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There are 24 days until Black Friday! Is your packaging ready for the season?

Have you stocked up? Have you branded your goods?

We're here to help! Read on to learn more about EcoEnclose's product and service improvements, current lead times, and new opportunities to custom print your packaging. 

RUSH SERVICE NOW AVAILABLE ON

BRANDED MAILERS WITH BLACK INK

We are now offering a TWO WEEK RUSH service on custom printed Poly Mailers, Kraft Mailers, Padded Mailers and Apparel Mailers printed with BLACK ink.

We are also offering paper mailers printed with black ink at a new LOWER MINIMUM of 250 mailers (instead of our standard MOQ of 500).

Our rush services and the lower minimum options are available for a 20% premium. To take advantage of this offer, contact us directly as our website only shows standard options. 

Email design@ecoenclose.com with the following:

• Which mailer (including the type and size) you are interested in
• Your order quantity
• Your shipping address
• Your artwork
• If you've ordered this particular printed mailer before (and if so, your previous order number)

Click here to learn more

HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED BRANDING YOUR PAPER MAILERS WITH A MULTI-COLOR DESIGN?

We recently expanded our capabilities to include paper mailers custom printed in MULTI-COLORS. If you are interested in this, contact us and we'd love to work together to turn your vision into a reality.

Our multi-color print process utilizes water-based CMYK inks. We are unable to offer any white with these prints. Additionally, as our paper mailers are all kraft colored, colors present differently on our mailers than they do on a screen or a white piece of paper. 

Because of this potential color discrepancy, we'll review your artwork and work with you to confirm the print color matches your expectations.

Minimum order quantities for multi-color prints are 500 units. These cannot yet be ordered on our website. If you're interested in trying a multi-color print out with us, please email design@ecoenclose.com with the following information:

• Which paper mailer (including the type and size) you are interested in
• Your order quantity
• Your artwork

We'll review your artwork and respond with questions, concerns, pricing, and next steps to move your order forward. Click here to learn more and see pricing for our multi-color printed paper packaging.

THREE SIZES OF OUR 88% RECYCLED POLY MAILERS

ARE NOW 30% OFF!

Get 30% off list price on several of our 88% Recycled Gray Poly Mailers: 6x9", 14x19" and 19x24".

Use code 30POff88P at checkout to take advantage! This is good for bundles, cases and custom printed mailers.

Our company was actually launched these 88% recycled mailers, and at the time they were the only option on the market with this much recycled content. We are thrilled to be gradually moving to 100% recycled content (with 50% post-consumer waste) just like our ivory mailers. We are running this sale in part to help move through our 88% recycled film, so we can transition to 100% recycled as soon as possible!

CURRENT LEAD TIMES

Lead times can fluctuate as we head into the holiday season. All stated lead times are our best estimates for when products will ship and are not guaranteed timelines. They can change and we suggest planning ahead. Here are our current estimated lead times, but you can check our site for the best information at any time. 

• Stock items: Stock items ship 1-2 business days after your order is placed. 
• Shipping boxes (unprinted): Ship 3-5 business days after your order is placed. 
• Printed shipping boxes: Ship 3-4 weeks after art has been approved.
• Printed poly mailers: Most custom poly mailers ship 4-5 weeks after art has been approved. Poly mailers in black ink can be offered with a two week rush option. Please inquire.
  
• Printed paper mailers and shopping bags: Most custom paper mailers will ship 4-5 weeks after art has been approved. Printed paper mailers in black ink can be offered with a 2 week rush service. Please inquire. 
• Stickers and Product Labels: Ship 1-2 weeks after art has been approved (varies by Zero Waste and Recycled stickers).
• High volume production runs vary by production and quantity. Please inquire.

SPECIAL SHIPPING REQUESTS

Does your warehouse, 3PL, or fulfillment house require special shipping or labeling instructions? We have recently developed guidelines to help make this process as smooth as possible for our clients that require customized shipping. See this link to learn more.

