Sustainability Education Centre
LEARN MORE ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY…
You may see us using some of the following terms in our communications. Here’s what they mean:
Climate Change
Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. These shifts may be natural, such as through variations in the solar cycle. But since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas. Source: United Nations
Global Warming
Global warming is the long-term heating of Earth’s surface observed since the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning, which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in Earth’s atmosphere. Source: NASA
Pre-Industrial Levels
When talking about the Paris Agreement and Global Warming, we often see the term ‘pre-industrial levels’. In principle, ‘pre-industrial levels’ could refer to any period of time before the start of the industrial revolution. But the number of direct temperature measurements decreases as we go back in time. Defining a ‘pre-industrial’ reference period is, therefore, a compromise between the reliability of the temperature information and how representative it is of truly pre-industrial conditions. Some pre-industrial periods are cooler than others for purely natural reasons. This could be because of spontaneous climate variability or the response of the climate to natural perturbations, such as volcanic eruptions and variations in the sun’s activity. The IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C uses the reference period 1850–1900 to represent pre-industrial temperature. This is the earliest period with near-global observations and is the reference period used as an approximation of pre-industrial temperatures in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report.
Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels are made from decomposing plants and animals. These fuels are found in the Earth’s crust and contain carbon and hydrogen, which can be burned for energy. Coal, oil, and natural gas are examples of fossil fuels. Source: National Geographic.
Greenhouse Gas
Water vapour is the biggest overall contributor to the greenhouse effect. However, almost all the water vapour in the atmosphere comes from natural processes. Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide are the major GHGs to worry about. Source: United Nations.
Greenhouse Gas Effect
In a greenhouse, sunlight enters, and heat is retained. The greenhouse effect describes a similar phenomenon on a planetary scale but, instead of the glass of a greenhouse, certain gases are increasingly raising global temperatures. The surface of the Earth absorbs just under half of the sun’s energy, while the atmosphere absorbs 23 per cent, and the rest is reflected into space. Natural processes ensure that the amount of incoming and outgoing energy is equal, keeping the planet’s temperature stable. However, human activity is resulting in the increased emission of so-called greenhouse gases (GHGs) which, unlike other atmospheric gases such as oxygen and nitrogen, becomes trapped in the atmosphere, unable to escape the planet. This energy returns to the surface, where it is reabsorbed. Because more energy enters than exits the planet, surface temperatures increase until a new balance is achieved. Source: United Nations.
Carbon Cycle
Carbon is an essential element for all life forms on Earth. Whether these life forms take in carbon to help manufacture food or release carbon as part of respiration, the intake and output of carbon is a component of all plant and animal life. Carbon is in a constant state of movement from place to place. It is stored in what are known as reservoirs, and it moves between these reservoirs through a variety of processes, including photosynthesis, burning fossil fuels, and simply releasing breath from the lungs. The movement of carbon from reservoir to reservoir is known as the carbon cycle. The carbon cycle is vital to life on Earth. Nature tends to keep carbon levels balanced, meaning that the amount of carbon naturally released from reservoirs is equal to the amount that is naturally absorbed by reservoirs. Maintaining this carbon balance allows the planet to remain hospitable for life. Scientists believe that humans have upset this balance by burning fossil fuels, which has added more carbon to the atmosphere than usual and led to climate change and global warming. Source: National Geographic.
Dynamic Equilibrium
The behaviour of the carbon cycle can be approximate by a dynamic equilibrium, i.e., a situation in which the total amount of carbon entering a store is balanced by the total amount of carbon leaving. As a result, the amount of carbon in the store does not change. Source: Royal Holloway University of London.
Carbon Sinks
Carbon sinks, which are natural (oceans and forests) and artificial deposits (certain technologies and chemicals) absorb and capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and reduce its concentration in the air. Oceans are considered the main natural carbon sinks, as they are capable of absorbing about 50% of the carbon emitted into the atmosphere. Plankton, corals, fish, algae and other photosynthetic bacteria are responsible for this capture. In the case of forests and other woodland areas, carbon sequestration is done through photosynthesis. Plants absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, store some of its carbon content of, and return oxygen to the atmosphere. Source: Sustainability For All.
Carbon Dioxide
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an important heat-trapping gas, or greenhouse gas, that comes from the extraction and burning of fossil fuels (such as coal, oil, and natural gas), from wildfires, and from natural processes like volcanic eruptions. Source: NASA.
