“Blue Angel” Ecolabel Paper

Our paper is sourced with focus on forest preservation, making sure that valuable habitats are retained for animals and plants. The Blue Angel ecolabel guarantees that no chlorine, no optical brighteners, and no halogenated bleaching agents are added during production. The focus is on resource-conserving production practices with an efficient and low-level use of energy or water. The Blue Angel ecolabel furthermore stands for the production of durable products, reduced emissions of harmful substances into the soil, air, water, and indoor spaces, and a reduction in noise and electromagnetic radiation.

Usage: paper, inside pockets

Features: vegan, 100% recycled, no harmful chemicals added, bio-based, energy & water saving, adherence to high quality standards

Alternative to virgin-fibre paper with the significant difference that the manufacturing process of Blue Angel ecolabel paper saves around 70% of the water and 60% of the energy.

Vegan Leather

For our cover material we use VEGEA. VEGEA is a combination between VEGan and GEA (Mother Earth) as an alternative to fossil-oil-based and animal-derived leather. No harmful chemicals have been added, the materials are REACH compliant, solvent free, and have a high content of vegetal, renewable, and recycled raw materials from using grape skin from winemaking, vegetable oils, and natural fibres from agriculture. Furthermore, the materials are made from organic cotton and a coating derived from bio-compound and water-PU. The total eco-composite of our vegan leather is around 80% and the total share of water-PU is around 20%.

Usage: cover material

Features: vegan, no harmful chemicals added, bio-based, energy & water saving, adherence to high quality standards

Alternative to animal-derived leather and PU-leather made from fossil-oil-based materials.

Natural Rubber

The natural rubber from plantations in Malaysia makes up 40% of our elastic band used for book closures and pen holders. The rubber is produced from the rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis and a strict no child labour policy is applied. The remaining 60% of the elastic band is made from certified organic cotton.

Usage: elastic band for book closure and elastic band for pen holder.

Features: vegan, no harmful chemicals added, bio-based, adherence to high quality standards

Alternative to elastics made from polyester, polyamide, or polypropylene which are all fossil materials.

100% Consumer Recycled Polyester

Our thread for the bookbinding comes 100% from recycled PET bottles.

Usage: thread for bookbinding.

Features: 100% recycled, adherence to high quality standards

Alternative to thread from virgin polyester which is made from virgin fossil material; or thread from natural fibres, such as cotton which is a natural solution unfortunately not durable enough for high quality and long lasting bookbinding.

Certified Organic Cotton

The certified organic cotton makes up 60% of our elastic band used for book closures and pen holders. The remaining 40% of the elastic band is natural rubber – read more here. Our certified organic cotton is produced and certified to organic agricultural standards, where the production is based on natural processes, being healthier for soils, ecosystems, and people, as the use of toxic chemicals or GMOs (genetically modified organisms) is prohibited.

Usage: elastic band for book closure, elastic band for pen holder and bookmarks

Features: vegan, no harmful chemical added, bio-based product, adherence to high quality standards

Alternative to traditional cotton with the significant difference that the overall water savings or certified organic cotton compared to traditional cotton is 88%, while the overall energy savings accumulate to 62%.

Water-based Dispersion

In order to ensure the right quality and longevity with bookbinding, adhesive needs to be used in small amounts at various different parts of books. Our choice for a water-based dispersion is based on the fact that it combines the best of two worlds: due to its formulation with synthetic polymers the adhesive assures a qualitative and high-grade flat-lay behaviour on the one side, while keeping the chemical pollution to a minimum, using water instead of solvents as a carrier for the resin.

Usage: adhesive

Features: vegan, no harmful chemical added, adherence to high quality standards

Alternative to solvent-based dispersions which include volatile organic compounds (organic chemicals); glue from starch which cannot offer similar properties in terms of quality; or casein glue which is non-vegan.

Stamping Foil

The process of using stamping foil is similar to blind embossing, where debossing stamps imprint the desired visual into the material by stretching it. When using stamping foils, a PET foil is added in between the cover material and the debossing stamp to transfer the pigment in thin-film technology from the foil to the cover. This process does not include any hazardous materials, or liquid coating, does not generate any wastewater, and has a minimum application of energy required generating the lowest possible CO2 footprint.

Usage: embossing of cover

Features: vegan, no harmful chemical added, energy & water saving, adherence to high quality standards

Alternative to chrome plated designs which decrease the CO2 balance for an application of 1 m² of enhanced surface by approximately 95%; or plastic surfaces enhanced with IMD with a similar significant difference in CO2 balance for an application of 1 m² of enhanced surface by approximately 70%.