Our Environmental Policy

Introduction

At The Writing Desk we recognise our responsibility to minimise the potential of causing harm to the environment and strive to sustain and improve the environment through the careful consideration of our product selection and packaging material. At the heart of our business are fountain pens which are the ultimate reusable durable writing instrument. Not only will the use of a refillable pen cut down on landfill waste, they become treasured items and sometime even heirlooms.

How we pack products

There is no getting away from the need to package pens and bottled ink up carefully so that parcels withstand the rigour of the postal system but we are always mindful to keep waste to a minimum and use materials that you can recycle or reuse to reduce superfluous wastage.

From the very start over 20 years ago we have always used a product called Eco-Flo which is made from GM free starch and is 100% biodegradable. Unlike all other loose fills Eco Flo is compostable and independently proven to offer better all round protection than polystyrene loose fill.

Even though we used part recycled bubble wrap (which in turn was fully recyclable) we ditched this completely a while ago in favour of recycled embossed card wrap. We are always on the look out for environmentally responsible packaging alternatives.

Recycled packaging

In addition we reuse or recycle the packaging that we receive in our suppliers deliveries. We still have a few suppliers who use polystyrene chips but they are few these days. Rather than throw these away chips we may use them to pack your order so at the very least the chips have had a second use (they also make good drainage when placed in the base of plant pots and are lighter than stones). We reuse any boxes and bubblewrap wherever we can and we encourage our customers will reuse or recycle them too. Any packaging material we can't re-use is always recycled.

You can select recycled packaging when you check-out on our website and if this option is chosen we would select 100% re-used or re-cycled packaging materials. However, even if you don't deliberately select recycled packaging, we still aim to re-use whatever packaging materials we have available in preference to new material.

Our packaging suppliers

Where we purchase our packaging supplies is important too; it is not always about getting the cheapest product. We purchase 99% of our packaging from Rajapack which is an ethically responsible company with a commitment to environmentally friendly packaging. The RajaPack foundation also supports charitable projects for women who are at risk of violence, injustice and poverty around the world. Through education, training and equipment these women are given opportunities to learn environmental protection practices and sustainable methods to provide for families and communities.