giveaways headed to landfills. Statistics are one thing, but it's really quite staggering when you see the waste right before your eyes.

Beyond the grievous environmental impact events and their aftermath can have, as brand communications professionals it goes without saying that the garbage dump is not the place you want to see your logo.

Since last year, we've noticed increasing interest from corporate clients and event planners looking to green their events. Clearly the time has come to re-think promotional and event marketing, and we're pleased that this trend is getting more attention.

Check out this comprehensive article, which includes useful tips on greening your events:

Cleaning Up Conventions Article by Ilana DeBare

Grow Your Love on Valentine's Day

2008-02-06T11:39:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe cupid is back again. Happy Valentines Day, people! In addition to acknowledging our romantic partners, it's nice to use this occasion to spread a little love to extended family, friends, colleagues, and clients. Custom seeded cards are a nice way to do just that. We have them for many occasions, and can produce them in special sizes and shapes with custom diecuts. When the holiday is over, just plant the card. It biodegrades and blooms wildflowers in the spring. Good for your relationships. Good for the earth.

Info on this product:

Plastic on the Beach... and Still Flooding the Promo Industry

2008-01-30T13:18:00.000-08:00

It's been raining solid here in San Francisco for a few weeks. After Friday's storm I hiked down to one of my favorite secluded beaches in west Marin County. From the mesa high above the ocean I could see huge logs and other debris washed ashore. I scurried down a muddy trail to have a closer look.

What I found, tangled among the driftwood and seaweed, was a lot of plastic.

Unnatural forms washed in from the Pacific -- in every size, shape and color... bottles, bags, toys, containers, packaging, lighters, filters, pens, parts of shoes, building materials, on and on. Within five minutes I found enough plastic trash to fill a large duffle bag. Unfortunately, it's something we see all too often along the otherwise pristine beaches of the Bay Area and beyond.

Plastic is everywhere in our lives. For many of us, it's not a problem. Most of it ends up in landfills, and well... out of site, out of mind. As a branding guy earlier in my career I helped package and market numerous plastic products in plastic packages. As a consumer, I've bought a lot of plastic crap. I don't feel good about that now, because I know there are other alternatives.

I've learned about those big blobs of plastic floating around our oceans. I've been to the landfills to see where the plastic goes and how long it stays. I've learned how inefficient it is to produce many plastic products, and how it can contaminate our ground water with toxic liquids and residue.

Plastic is a particularly big problem with consumer products, packaging, and promotional marketing. The best way to eliminate the negative impacts associated with producing, using and disposing of plastic, is to reduce its use in consumer products and packaging. Thankfully, a growing number of my marketing and design colleagues are forging change in those areas.

The U.S. promotional product industry, however, has a long ways to go. It's aware of this issue and there is a lot of talk about "going green". But from what we've seen much of the talk is superficial. For example, many product suppliers openly complain about California's Prop 65. And despite last year's well documented and shameful scandal of toxic toys from some Chinese suppliers, the head of the major promotional product trade association recently referred to "alleged problems" with toxic plastic from China in his blog, as if it's all just overblown or a misunderstanding.

The good news is that there are certainly less damaging promotional alternatives today and we have vetted hundreds of promotional goods that meet higher standards of sustainability. The bad news is that plastic still dominates the business. Most clients still want things fast and cheap and too few people in this sales-driven industry seem to want to lose a commission over this issue.

I don't pretend to be perfect and we all make compromises from time to time. But the promotions industry needs to do a much better job recognizing its negative impacts and working to reduce the use of plastic from the top down. I hope my colleagues will come to the same conclusion that I did -- sooner rather than later. All they need to do is stroll on any beach. They may be surprised at the branded plastic stuff the tides bring in.

The Price of Plastic Bags

2008-01-19T10:50:00.000-08:00

San Francisco was among the first major cities to ban the use of plastic bags. And last year, Ikea became the first major retailer to address the plastic bag problem in our country. Ikea now charges its customers 5 cents to use plastic bags. It also sells reusable bags for 59 cents as an alternative to plastic bags.

All proceeds from the bag program are donated to American Forests, a non-profit whose goal is to plant 33,100 trees each year to offset carbon emissions produced by, uh, shoppers driving to and from Ikea stores.

From eco shopping bags, to event totes, to hipster messenger slings, there are now many stylish and affordable options for recycled, reusable, organic, and sustainable bags. We've experienced growing interest in non-plastic bags from the corporate branding leaders, and it's a welcome trend. In fact, they've become so popular some of our suppliers are selling out.

These may seem like small steps, but anything we can do to reduce our dependency on non-renewable resources is certainly worth the effort. If we each do our small part, collectively, we can make a major difference.

