At XIC, we continuously evaluate the way we do things while investing in sustainable changes to ensure our operations have minimal impact on the environment. From adding electric vehicles to our fleet, to exploring innovative ways of sustainable printing, we’re proud of the environmental efforts made by our team.
In this blog post, we explore just some of the greener practices we have introduced as well as some client projects that showcase our commitment to a more sustainable world…
Sustainable packaging
We’re fortunate to work with a high volume of clients, but this also means a large amount of protective packaging to carefully deliver their orders. In recent years, our team has taken great steps to ensure our packaging process has minimal impact on the planet, which is why all our orders are delivered in 100% recyclable boxes, including any business cards which are commonly packaged in plastic holders.
Taking it the extra mile, we’ve even made sure our shrink wrap is eco-friendly and free from PVC, meaning our customers can essentially recycle all the packaging once it arrives at their doorstep!
An eco-friendly workplace
Adopting eco-friendly processes isn’t just a tick box exercise, it’s important as it’s becoming a common passion for employees and customers so they feel they’re contributing to a greener planet. With that in mind, we aim to create an environmentally-friendly space at XIC HQ, so we’ve incorporated an up-to-date LED lighting system as opposed to conventional incandescent or fluorescent lights. This vastly lowers the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by our premises, and we also work with the amazing team at One Stop Waste to ensure our toner cartridges are recycled properly. Combined, we’re aiding our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint wherever possible.
Electric fleet
Throughout the year we have introduced two completely electric vehicles to our fleet. Electric vehicles play a predominant role in helping lower our associated emissions, so since our team can be on the road multiple times a day delivering our services to businesses all over the North-east, our drivers prioritise using these vehicles whenever possible.
We’re hoping to add an electric van to our fleet in the near future, so keep your eyes peeled for updates!
Helping our clients go green
It’s not just XIC that benefits from our environmental awareness, as we always encourage our clients to think greener when it comes to design, print and display needs. Inspiring organisations to limit waste, we often find ways to use recycled materials, check out a few examples below…
Kirkwood Homes
A great example of this commitment is our project with Kirkwood Homes, which was looking to replicate the look and feel of a traditional newspaper for its first edition of the “Kirkwood Times”. Each copy of this unique printout used Nautilus® SuperWhite 100% recycled offset paper which is made completely from recycled consumer waste. The benefit of using XIC for projects like this is that we can stamp merchandise, such as paper, with our environmental credentials such as the Land Trust logo which we are a part of.
Proserv
It’s not just recycled paper that we can make use of when creating sustainable products – we recently worked with Proserv to create eco-friendly notebooks. Using bamboo for the front and back covers, while filling the notebooks with recycled Kraft paper, we were able to deliver the client a completely sustainable product without compromising on quality.
Caledonian Optical
Up-cycling preloved items into promotional material is a brilliant way to not only limit waste, but save money too. For example, Duncan and Todd’s lens manufacturing laboratory, Caledonian Optical, needed help revamping its exhibition stand for an event. To do this, we up-cycled a wooden cabinet in our factory before applying a branded vinyl, resulting in an eye-catching product for the event which looked as good as new.
It’s not just furniture that this technique can be used on, up-cycling is also very common with roller banners. When clients contact us in need of new ones, our team will always check to see if they have previous stock that can be recycled to stop the collateral from going straight to landfill. By allowing XIC to reuse the metal elements of the banner and to just replace the graphic, the client will even benefit from a lower overall cost.
Are you looking for sustainable marketing materials?
We’re experts in design, print and display solutions that are guaranteed to leave a lasting impression, but, we’re also creative thinkers that strive to find a more green way of making unique marketing materials. With this in mind, we partnered with the World Land Trust and in 2022, we actually balanced the equivalent of 18,060kg of the carbon dioxide related to our paper tonnage, enabling the organisation to help protect 3396m2 of critically threatened tropical forests.
Do you want to find out more about the “creative printer”?
