Spreading Holiday Cheer, Sustainably by Chryso D'Angelo, December 12 2016, 1 Comment

'Tis the season…to dig deep and figure out that one perfect gift which a group—maybe even hundreds—of your employees or clients would love for the holidays.

It’s a toughie.

Many businesses have their standard go-to, like the whimsical water bottle or key chain, but oftentimes, gift items are made of harmful plastics (and derivatives of plastic, Styrofoam, and chemicals that we breath in) that aren’t recyclable. Presenting people with items that will end up in landfills may clash with the core values companies worldwide have established. It's a good thing for the planet that companies are paying more attention now and want to give more environmentally friendly gifts.

EcoPlum Business Gifts offers eco-friendly-swag to help you find something for your employees or clients this season and beyond. These branded gifts and promotional products are high-quality and unique—a far cry from the same-old, same-old.

The unique offerings include upcycled leather coasters, recycled paper journals, and—you got it—stainless steel water bottles. Sustainable products may be eco-friendly, fair trade, organic or made of reclaimed/recycled materials.

Many of EcoPlum's business gift items are produced in a closed-loop manufacturing facility. There is zero waste with a closed-loop process. This includes zero emission and zero water pollution. That means no non-degradable waste is sent to landfills, incinerators or oceans. In closed-loop recycling, materials like metal, plastic, glass, paper, or wood can be used indefinitely without degrading any of its properties. So the product you are giving may be made from recycled materials, but its quality is as good as the original one.

"We only offer sustainable products, unlike many large companies that offer a few eco-friendly products in addition to their massive array of products, many which are made of plastic and end up cluttering our landfills," said Gia Machlin, President and CEO of EcoPlum Business Gifts.

Do the words "biodegradable gifts items" roll of your tongue? Probably not, but give these a try! Some my favorites include the golf tees set, the tote and plantable sustainable pencils! With the golf tees, a few left on the green somewhere will return themselves to nature. After using the pencil to the point (no pun intended) where it’s too small to hold, add it to soil and water and watch what grows. The eraser has been replaced with a special seed capsule that will yield herbs like basil, mint or rosemary. Cool, huh?

EcoPlum has provided sustainable products to consumers since 2008. "Because we focus on sustainability, we know and understand this proposition better than larger suppliers," said Machlin.

"Thinking about what kind of world I want to leave for my children and their children is my motivation," Machlin adds. "We’ve done a fairly good job of creating an environmental mess. I’d like to have a small part in cleaning that up."