Koozie Group (asi/40480) is stepping up its eco-conscious sourcing practices to help protect forests.

The Clearwater, FL-based Top 40 promotional products supplier says that most of its calendars and all of its paper mouse pads, Souvenir Sticky Note pads and Souvenir scratch pads now come from facilities that are certified by either the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) or the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

Both organizations focus on responsible forest management, offering certifications that aim to show that raw materials used to produce various products come from forests that are being managed to high levels of environmental and social responsibility standards. Forests managed under the FSC and SFI must adhere to strict guidelines.

“As the largest manufacturer of promotional calendars in North America, we had already spent a lot of time focusing on reducing paper waste,” said Alicia Swift, Koozie Group senior product manager. “It was a logical next step to start using more sustainable raw materials across our calendar lines: Triumph Calendars, HotLine Products, and Good Value. Choosing responsibly sourced paper for these best sellers, along with our popular Souvenir Sticky Note and scratch pad lines, is propelling us toward our environmental stewardship goals.”

Koozie Group’s work on paper-sourcing is part of its broader “Keep It. Give It.” initiative – a corporate responsibility plan that addresses environmental stewardship, diversity/inclusion, safety/social responsibility, and giving back to employees and communities. Notably, all three of Koozie Group’s domestic facilities received FSC and SFI certification in 2021.

“By choosing paper produced from certified forests, Koozie Group is ensuring that its supply chain supports the company’s environmental, social, and governance commitments,” the supplier said.

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As discussed in this article, promo leaders have said that making higher-quality, more eco-conscious products can help elevate the industry’s reputation and drive sales.

Starting with the 2023 product year, nearly 95% of Koozie Group’s calendars will be produced with FSC- or SFI-certified paper. The addition of the FSC/SFI logo will be a rolling process, with full implementation on 2024 calendars. The FSC logo has already been added to the backer sheets of Souvenir Sticky Note pads, the supplier said.

Like Koozie Group, a growing number of promo products suppliers are creating products from more environmentally friendly materials – part of a larger groundswell of sustainability initiatives in the industry.

In mid-November, for example, Norwood, NJ-based supplier AAA Innovations (asi/30023) announced that it’s in the process of transitioning its entire product line so that every item is made from eco-friendly materials. Meanwhile, Bolingbrook, IL-based supplier Toddy Gear (asi/91411) also shared in November that some of its best-selling products feature a thin microfiber produced from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET).

Based on reported 2021 North American promo product revenue of $300 million, Koozie Group ranked sixth on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest suppliers in the industry.

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