One of the core values of fair trade is sustainability, people and the planet first. Fair trade organizations employ a number of eco-friendly business practices and adhere to fair trade principle number ten; respect for the environment. When I started Saltbox Sash, environmentally sustainable business practices became a top priority where and when possible. As we continue to grow, we are excited to implement new and innovative ways to reduce our environmental footprint. Here are three ways we strive to be more sustainable.
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Sourcing: Our commitment to sourcing fair trade means many, if not all, products are made with materials that are natural, sustainable, local, or upcycled. For example, our mango wood products are sourced from mango wood trees that no longer produce fruit, making it one of the most ethical and sustainably sourced wood materials. (To learn more about mango wood, see our earlier post here). Artisans practice innovation when designing and creating new products by upcycling materials that might have otherwise ended up in a landfill. Materials such as bike chains, computer parts, fabrics, glass, oil drums, and more are given new life and made into beautiful, functional products for your home. |
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Packaging: Did you know that we save all of our packaging from our vendor shipments to reduce the need for purchasing new materials. That's right, we reuse all that packaging for our order shipments to you, and we donate plastic pillows to our local UPS, leaving nothing to waste. On the rare occasion that we may need new packaging materials, we opt for eco-friendly kraft paper to fill our customer orders. |
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Local In-Person Events & Delivery: As an ecommerce business, the option to connect with our customers in person is limited. However, we have committed to participating in at least one or more local in-person events per month. Not only do we have the opportunity to meet new and familiar faces, but we can minimize the environmental impact since our customers can take their purchases home with them. No shipping necessary. We also offer delivery/pick up to our local customers, decreasing the need for the excess packaging required to protect shipments headed to UPS and minimal travel time for the products. Thank you for taking the time to learn about how we strive to be more sustainable. Check out our in-person event calendar here. |
