Campaigning to reduce litter and improve water quality in Dorset

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Business Forum

Making sustainability work for your business

Want to find out how you can reduce the impact your business has on the environment?

Take part in our Dorset-wide Business Survey to tell us how you do things currently, what you need to do better and how we can help.

How can I make my Business more sustainable? Find out from some Dorset businesses already on the way to reducing their environmental impact…

The Embroidery Barn, Dorchester

Over the last three years, we have been gradually eliminating plastics from our manufacturing and operating processes, for example:

  • Paper mailing sacks and paper packaging instead of plastic bags and cellophane
  • Oxo-degradable invoice wallets
  • Recycled polyester (made form plastic bottles) for clothing manufacture and labelling

It’s important to make small changes wherever we can, so the only things we print are invoices, we’ve moved from polyester to natural fibre thread and we use the Delphis Eco range of cleaning products. Some stock continues to come in polythene bags but we keep pushing our suppliers to change this..

‘People often think if they just change one thing it won’t make a difference but every little helps. It’s important to invest the time to do the research to see what options are available. Ask businesses and other people around you for advice, do your research and go for it. Make sure you keep on pushing and pestering suppliers if they are slow at making changes.’

Rosie Lees, The Embroidery Barn

Coconut and Cotton, Shaftesbury

After traveling and seeing the impact that plastic has on the earth, I started to make the personal changes to my purchasing habits. Starting out can be difficult, especially when you have a backlog of plastic products to use up. Try to reuse, donate or recycle the plastic that is holding you back. We provide people with tried and tested options to start living more sustainably.

  • The ethos of the shop has always been to minimise our impact as a business.
  • Trying and testing products before selling is a big part of our business and many people trust the products we sell due to this process. This involves extensive research in to the supply chain, transport and origin of our products, which we are always keeping an eye on and looking to improve.
  • The majority of our shelving and furniture is reclaimed. Most of our tables and our counter is made from old doors!

Make the changes as it suits you and support brands & suppliers who are committed to reducing waste..’

Lucy Barfoot, Coconut and Cotton

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