An
Inconvenient
Truth

Concern for the environment may be at the top of consumers’ agendas right now, but most retailers aren’t stocking their shelves with green giftware. We’re making strides, and focusing on reusable and recycled packaging, but need suppliers to offer more and better eco-friendly products in order to go green all the way.

DO YOU CARRY ECO-FRIENDLY GIFTWARE?

Yes

6

No

9

VERY FEW ITEMS “Most of my giftware items aren’t eco-friendly,” says Mary Boisvert. “The closest thing we offer is a line of birdhouses made from reclaimed barn board.” Mary’s researching better packaging options though, and praises wholesaler Abbott’s use of eco-friendly packaging.

MORE & MORE Julie Strocher recently added more eco-friendly bamboo products to the shelves of her home décor store. “We already had mats, now we have bamboo towels and bedding which are luxurious and hypoallergenic.”

JULIE’S WINDOWS, KITCHEN, BED & BATH DRAYTON VALLEY, ALTA.

ILLUSTRATION: IAN MITCHELL

TREE TOPS GIFT SHOP LONDON, ONT.

NEXT QUESTION: Do you make wholesale purchases online?

VERY FEW ITEMS “We don’t really carry any eco-friendly products, but we have totally gotten away from using plastic bags,” says Joanne Maheu. “Customers have asked for less packaging overall, so we only offer paper bags now.”

HOLA ORLEANS, ONT.

MORE & MORE Janna Urbanowsky sells a few eco-friendly products such as reusable shopping bags and the e-cloth, a microfibre cleaning cloth from Enviro Products, which eliminates the need for chemical cleaners. “Consumers are more conscious of the environment thanks to (the documentary) An Inconvenient Truth and I plan to add more items in the future.”