Reducing Plastic In A Framing Business.

[Not your average framer]

I know that there is some of these new biodegradable packaging products about, but a lot of the old fashioned stuff that people used to use before all this plastic packaging came along is still obtainable at much lower prices. I may be wrong about this, but it seems to me that anything that is new to the market place and can be marketed as biodegradable is automatically jacked up to an unnecessarily higher price.

I'm not planning on playing that game, so I'm looking at some economically priced corrogated cardboard and to stop the cardboard from scuffing the frame finish, it might be wrapped in brown craft paper off a roll first. Also I plan to replace using sellotape, with some very cheap and cheerfull masking tape, which my local hardware shop sells as 4 rolls for one pound.

It's cheap as chips and still ticks all the right boxes, so that will do! I'm thinking about ordering the corrogated cardboard on a roll from a framing supplier while at the same time ordering mouldings and therefore getting the whole order covered within their standard delivery charge at the same time as the mouldings.

[Justintime]

I noticed Centrado are doing a biodegradable bubble wrap.

More details here https://centrado.co/newsletters/centrad ... june-2019/

Yes, most packaging wholesalers have jumped on this as it gives them some eco kudos.
Apparently by the additional of a certain chemical, they have produced a plastic that will naturally break down/compost, into micro plastic. It's not, as some believe, a harmless or plant based product. It simply turns from one piece of plastic into many many more
Once my supply of bubblewrap is exhausted, I'm going to tryout the paper "bubble" wrap. (sorry if I'm repeating myself.)

[cleaver]

Maybe we should all only produce distressed frames? Then, no packaging required, as anyknocks and scrapes will only enhance the look (I'm already doing my bit with dodgy corners.)

It'll also mean no more stress on framers when moulding turns up with dings on it. Plus, store it on the floor & kick it around a bit.

Only kidding, JT.....good on you for taking this stance

[Not your average framer]

How many of you have a location within your workshop to undertake packaging simply and effectively, plus how do you do it. When I get round to doing that bit, the might be a bit of broom handle fitted under one of the benches, so I can hang a roll of corrogated cardbord, ready for use. That's assuming that I have enough space left to do this. My previous shop was small, but my present shop is even smaller, so this might be a challenge to find the space.

[Steve N]

we use grey plastic mailing bags to send out our mail orders, I just been on ebay to compare prices
500 plastic mailing bags 12"x14" just under £32.00

500 brown paper mailing bags slightly smaller size (only 4 sizes to choose from) over £200.00 !

So will have to look at something else, such as using paper mountcard bags, stripping down to a useful size

We could do with Larson Juhl and Daler to supply their mountcards in paper bags such as Slater Harrison/ColourMount/ or Simon's Key Range

[Justintime]

Crescent USA are now marketing their new "not foam" board, going to check with Wessex whether they'll be supplying it.

[Not your average framer]

we use grey plastic mailing bags to send out our mail orders, I just been on ebay to compare prices
500 plastic mailing bags 12"x14" just under £32.00

500 brown paper mailing bags slightly smaller size (only 4 sizes to choose from) over £200.00 !

I think we may be talking about different requirements! I don't need mailing bags, because I don't do mail order. I just talking about plain brown paper bags used for bagging items for normal retail customers. I get stuff like that from my local packaging supplier, the normal cheap ones that they always have in stock are thinner ones for green grocers, but there are thicker ones that they get in to order. They are not carrier type bags, just brown paper bags. I'm not up to date with the latest prices, but they are just a bit heavier weight retail bags.