I've been working on implying sustainability in my small business from the absolute beginning. My art is heavily inspired by nature and forest creatures, so I've been in this sort of mindset when it comes to it. It's not always easy, especially if you live in a country where sustainable materials are not only not easy to find, but also quite expensive. So here are some of my tips and the things I do to be more ecologically friendly with my work.
1. Say no to nylon/ cellophane
I have never used nylon for my packaging. I know it is useful, especially for protection for art prints and paper goods, but here are some other things you could do:
Use paper bags and paper materials for your packaging
Use biodegradable cellophane
Reuse whatever you can!
From the start, I have been using paper bags and paper slips for my packaging. I would decorate with my stamp, twine string, or stickers, to make it look prettier and not like a lunch bag. For attaching my labels to my clothing items, I would also use string instead of plastic.
When it comes to the cellophane - especially if you often go to art fairs and artist alleys, it is a pretty good solution to keep your art prints protected, I know. But bio-degradable cellophane has been around for a while now, and it has become easily accessible! I would recommend researching eco-friendly packaging and cellophane manufacturers in your country and make the step to switch to using such materials!
I would also do my best to reuse whatever I can. For example, whenever I receive a package that is filled with those paper scraps in order to protect it from damage I would always keep those in case I would need them! Or if you have bigger paper scraps left from a project, don't throw them out! You could cut them into squares and make thank-you notes for your orders! You get where I am going with that, try to keep whatever might come in handy for order prep, it could potentially also save you some money on top of being sustainable!
2. Use your materials to the max!
Make sure you use your supplies to the maximum! Use your paint until there's nothing left there and take good care of your brushes so they would last you longer. Something else I do is when I am creating the layout for my stickers on the sheet before printing, is to put small stickers in between the large ones so I would use up my sticker paper to its maximum. Find what applies to your niche and materials and maximize their life and use!
3. Shop local
Transportation leaves a serious carbon footprint, so shopping local would not only support your local suppliers but be more ecologically friendly. Choosing to pick up whenever you could double up on your sustainability practice!
Shopping local has a social aspect to it too- you would create a relationship with the seller which could be mutually beneficial. They could also share about their own sustainability practices!
4. Use sustainable materials
I would always thoroughly research the materials I am planning to use. How are they sourced, where do they come from, what is their quality like and how ecologically friendly they are?
For my textiles, I would use fabric that is of high quality and ethically sourced and sustainable. My products are made of either recycled or organic cotton and are certified. Even for my inks and chemicals, I try to find a greener option.
5. Proper disposal
Separate waste bins have been everywhere for ages now, and it is super easy to recycle that way! Art could produce a significant amount of waste, so disposing of properly is something important to look into.
*Make sure you don't throw away paper that has greasy substances on it since that could ruin the whole batch of paper in the bin. It is non-recycble!
On top of dividing waste into the categories of paper, plastic and glass, if you are using any chemicals or anything considered hazardous waste, you should handle it in a specific way.
Substances you might not know are considered hazardous waste:
Oil-based paints
Solvents, such as paint thinner, turpentine, toluene, xylene
Ceramic glazes that contain metals
Some photographic chemicals
Bases and acids - Materials with a pH of less than 2 or more than 12.5 are considered hazardous waste
If you use any of those, or something else that I missed, in your niche - do a quick research on how to properly dispose of it. One of the main things about those is to not pour them in the drain, or undergo a process before throwing them in the regular trash. For example, oil-based paints may be combined with solvents and linseed oil for disposal.
I would recommend substituting with a less hazardous material whenever possible. Not all, but some substances are now having more ecologically friendly substitutes. For example, in my screen printing practice, I use sustainable inks for printing.
6. Be as paperless as possible
No matter how ecological paper is, no paper is the most sustainable option. That is why I am trying to cut as much of my paper use whenever I can. I know this could sound ridiculous from someone who mostly makes paper products, but I will clarify now. You could start with documents and billing.
I use digital invoices instead of paper ones when working with clients
My online shop customers would also receive their payment invoice via e-mail instead of getting it on paper with their order
For my client contracts- more and more of them are now agreeing on working with digital contracts and online signatures!
There would be cases where you would need to use paper anyway. What you could do is get some sustainably sourced recycled paper and print on both sides. And even better if you find a local vendor!
These are my main tips for developing sustainable habits for your small business. I am sure with time I would learn and start implying more and more green practices. I hope this was helpful! If you have other practices in mind that you could recommend, I would love to read about them in the comments!