When the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty was announced last year, there were plenty of recognizable names on the list – major brands like IKEA, Unilever, Walmart and 3M were all represented in the sustainability effort convened by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the World Wildlife Fund.

Nestled among those massive multinationals, however, was a small but mighty New York City-based promotional products distributor: EcoPlum (asi/185835). In this episode of Promo Insiders, ASI Media’s Theresa Hegel talks with Gia Machlin, president and CEO of EcoPlum, about how her company got involved in the treaty, why it’s important and how the promo industry can help end plastic pollution and disposable culture.

Machlin notes that for promo, it’s important not just to look at plastics, but at the concept of sustainability overall. “First and foremost, we need to eliminate the cheap, gimmick products that, whether they’re made out of plastic or not, are very likely never to get used,” she says. “And we all know what we’re talking about. You go to a conference, and you get some things in a bag and before you even check out of your room, they’re in the trash.”

“We’re all working together for a shared vision, and that vision is for a circular economy where plastic doesn’t actually become pollution.” Gia Machlin, EcoPlum

Distributors should seek out higher quality products that will be used and appreciated for a long time, as well as items made from materials other than plastics. When it comes to reusable products – meant to replace single-use plastic – promo has a variety of choices, whether it’s bamboo utensil sets or stainless-steel coffee mugs.

“But we need to be careful we’re not getting rid of one problem and creating another,” Machlin says. Shopping totes that are made of nonwoven material are basically just a tougher plastic than single-use grocery bags, but they’re not very durable and they’re harder to break down over time, she explains. It’s important to ask questions and think through how long a product will be used and whether it will biodegrade easily at the end of its lifespan.