The way we conduct our businesses can have an important impact on the environment, which is why sustainability has become a major part of many adult product manufacturers’ development plans. But what does environmental sustainability for manufacturers look like?
What is sustainability?
It’s worth it to take the time and effort to research options and alternatives to the materials and processes we’ve become comfortable using on a daily basis.
This is an important question, especially since it has become something of a buzzword lately. It’s more than simply turning logos green for Earth Day or adding a recycling bin to the break room. Environmental sustainability is our collective responsibility to protect global ecosystems — which in turn support health and well-being — and to conserve natural resources.
Something that can make this tricky is that it requires forward thinking, into the far future. The environmental consequences of our actions are often not felt immediately, so it can be difficult for people to think about those future consequences when dealing with today’s issues. This is why the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines sustainability as “meeting today’s needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.”
How can a company embrace sustainability?
There are many ways that a business can incorporate eco-conscious changes into its day-to-day operations. Over the years, I have become a bit of a geek about this and have spent time looking at sustainability from a variety of angles. As a result, Blush has integrated multiple levels of sustainability practices.
There are larger-scale updates, such as converting our packaging and charge cables to more earth-friendly materials, which is an ongoing process; adjusting the sizes of our packaging and packing them more efficiently for shipping; and using solar power to fuel some of our production. Additionally, we offer our employees a monetary incentive for switching to solar power and/or an electric car.
Then there are the smaller steps we take, like the bin in our office for reusing packing materials, as well as daily reminders for our staff to turn off or put their computers to sleep. These steps might sound small on paper, but for every person who makes a small change, we get incrementally closer to a bigger impact. Think about it: if 1 million people each make one small sustainability change, it adds up!
All that said, perhaps one of the biggest steps a manufacturer can take in the quest for sustainability is making sustainable products.
Making sustainable products
I was inspired to create a sustainable collection when I visited our factories and took note of just how much plastic we were wasting. I wanted to find solutions and that quest led to a line of toys that are crafted from plant-based materials; that use less energy and create fewer greenhouse gases during production; that are packaged in recycled paper without spot UV, foil, or plant-based inks; and that are charged via cotton-braided charging cables utilizing plant-based USB adaptors.
Creating products like this becomes a question of research. We dove deep to figure out what materials would be both eco-friendly and cost-effective, and what we found is that there are options — and they are good. It’s worth it to take the time and effort to research alternatives to the materials and processes we’ve become comfortable using on a daily basis.
This is the future of the pleasure industry, and I’m hoping it will involve a lot less plastic. With a few tweaks, some research and consistent effort, you and your customers can be part of the sustainability wave.
Eric Lee is the COO of Blush, a global manufacturer of pleasure products.