Methane
Methane (CH4) is a powerful greenhouses gas with a 100-year global warming potential 28-34 times that of CO2. Measured over a 20-year period, that ratio grows to 84-86 times. About 60% of global methane emissions are due to human activities. The main sources of anthropogenic methane emissions are the oil and gas industries, agriculture (including fermentation, manure management, and rice cultivation), landfills, wastewater treatment, and emissions from coal mines. Fossil fuel production, distribution and use are estimated to emit 110 million tonnes of methane annually. Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide, and it also depletes the ozone layer. Since it also has a shorter life span, reducing it could have a faster, significant impact on global warming. N2O comes from agriculture, particularly fertilised soil, and animal waste. Source: Inside Climate News.
Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO2e)
Carbon dioxide equivalent or CO2e is a term for describing different greenhouse gases in a common unit. For any quantity and type of greenhouse gas, CO2e signifies the amount of CO2 which would have the equivalent global warming impact. CO2e is a very useful term for a number of reasons: it allows “bundles” of greenhouse gases to be expressed as a single number; and it allows different bundles of GHGs to be easily compared. Source: Ecometrica.
Carbon Footprint
A measurement of the amount of carbon dioxide produced by the activities of a person, company, organisation, etc. Source: Cambridge Dictionary.
Carbon Offsetting
A carbon offset broadly refers to a reduction in GHG emissions – or an increase in carbon storage (e.g., through land restoration or the planting of trees) – that is used to compensate for emissions that occur elsewhere. A carbon offset credit is a transferrable instrument certified by governments or independent certification bodies to represent an emission reduction of one metric tonne of CO2, or an equivalent amount of other GHGs. The purchaser of an offset credit can “retire” it to claim the underlying reduction towards their own GHG reduction goals. Because GHGs mix globally in the atmosphere, it does not matter where exactly they are reduced. Source: Carbon Offset Guide.
Carbon Offset Stock Market
Carbon markets are trading systems in which carbon credits are sold and bought. One tradable carbon credit equals one tonne of carbon dioxide, or the equivalent amount of a different greenhouse gas reduced, sequestered, or avoided. Source: United Nations Development Program.
Carbon Neutral
According to the European Parliament, carbon neutrality is reached when the same amount of CO2 is released into the atmosphere as is removed by various means, leaving a zero balance. Source: Iberdrola.
Net Zero
Put simply, net zero means cutting greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible, with any remaining emissions re-absorbed from the atmosphere, by oceans and forests for instance. Source: United Nations.
Tonnes of Carbon
A tonne of CO2 is equal to…
1 tonne of CO2 looks like…
Circular Economy
The circular economy is a new way of creating value, and ultimately prosperity. It works by extending product lifespan through improved design and servicing and relocating waste from the end of the supply chain to the beginning—in effect, using resources more efficiently by using them over and over, not only once. In a circular economy, products are designed for durability, reuse and recyclability, and materials for new products come from old products. As much as possible, everything is reused, remanufactured, recycled back into a raw material, used as a source of energy, or as a last resort, disposed of. Source: United Nations Industrial Development Organisation.
Linear Economy
You may see us use this term to compare a product to one that is part of a circular economy. The linear economy, sometimes referred to as the take-make-waste economy, is a system where resources are extracted to make products that eventually end up as waste and are thrown away. Products and materials are generally not used to their full potential in a linear economy and, as the name suggests, always move in one direction – from raw material to waste. It is a polluting system that degrades natural systems and is the driver of global challenges, including climate change and biodiversity loss. Source: Ellen Macarthur Foundation.
Recycling
Recycling means that waste materials are converted into new materials and objects. It’s a better alternative to waste disposal because it reduces the amount of waste going to the landfill, conserves natural resources and reduces the mining of virgin material. While recycling is a part of the Circular Economy, it’s the last resort being disposed of. The reason is that the value of products and materials should be kept at the highest level possible. Recycling should only be chosen when the product cannot be reused, refurbished or remanufactured because these processes maintain the higher value of the material. Source: Mind X.
Cradle to Grave
Cradle-to-grave assessment considers impacts at each stage of a product’s life-cycle, from the time natural resources are extracted from the ground and processed through each subsequent stage of manufacturing, transportation, product use, and ultimately, disposal. Source: European Environment Agency.
