Monadnock Paper Mills Inc., Bennington, N.H., USA, a producer of technical/specialty and printing and packaging papers, this week announced its membership in the Gift Card Network and its educational committee to raise awareness of the benefits of forest materials as alternatives to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and bio-plastics (i.e. PLA) for gift card programs. Monadnock, along with fellow manufacturers of sustainable card materials, will contribute educational resources and drive discussions around ecological options for card production.
"We are proud to welcome Monadnock to the Gift Card Network membership," said Matt Davies, Gift Card Network founder and director. "As one of the major players in the new technologically-advanced paper card industry, Monadnock brings support to our efforts to empower merchants in finding new ways to innovate their gift card programs for the benefit of consumers."
Monadnock notes that consumers are increasingly seeking brands that demonstrate corporate social responsibility and are holding them accountable by demanding that concrete, meaningful actions be taken to implement environmental practices. A greener gift card program, it adds, is an opportunity to significantly reduce environmental impacts, with about 3 billion gift cards generated each year, 99% of which are made of non-renewable plastic.
"Sustainability is ingrained in our everyday business practices and is represented in our high-quality paper solutions, which offer a renewable and recyclable alternative to plastic," said Jim O'Rourke, senior manager, Monadnock Paper Mills. "Our participation in the Gift Card Network and its educational committee is consistent with our plastic replacement strategy and demonstrates our commitment to empowering retailers with the knowledge and materials necessary to live up to their corporate social responsibility standards and to enhance brand loyalty among eco-conscious consumers."
More information about the Gift Card Network is available online.
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