How green is your eco-friendly bag?

We all want to be eco-friendly. And chances are, if you’ve found this blogpost, you’re doing more than most to help the environment and make the most eco-friendly choices you can. 

But it can be difficult. Eco-friendly is the latest buzzword. And behind buzzwords you’ll always find companies who are jumping on the bandwagon. Who won’t tell you the truth, and try to persuade you they’re ethical without any evidence to back it up.

There aren’t currently any HK laws surrounding the words ‘ethical’ and ‘eco-friendly’ and unfortunately there are plenty of marketing campaigns using these words to boost sales without having the ethos behind them. 

So how do you sort the real eco-friendly products from the pretenders?

Focus on the specifics, and make sure it’s backed up by data

Companies can use phrases like ‘sustainable’ and ‘eco-friendly’ without having to back them up. Unfortunately, it’s up to us as consumers and businesses to ensure they’re following through with these claims before we give them our hard-earned money. 

If a product is made from recycled plastic and materials, they should tell you exactly how much of these materials is used in each product. If the company is claiming to reduce carbon emissions, or offset its carbon footprint, try to find evidence of this as well. 

Any company which can back up its claims will give you the information wherever you buy the product - they won’t be trying to hide anything. 

For example, at Targus, we tell you exactly how many plastic bottles have been recycled to create each product. You can also find details of the recycling process for our eco-friendly backpacks. To create these handy products, we:

• Take recycled bottles
• Reform into plastic pellets
• Convert to yarn
• Weave into material
• Produce Targus EcoSmart bags!

Look for certifications

If you can find official bodies who back up a company’s claims, it’s a good sign they are actually ethical and eco-friendly. At Targus, we care about doing our bit for the environment. But don’t just take our word for it. We’re also Global Recycled Standard certified, as well as bringing in the highest standards of recycling with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). 

Some other certifications to look out for are:

• 1% for the planet
• B Corp
• Carbon Trust
• Certified Carbon Neutral
• Rainforest Alliance
• Soil Association

See if you can find any external criticism 

Googling a company’s name will help you find out if consumers before you have found holes in their eco-friendly claims and products. You won’t always find this, but it’s a good place to start. And it’ll save you time if you can find something straight away. 

Display eco-friendly messaging in all of its messaging

If a company is trying to sell you something eco-friendly as an afterthought, it’s likely that the product will be labelled eco-friendly so it comes up when you specifically search for the term. Or they may just be trying to catch your eye. 

If a company is truly eco-friendly, and is truly selling sustainable products, it will lay out the process on its website, rather than just in the product description. 

At Targus, we shout from the rooftops about our four-pillar approach to creating genuinely sustainable products for our customers.

• Design. Our products are easy to use, they’re built to last, they can be repaired and they can be recycled when they eventually come to the end of their life. 
• Sustainable materials. We use recycled and renewable materials.
• Reuse and recycle. We believe in the re-usability of the products we produce, and we want to help create a circular economy. 
• Communication. No company is perfect when it comes to sustainability. We’re honest in our communications, and we will point you in the right direction to help you find the most eco-friendly option for you. 

To find out more about our eco-friendly office products browse our full range. 

Targus is a company of people. We’re citizens of the world, and we care about leaving the planet better than we found it. Speak to our team today about how we can help your business buy more eco-friendly products.