OUR SUSTAINABLE APPROACH

When we started KIN.DER we knew we wanted to do things differently and find new approaches towards achieving sustainability for the planet and our business. This perspective is embedded in our day to day and it's a constant quest for responsibility and improvement.

We use, almost exclusively, recycled paper and card and all our digital ink cartridges are sent of to be recycled when they run out. Our risograph printer is very eco-friendly. It uses soy-based inks, very little electricity and is super economical. We recycle or reuse all discarded paper and card.

It's no secret that the screen printing industry isn't particularly kind to the planet. Over many years the race to the bottom to provide the cheapest prices and fastest turnaround has meant that most print shops and factories neglect the environmental impact this is having across the world.

Here are some of the things we have implemented in the screen printing side of the business since we formed the company:

- We use only water-based inks and have recently moved to using, almost exclusively, Permaset inks which are the only Soil Association approved inks in the business. Most screen printers use plastisol inks which, you guessed it, are made from plastic particles.

- We don't use any harmful chemicals in our clean-up, sourcing non-toxic and biodegradable solutions from reputable suppliers.

- The garments we choose for our own brand and designs are made from 100% organic cotton, are certified Fair Wear and PETA vegan approved. We also encourage our customers towards using these products whenever possible.

- We use biodegradable paper tape to seal our boxes for shipping.

- Recycling and reusing is a big focus. We store many things that would normally be discarded in order to use them for test prints and cleaning.

There is always more we can do and we constantly assess our methods looking for eco-friendly improvements and solutions. We hope this ethical and thoughtful approach will be implemented by more screen printers going forward as the concern for the climate and our planet becomes even more essential than it already is.