Spacepig Press is a pretty tiny affair, and while I can rant about discuss for ages the individual consumer-choice based approach to conservation efforts as opposed to the actually needed systemic changes, we do what we can to not exacerbate the climate crisis and use our business dollars in a responsible way. So! Here are a few things about Spacepig Press & our products.
Materials & Packaging
- All cards and stationery are printed on 100% cotton paper—tree-free, made from reclaimed fibers.
- Envelopes are from French Paper, a company that's been using their own hydro power since 1922, manufactured in the US. Their Kraft envelopes, the bulk of what Spacepig uses, are 100% PCW recycled material.
- Cards are packaged in plant-based, compostable sleeves. The sleeves are ASTM D 6400 and DIN EN 13432 certified, which means they'll break down in a commercial composting facility. If your area offers composting, check to make sure they'll accept them (my Sacramento folks are good to go, I checked for you!). The material is PLA (polylactic acid) which is usually made from corn or sugar cane.
- Repurposed, reused, & recycled boxes are squirreled away in every nook and cranny of the studio to cut down on “new” shipping supplies.
Process
- Petunia is fully manual and human-powered, so we’re not running power hungry machines.
- We use low VOC solvents, clean and reuse our rags.
- Paper scraps get reused into oblivion and then composted or recycled.
The Studio
- As of 2023, Spacepig HQ is solar powered!
- The studio is full of second hand furniture and equipment (shout out to the previous owners of this house who left THE PERFECT WORKBENCH in the garage).
- Petunia herself is 100 years old.
- And best of all: the "commute" is a stroll across the yard.
Giving Back
Things We Want To Improve
- I'm constantly researching alternatives to the Kraft + plastic used to package our boxed sets. I tried sealed compostable cello bags but they don’t hold up well enough for retail, and rip super easily when opening. One of these days I’ll find something that’s attractive, durable, and displays the products properly, that doesn't hike the product cost ridiculously high (a girl can dream).
- As Spacepig grows, I’ll be able to order materials in larger quantities, decreasing shipments and the associated climate costs.
- I'd love to offer un-sleeved cards, and have started shipping some DTC orders without them.
We can always do better. Shit's complicated and none of us is perfect and most "green" lifestyle marketing is... generally capitalist bullshit.