Lifetime Cycle Analysis (LCA)
An LCA measures the environmental impact of a product through every phase of its life – from production to waste (or recycling, etc.). But LCA isn’t simple – there are countless factors involved: Which raw materials were involved in the production process, and where do they come from? What about soil, seeds, and fertilizer? How do my goods get produced? What about heating, water, and ventilation? How did the goods get transported? Via truck, rail, or airplane? The goal of an LCA is to not only create data but also to facilitate decisions. Source: Ecochain.
Sustainability
In 1987, the United Nations Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Source: United Nations.
Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi)
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) provides companies with a clearly defined pathway to future-proof growth by specifying how much and how quickly they need to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Source: United Nations Global Compact.
Scope 1 Emissions
This refers to direct emissions from organisation owned or controlled resources for example, emissions from fuel combustion by the company, company vehicles and on-site manufacturing. Source: WWF.
Scope 2 Emissions
These are indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, heat, and steam used by the company. Source: WWF.
Scope 3 Emissions
These include all other indirect emissions that occur in your company’s value chain and includes purchased goods and services, business travel, employee commuting, waste disposal, transportation, and distribution, leased assets. Source: WWF.
Lower impact materials to look out for
In order to make an informed decision when choosing your branded merchandise, it is important to consider what the product has been made with.
We have a broad mix of materials, some of which will allow your product to biodegrade, or others could be recycled or reused. We hope the below carousel will educate you on which material(s) you may want to use for your merchandise.
If you would like to talk through which material may be best for your brand / the purpose of your campaign, we are a well-educated team and would love to discuss your requirements further.
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ABS Plastic
ABS plastic (Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) is 100% recyclable. ABS is assigned the number 7 recycling code. It is clubbed with “Other Plastics” on number 7 group. The process of recycling is simple and like the recycling method of PET. Once the recycled ABS has been fully reformed, it is ready to be re-used. ABS can be recycled for 2 or more times.
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Aluminium
Aluminium is lightweight, durable and 100% recyclable. We use aluminium in many of our metal products, such as pens, bottles, keyrings and technology. Due to the durability of aluminium, your branded product can be used repeatedly. This discourages the use of using single use plastic alternatives such as disposable bottles and plastic pens.
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Bamboo
Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants (grass) and it can replenish itself within a year with minimum water needs and without the need of fertilisers to boost its growth. Since bamboo is naturally pest-resistant there is no usage of pesticides. Bamboo is a very renewable resource, strong and durable. It absorbs CO2 from the air and releases oxygen which improves the air quality. Bamboo is 100% natural and biodegradable.
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Cork
Cork is the bark of the self-regenerating cork oak tree. It is ranked among the most durable organic materials with the property of stabilising the air temperature and humidity. It is a very flexible material and be treated in a simple natural way. It has good adhesive properties, making it easy to use in combination with different materials. In general, the cork industry is regarded as one of the most environmentally friendly. Cork is 100% natural and biodegradable.
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Dupont™ Tyvek®
Tyvek is tough, durable sheet products that are stronger than paper and more cost-effective and versatile than fabrics. It is a recyclable material that is also breathable and allows water vapor to escape. Tyvek is also water and tear resistant.
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Glass
Glass is a sustainable and budget friendly material. With different styles and sizes for any occasion, you can use these for when you are thirsty to help avoid single use items. Do your part by making this small change. Glass is a great material that can be re-used which makes it a perfect match for our collection. Easy to clean and long lasting.
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Hemp
Hemp is one of the oldest and most eco-friendly textile fabrics. It is made from fibres of the fast-growing cannabis plant that is naturally pest resistant and that can grow without the assistance of fertilizers and pesticides. This makes it a 100% organic crop and therefore very environmentally friendly. The production process of the hemp fibres is a very sustainable one and since these organic fibres are 100% recyclable.
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Kraft Paper
Many of our confectionery items are available in Kraft boxes. This is 100% recyclable, compostable, biodegradable and it’s made entirely from paper fibre with no PE lining. It also contains 0% plastic. The company that makes it are BRC and ISO9001.
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Organic Cotton
Organic cotton is equal to cotton with the difference that it is naturally grown without use of any pesticides, herbicides, fertilisers, or any other chemical. Number of organic cotton farms is increasing vastly however still counts for a very small part of overall cotton production worldwide.
