The Fallacy of Biodegradable Graphic Materials

We often hear from clients of the need for us to print graphics on "biodegradable" materials. In fact one of our Vancouver-based graphic competitors has information on their website showing a scientific study that highlights the biodegradable properties of their banner material. I spend a great deal of my time educating purchasers about the "green washing" that is going on in our industry. A really fascinating snippet from "The Garbage Project" by W.L. Rathje highlights the fallacy of Biodegradable materials:

"Another set of findings from the Garbage Project's digs underscores, especially for the public, the need to recycle and compost materials to keep them out of refuse. Many people have assumed that organic materials, such as newspapers, simply biodegrade in landfills. The recovery of 2,425 datable, readable newspapers from landfill excavations dramatically changed that view, especially since the relative proportion of newspapers varied little between materials deposited anywhere from five to forty years before exhumation and in environments which received anywhere between 11 and 80 inches of rain a year. The one exception was Fresh Kills Landfill that was started in 1948 when refuse was deposited in a tidal swamp on Staten Island with no liner. Under these conditions, refuse layers from the late 1940s and from the 1950s are now largely devoid of organic materials, including newspapers."

THE GARBAGE PROJECT & "THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF US" by W.L.Rathje

 

The focus of manufacturers should be on recycling of materials and not trying to convince clients that they will biodegrade in a landfill. Clearly, if newspapers did not degrade anywhere from five to fourty years, how can we expect graphic printing materials to do so quicker. The Portables is working on solutions that are based on scientific research that try and keep materials out of the landfill. I will keep you informed as to how we are progressing.

Distribution of Trade Show Literature

Submitted by Brian Keobke CME

The type and style of literature you give away at shows can really impact your budget. Careful consideration needs to be given to your approach.

According to the Center for Exhibit Industry Research (CEIR) 72 percent of brochures distributed at trade shows are never looked at. At the same time, brochures represent one of the biggest expenses in your trade show budget. With an average brochure costing anywhere from $2.00 to $5.00 your staff can quickly give away thousands of dollars in material that is read by less than 30 percent of the people who receive it!

If this percentage of discarded material seems high I encourage you to look at the garbage cans near the exit of any exhibit hall when you're leaving. These garbage cans may account for half of the brochures that are thrown out, the other half gets thrown out when people get back to their hotel room and start packing their luggage. It's not a hard decision for most people when over-stuffing a suitcase to decide whether to take home their clothes and souvenirs or brochures from a show.

With these thoughts in mind you should:

• Only distribute brochures to qualified leads.
  

• Placing all of your materials on a CD is convenient for your clients and cost effective.
  

• Don't leave your expensive brochures out to be picked up by all visitors.
  

• Mark your best brochures or product guides as "Exhibit Copy" and if someone still requests it you can retrieve a copy from storage.
  

• A less expensive brochure is usually more suitable for trade show distribution -typically a one page handout sheet that shows an overview of your product line and directs them to your web site for more information.
  

• A more effective way of the distributing brochures may be to offer your potential client the convenience of mailing the brochure to them after the show. Most clients will gladly provide their contact information knowing that they are going to get something from your company and will not have to carry the materials home with them.
  

  
  

  Do you have a strategy for brochures that you would like to share with the industry? If so please do so by using the form below.