We've chosen materials thoughtfully to minimize our environmental footprint while balancing our survival as a new business and other aspects of our mission. Here are some of the what we've done in our first year.
- We use an ethical and local supply chain to reduce deforestation and landfill while also minimizing carbon emissions*
- We have low-waste packaging with a just-right box size, a high-quality and durable resealable bag, and we don’t use shrink wrap
- We use a just-in-time model to avoid overproduction
- We use only repurposed packing material
- We offer free piece replacement for in-stock puzzles to elongate the life of a puzzle
*Our environmental impact is inseparable from the materials that go into our puzzles and packaging and the companies that produce them.
Community Printers produces all of our product boxes, labels, puzzle guides, and puzzle "faces." Environmentally responsible printing is foundational value here, which has endured since the 1970's. They participate in Trees for the Future to plant trees, they recycle everything, and are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.
We use ESKA Chipboard. This board is made from 100% recycled material and ESKA is a zero waste plant with a nearly closed process water system that also generates bio-gas.
We have recently changed the glue that we use. We're moving away from a resin-based glue from East Coast manufacture and moving to a dextrose-based glue of Adhesive Products Incorporated, a family owned and operated company making their glue in Albany, CA.