Sustainability January 16, 2023
Gemline Partners With Brand That Makes Bags From Ocean Plastic
Out of the Ocean is the sister company to Out of the Woods, an eco-minded brand that Top 40 supplier Gemline began offering to promo in 2022.
Every bag that Out of the Ocean creates removes a minimum of three plastic bottles from oceans and waterways, executives say. Now, Gemline (asi/56070) will be selling those bags, which are made completely from reclaimed ocean plastic, in the promotional products industry.
The Lawrence, MA-headquartered Top 40 supplier has partnered with Out of the Ocean and is offering several shopper/tote-style bags from the retail brand in its new Spring 2023 Collection.
This reusable large shopper bag is one of the items Gemline is selling from Out of the Ocean.
Frank Carpenito, Gemline’s president/CEO, said that bringing an eco-minded brand like Out of the Ocean into the supplier’s line helps advance the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) mission – all while providing more top-notch items for end-users.
“As part of our commitment to building a sustainable future, it is important to partner with brands that offer superior quality responsible products, which make an impact on the world through sustainable practices and eco-friendly product innovation,” Carpenito said.
Out of the Ocean is the sister entity to Out of the Woods, a brand that Gemline partnered with in 2022. Out of the Woods specializes in reusable bags and insulated coolers made from “Supernatural Paper,” which uses tree cellulose sourced from responsibly managed forests, that are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified (FSC C153080).
“After the successful launch of our Gemline partnership in early 2022 with Out of the Woods, we’re fortunate to have the same unrivaled force supporting this important mission,” said Pierre Barlier, CEO of KeepCool, parent company of Out of the Ocean and Out of the Woods. “Launching Out of the Ocean to the promotional industry further accelerates our mission to educate all to make more conscious, impactful choices.”
Carpenito shared that demand for Out of the Woods from distributors has been strong since last year’s launch. He expects more of the same. “We believe the Out of the Ocean product offering will provide our partners with the additional sustainable, eco-conscious retail brand options they are seeking,” Carpenito said.
A sharp focus on the environment has been part of Gemline’s CSR platform.
The supplier has received FSC Chain-of-Custody certification from the FSC. The certification traces the path of products from forests through the supply chain, verifying that FSC-certified material is identified or kept separate from noncertified material throughout.
The company also announced in October 2022 that a solar power generation system at its headquarters had become operational. The solar array will reduce Gemline’s energy consumption by 43% annually, executives have said.
Overall, it’s been a busy start to 2023 for Gemline.
The company has also announced a partnership with retail brand New Balance, and promoted Carpenito to president/CEO. Carpenito had been president before also taking on the chief executive role. Jonathan Isaacson, a member of Counselor’s Power 50 list of promo’s most influential, was previously CEO. He’s now serving as Gemline’s executive chair.
Based on 2021 North American promo product revenue of $127.5 million, Gemline ranked 10th on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest suppliers in the industry.
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