Sustainability November 15, 2022
Toddy Gear Now Makes Screen Cleaners From Recycled Polyester
The supplier reports that some of its best-selling products feature a thin microfiber produced from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET).
When it comes to going green, Toddy Gear (asi/91411) says it’s going big.
The Bolingbrook, IL-based promotional products supplier announced that the thin microfiber it uses in many of its best-selling products is now produced from 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET).
Toddy Gear is now manufacturing products like this smart pouch from thin microfiber that’s produced from rPET.
Going forward, all products made with the thin microfiber will contain rPET material. Items include cleaning cloths for mobile devices and eyewear, screen cleaners and protectors, and smart pouches.
Notably, Toddy Gear is maintaining the same price point on the products. The items will also continue to be manufactured domestically, the firm said.
“We are committed to a more sustainable product culture,” said Toddy Gear President Jason Emery. “This initiative is monumental for our organization and the right thing to do for the earth.”
Benefits of rPET
• Making recycled polyester uses 90% less water than the production of virgin polyester.
• 70% less energy is used to make rPET fiber than virgin fiber.
• Recycling just one plastic bottle saves enough energy, on average, to power a 60-watt light bulb for three hours.
• When 30 water bottles are recycled, they create one pound of rPET fiber.
(Source: Toddy Gear)
Since Toddy Gear began converting to rPET thin microfiber, the firm and its customers have kept nearly 454,600 plastic water bottles out of landfills, according to company data.
Toddy Gear shared that it has developed relationships with trusted rPET suppliers to make the eco-friendly options a legitimate, cost-effective and planet-friendly reality.
In January 2023, the supplier plans to expand its rPET offerings to include its popular ICE Series of cooling wraps, rally wraps and active bands. The products – nearly a dozen – will be sold at the same pricing as when the items were made from traditional materials, Toddy Gear said.
“By converting such an extensive offering of our best-selling items to the rPET material, we will be part of the global solution to improve our world,” said Emery.
There's a widespread bias that the #promoproducts industry is disposable, schlocky and wasteful. It's more than an image problem; it creates a sales & profit issue. How do we fix that? Industry thought leaders weigh-in. https://t.co/ORgmmfQuug
— Chris Ruvo (@ChrisR_ASI) October 24, 2022
As discussed in this ASI Media article, promo leaders have said that making higher-quality, more eco-conscious products can help elevate the industry’s reputation and drive sales.
Compelled by end-buyer demand and a moral imperative to do better for the planet, a growing number of promo products suppliers have been intensifying efforts to offer products made from more sustainable materials and to run operations in a way that has less of an impact on the environment – something industry thought leaders believe will benefit promo and its customers significantly.
Just last week, another supplier, AAA Innovations (asi/30023), announced that it’s in the process of transitioning its product line so that items are made from eco-friendly materials. Like Toddy Gear, the firm is doing so without raising prices.
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