PAPER  BACK COVERS

The covers of the books are made of high quality sustainable paper. It was an unusual choice not to use some kind of protective covering. I contemplated using a biodegradable soft touch laminate on a cheaper paper substrate but it didn’t feel like the right choice. I learnt that in the making of the biodegradable laminate harmful emissions can be given off and I felt like those of us using the journal would prefer a more natural, high quality feel anyway. I wasn’t disappointed when I got the paper in my hands – it is so tactile and beautiful to touch, you can almost feel the life it once had in it! The paper is made in the UK and has a low environmental impact in its manufacture. It is made from virgin pulp, and is FSC accredited- meaning it is sourced from forests where trees are replaced or allowed to regenerate naturally.

PAPER BACK ECO -COVER

From Waste to Wonder! Our green eco-cover (Stevie to its friends) goes one step further and is made from UK coffee cups that were otherwise destined for landfill. A special process separates the plastic from the paper which then gets recycled into this beautiful high quality tactile material.

INNER PAGES

The pages are all made with brilliant white high quality 160gsm paper that is PEFC (Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) certified and carbon neutral.  The PEFC requires all its members to achieve a Chain of Custody certification and benchmarks the forestry standards across Europe.

FOIL

The Joyous Journal foil is a little touch of magic and I am so pleased at how it has turned out! Foil is a far greener choice than laminates that are most often found on book covers. Stamping foil is a dry, solvent free process and the foil itself is compostable and biodegradable – even the holographic stuff! The only plastic you’ll find in the foiling process is the 0.012mm Polyester film which is used as a carrier. During the foiling process, the polyester is removed (with laminates they become an integral part of the packaging). The supplier I am using here has a Zero Foil to Landfill policy which means that the waste film is converted into solid recovered fuel (SRF) and then used by the cement industry as a replacement for fossil fuels.

RIBBONS

I have chosen to use Acetate Satin ribbons inside The Joyous Journal. Truthfully, I made a compromise on the design here for the green credentials. The Acetate Satin is very very slightly less shiny than its polyester counterparts and has a slightly stiffer feel. It has a shine on one side, and a woven matt underside.  It is manufactured using wood pulp and is made from Cellulose which is a sustainable product that will biodegrade.

BINDING

Rather than the traditional hot melt glue methods that use plastic and emit harmful toxins The Joyous Journal is OTA Bound which means is it put together using cold glue and then thread with cotton. This means that the manufacturing process is longer than you might expect as the glue takes longer to dry but it is a water based glue, so will also biodegrade.  The other thing I love about this binding is that it ensures that The Joyous Journal lies flat at 180 degrees so the colouring in is seamless across double page spreads and it is so comfortable to write on, you never get distracted by its position.

BOOK WRAPS

All my packaging comes from the same supplier who specialises in eco packaging. The Eco-Book Wraps that we use are made from sustainably sourced materials and are biodegradable, recyclable and plastic free. I had to compromise here as these wraps are not carbon neutral. I tried my best but it just worked out cost prohibitive to make that choice given the volumes I am purchasing in.  I hope that  as The Joyous Journal spreads is magic I can create in larger quantities allowing me to make the switch to a Carbon Neutral solution. Green Goals!

BELLY BANDS

Our belly bands are printed on  FSC accredited paper and are the only part of the packaging that is coated. The coating is clay based and recyclable and biodegradable.

TISSUE PAPER

I chose white Tissue paper because I couldn’t find any coloured that was made from sustainable materials. The tissue paper your books come wrapped in is made from sustainable materials, recyclable, biodegradable and plastic free.

STICKERS

All our sticker designs are fully biodegradable and printed with vegan ink.

CARDS

Our thank you and gift cards are all printed on FSC certified paper, printed with vegetable ink and uncoated. They are fully recyclable and biodegradable.

SEED GIFTS

The seed gifts were lovingly sourced and hand packed by me, here at  Joy Towers. I had intended to buy these but the supplier I was lined up to use dropped a bomb at the last minute as I discovered the seed packets would have been made of plastic.  I figured I could probably find a way to do it cheaper and greener myself….turns out I could!  The seed bags are  made from Glassine which is a recyclable and biodegradable substrate. It is a smooth and glossy paper that is air, water and grease resistant. Do note that glassine is not fully waterproof. If a glass of water spills on it, water will seep through. I decided that was a risk worth taking as our packages are dry and hopefully they’ll keep safe until planted. The card is FSC accredited, printed with vegetable ink and is uncoated so fully recyclable.

TAPE

Where I need to use tape I use paper tape or Sellotape’s recycled plastic tape and use it as sparingly as possible!