To read learn a few more reasons why plastic is worse than you think, check this out: Sea Turtles Don't Shop!

The Future of Promotional Products

2008-01-15T13:55:00.000-08:00

We started ecoimprints.com and the sustainable swag blog to bring a fresh perspective to promotional products and marketing. Our mission is to open minds, to provide news on alternative promotional products, and to offer a greener approach that helps inspire positive change. We see a very different future ahead for the promotional marketing space. The sooner it comes, the better.

We've been involved in the promotional industry on some level for more than 15 years. It's a mature, crowded and largely old school niche that is driven by commissioned sales. There is no doubt that promotional merchandise has helped companies effectively build brands for generations, and there are many good and dedicated people involved in the business. However, the practice has clearly had a detrimental effect on the environment. It's contributed to our throw-away culture and populated the planet with lots of cheap petroleum-based stuff that we don't really need.

There are rumblings within the industry about "going green." While there is still some reluctance to stray from the old ways of doing things, we believe the negative impacts of this form of marketing will eventually be turned around to help mainstream greener products, attitudes and consumption patterns.

Here are a few predictions for positive change ahead:

•Traditional promotional sellers who peddle products on price and through printed catalogs will become increasingly irrelevant. The internet and younger web-savvy buyers will continue to change the game, making the industry more efficient and competitive.

•Some large parts of the industry will actually shrink. There will be less virgin plastic stuff sold across the board, and wasteful giveaways will become a thing of the past. The focus will be on practical and useful goods that leave a relatively light environmental imprint.

•The global sustainability movement and pressure from consumers, employees and investors will force more positive change. Economic self-interest will also play a role. Businesses will be required to operate more responsibly and efficiently. Promotional waste will not be tolerated.

•The "'cradle to cradle" lifecycle of a product will be more scrutinized. There will be more emphasis on the total environmental impact and carbon footprint a promotional product has -- from its materials and design, the way it's manufactured, the distance it must be shipped, the length of its usefulness, and the way it is disposed.

•The scandal of toxic toys and consumer goods imported from China and California's Prop 65 are just the beginning. The alarming effects of the chemicals we're exposed to on a daily basis will be better known and publicized. More domestic and global standards will be created to assure that products are made safer and with less negative impact on the environment and on humans.

The future of promotional products will look a lot less plastic, and a lot more green.

One of the Best Environmental Books Ever (And An Easy Read)

2007-12-21T12:55:00.000-08:00

With two little kiddies at home who treasure our nightly bedtime story ritual, I recently rediscovered The Lorax, a powerful environmental fable first published by Dr. Seuss in 1971. First of all, Dr. Suess rocks. The Lorax has more of an edge than, say, Green Eggs and Ham, but it's become my all-time favorite. With whimsical illustrations and that amazing Seussian rhythm of words, the Lorax has inspired generations of kids and grown ups to consider the impact our culture of consumption has had on the planet and the living things that inhabit it. Check it out. A great gift. You don't need to be a five year old to dig it.

Toyota's Eco-themed Promotional Campaign

2007-12-20T11:00:00.000-08:00

We work in San Francisco and live in beautiful Marin, where the Toyota Prius -- with great fuel efficiency, modern style and smart branding -- is the top selling car of all. The Prius is perceived by progressive-minded locals as waaaaay cooler than a Mercedes or an SUV. Thank gawd.

Toyota Europe's most recent promotional campaign shows how well this brand "gets it". Forsaking the typical sex appeal or automotive hard sell, they instead use metaphor to underscore their difference and remind us of the challenges our planet faces in the coming year and beyond.

In a beautiful TV spot developed by Saatch & Saatchi, a spare kraft gift box marked "FRAGILE" is opened to reveal a delicate Christmas tree ornament that looks just like the planet earth. The ornament is carefully hung on a tree...followed by the words: "The world is in your hands. Treat it well."

Toyota may be an automotive giant that's part of a broader petroleum dependency problem, but more than its peers it has made a concerted effort to reduce the impact its vehicles have on the planet. This initiative has not only helped the brand, but it's helped consumers rethink what they want in a vehicle. They are using the power of good marketing and promotion to change the tired old auto industry -- and ultimately this effort is helping the planet. Beyond its promotional campaigns, we applaud Toyota of America's corporate team for successfully completing a 5-year Environmental Action Plan throughout its U.S. operations, and for immediately launching a new and more comprehensive eco initiative for the next five years.

To paraphrase Marty Neumeier in his excellent book, The Brand Gap: A brand is not a logo, a business card, or a product. A brand is a gut feeling we all have about a product, service, or company. Judging by all the Toyotas I see buzzing around Northern California, many smart progressive people feel good about the Toyota brand and its commitment to the environment.