When I tell you that my stickers are made in France from recycled vinyl, I'm not joking! But revealing the names of your suppliers is apparently not a common thing... But what if it was?
When you're an artist, it's not always easy to find a supplier who can bring your designs to life. Personally, what I look for in my suppliers is the sharing of my values, the possibility of ordering small quantities and the location. Of course, the cost is important, but I'd rather pay more for something that's made close to home, with the environment in mind, than have it made on the other side of the planet. That's why, for now at least, there are no enamel pins or washi tape in my collections!
What's behind my stickers
A French company that shares my values: not just because they're called StickerGreen, no no, there's a real approach behind it, and it's transparent. Greenwashing, not for us!
But as well as being a company I appreciate, the people behind it know how to take care of their partners. They wanted their customers to benefit from the visibility of their site, so Valentin wrote a lovely article about Leegloo. Tears were not far away, it's not every day you find yourself featured on your manufacturer's site! 🥺
What's an “ eco-friendly” sticker?
At StickerGreen, the vinyl used for their stickers is made from recycled plastic, mainly from plastic bottles. This choice of material limits the consumption of new plastic and reduces their carbon footprint.
Today, their stickers are made from 23% recycled bottles. Their ambition is to increase this to 60%, and I can't wait to see them achieve this goal!
Efforts are made beyond the supply of raw materials, including the payment of a portion of their sales to charities, as well as the compensation of kilometers traveled by orders in an attempt to achieve carbon neutrality. 💚
The quality of recycled stickers
Just because StickerGreen uses vinyl made from recycled bottles doesn't mean the quality is inferior. Their stickers are water, scratch and UV-resistant.
With white or transparent backgrounds, cut to shape or in sheets, the choice is wide. You can also add a laminate on top: an extra layer to extend the life of the sticker (especially if it's going to be washed or touched regularly).
Where is it made?
What's the point of making eco-friendly stickers if they come from the other side of the planet? StickerGreen makes its stickers in France, in Jarnac (Nouvelle-Aquitaine). That's near Angoulême, if you like comics!
When it comes to shipping, once again, we share the same values. All stickers are sent in letters, larger or smaller depending on the size of the order. Zero plastic. Not instagrammable packaging, but 100% recyclable with only the essentials. And I love that!
How to find suppliers who share your values?
What's important to me when I choose my manufacturers is first and foremost their approach!
Is it the same as mine? Waste reduction? Reuse and/or recycle of materials? Use of more environmentally-friendly materials?
Their location also counts. Obviously, if a printer is two blocks from me and offers a similar service and approach than the one three regions away, it makes more sense for me to use the one next door!
My list of suppliers, with free access!
I spent weeks (yes, weeks) browsing Google pages, searching with different keywords, calling manufacturers and retailers to check their website information and find out more about the location of their warehouse(s). In all, I think I spent 2 whole weeks, alternating between research and calls.
But thanks to all this hard work, I now have a list of suppliers located in France and Europe ready to use whenever I need to make a product. And what's great is that I don't like keeping secrets, so this list is available for free, with no need to register anywhere, just click on this link! The comments (and my mailbox) are open if you feel like adding names to the list. 😊
Because I think manufacturing in France and Europe should be a reflex when you're in France (and Europe) yourself! We have many talented manufacturers, it's not necessarily much more expensive, and we save so many resources while valuing what's close to us.
My favorite suppliers
I obviously have my favorite manufacturers. There's StickerGreen for stickers, I think you got it. 😋
The majority of my printing is done at Realisaprint, in France. In addition to the provenance of their paper, their certified inks and the absence of over-packaging, their actions (both on-site and off-site) are numerous and convinced me to work with them on a regular basis.
My wooden items (pins, tree ornaments) are made in Spain at Pawprint, which does not overpack orders and uses wood from sustainably managed forests in Europe.