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PLA
Polylactic acid (PLA) is a natural plastic substitute made from fermented plant starch (usually corn or sugar cane). It is an eco-friendly, renewably sourced and biodegradable alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastics. The increased usage of PLA will reduce the carbon footprint of many industries. This non-toxic green material can be used for all kinds of products such as grocery shopping bags to safe reusable tumblers.
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Recycled Fabrics
Recycled fabrics are made from waste fabrics (any textiles). Collected textile solid wastes are reprocessed to fibre and then back to fabrics for further re-production of bags, garments, or linen. Most of the manufacturers work with two streams: pre-consumer waste (scrap from production) and post-consumer waste (used textiles collected). The colour segregation occurs during the process to avoid as much as possible the re-dyeing of the fabric.
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Recycled Paper
We have introduced a new range of paper products. The same items you already know and love, made with sustainability in mind. This is only one of many ways we are adapting to help the ecosystem. Did you know the average tree can be used to produce over 8,000 pieces of paper? Once the paper is sorted, it is processed into usable raw materials which we mould into convenient items.
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rHIPS.B
rHIPS.b is a biodegradable polymer made from 100% waste and recycled products. It is made from things like old yoghurt pots and the inside of fridges, so no virgin materials are needed. It naturally biodegrades in compost, landfill and water by being broken down by over 600 naturally occurring microbes. The biodegradation process is accelerated by 200 times faster than standard plastic and is the first of its kind on the promotional merchandise market. It works through the addition of a Biodegradable Additive that enhances the ability of naturally occurring microbes to consume the plastic.
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Slate
Slate is a mineral product / 100% natural. Its production process is very simple and has a low environmental impact (minimum manufacturing as it is handcrafted from the quarry). Natural slate can be easily recycled at the end of its life.
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RPET
PET is the most common type of plastic, mostly used for packaging and single-use disposable bottles/containers. A large part of the solid waste in the world is attributed to this packaging. Recycled PET is known as RPET, and it is the most widely recycled plastic in the world. The use of recycled PET by giving a new life to an already made product in place of virgin resin results in reduced environmental impact.
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Jute
Jute is a fibrous tall plant, mostly grown in Bangladesh and India. Jute is durable due to its woody composition. The great thing about Jute is that it grows without needing too much water or any chemical fertilizers and pesticides. It’s an extremely renewable material as it reaches maturation in only 4 to 6 months! It’s also biodegradable (it degrades biologically in 1 to 2 years) and compostable.
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Stainless Steel
Stainless steel products are designed to have a long life. It’s a favourable material for many manufactures as it is a corrosion resistant and durable material. However, once a product has reached the end of its life, stainless steel is 100% recyclable. The recycling process of this material is carried out globally all over the world. According to the British Stainless Steel Association, any stainless steel object has an approximate recycled content of 60%.
Becoming Climate Wise
Back in 2021, Firebrand partnered with Climate Wise. They attended our A World of Merchandise 4 event in 2022 to provide a seminar about who they are, the impacts of climate change, Firebrand’s offsetting impact and steps that we can all take in our personal lives to lower our impact. Please note: our journey has progressed since this was filmed in 2022 but if you have time, grab a cuppa (in a reusable, branded mug of course!) and enjoy learning more about climate change!
Packaging Options
Our lower impact packaging options are growing. Many suppliers we work with have made the switch from a plastic bag to a compostable PLA bag where a bag is necessary.
Many of our tech products are delivered in a sustainably sourced paper pouch or box.
Most of our confectionery offering is now available in packaging made from PLA, Kraft Paper and recyclable materials.
On some of our products, there is even the option to go bespoke with your own custom design on our packaging. This packaging is often made of recycled materials and / or is recyclable. It completely depends on the product but please enquire if you are interested and we can see if it’s available on your chosen merchandise.
Our warehouse at the Firebrand Promotions office is equipped with a card shredding machine. Over the past two years, orders leaving our warehouse are wrapped in reused, recyclable card rather than single-use bubble wrap.
If you would like a packaging solution that houses multiple products, you may want to consider a swag box. Our box concepts are recyclable and can be branded with your design. Watch how we used recyclable packaging to gift our customers with a box of lower impact products.

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Get in touch
Let us discuss how we can help your business reduce on merchandise waste. It is important for brands like ours to help the environment. It will also help to keep your brand in front of your audience for longer whilst helping our planet. It is a win/win situation while avoiding the bin…
Why not challenge us? Let us know which branded merchandise you usually buy, and we will find an eco-friendly alternative for you.
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