INTERESTED IN BEING PART OF OUR
ECO-FRIENDLY HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE?

Each year we put out a gift guide to help consumers shop eco-friendly and ethically throughout the holiday season.

We love featuring brands that consider the environment in all aspects of their business - their raw materials, manufacturing, packaging, durability and quality, end of life guidance, and more. If this describes your company and you'd like to be considered for our annual holiday gift guide, please fill out this form by Friday, November 8th.

FEATURED CONTENT: TRENDS THAT WILL SHAPE 2020

We asked over one hundred eco-minded business leaders what they saw as the sustainability trends that will shape the next decade.

Here are the top ten trends they identified. From relying on renewable energy to eating smarter, we were excited to see that they were largely positive and optimistic!

EcoEnclose

https://ecoenclose.com

280 South Taylor Ave, Suite 200

Louisville, CO 80027

888.475.6575 | support@ecoenclose.com

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2019: A YEAR OF INNOVATION, ITERATION AND PROGRESS

As we look back on the last year of the decade, we are struck by the eco innovations we attempted in 2019. There were many failures, learnings and successes. But we are thrilled with the outcome � and we know we could not have done it without you. THANK YOU to the many companies and individuals who (1) suggested these innovations, (2) gave us honest feedback on early iterations, and (3) stuck with us as we learned and improved new products. Notable successes and learnings include:

• Zero Waste Release Liners: Finally! Stickers and labels that are 100% recycled (with 100% post consumer waste) that come on a unique release liner that is also 100% post-consumer waste and curbside recyclable. This is a huge improvement over traditional, silicone coated, landfill bound release liners. 
• Paper Apparel Mailers: A 100% recycled paper-based mailer designed to be a plastic-free alternative to ship apparel. Since its initial release last February, we have dramatically improved the adhesive and continue to advance the overall design.
• EcoBand Product Wrap: As brands look to ditch the poly bag, the 100% recycled EcoBand is a paper-based alternative to protecting and separating apparel for wholesale shipping and storage. With your feedback, new sizes and enclosure options are coming. 
• 100% Recycled Poly Mailer, now with 50% Post Consumer Waste: Just seven years ago, we couldn't get more than 88% recycled content into poly mailers. As of this past summer, our poly mailer is not only 100% recycled, it is made with 50% post-consumer waste.
• Multi-Color Prints on Paper Mailers: We are thrilled to now be able to offer full color prints on our paper-based mailers, utilizing a digital printer specially outfitted with water-based dye inks (a more eco-friendly alternative than many digital printers offer).  

As many of us begin planning for 2020, we hope continued progress and innovation is on the radar for all of us. Have ideas on what EcoEnclose should prioritize for 2020? Looking for a research and development partner to help you achieve your ideal eco packaging vision? Please reach out by completing the form at the bottom of this page or emailing us at partners@ecoenclose.com.

2019 ECO-FRIENDLY GIFT GUIDE:

UNIQUE GIFTS MADE BY ECO CONSCIOUS BUSINESSES

We know that you're not just gearing up for your business's holiday season. You are likely also starting to think about your own gift list. For the environmentally conscious among us, shopping for the holidays can be a challenge. We want to delight our friends and family while still staying true to those eco values.

We've put together this eco-friendly holiday gift guide featuring over one hundred unique products produced by independent companies that live and breath eco values.

We hope it helps you gift thoughtfully this season!

If you're interested in working with us to showcase your unique, eco conscious products this season, please complete this form. 

CURRENT LEAD TIMES

With just two weeks before Thanksgiving, we wanted to highlight our lead times. All stated lead times are our best estimates for when products will ship and are not guaranteed timelines. These can change week by week, so check our site for the best information at any time. 

• Stock items: Stock items ship 1-2 business days after your order is placed. 
• Shipping boxes (unprinted): Ship 3-4 business days after your order is placed. 
• Printed shipping boxes: Ship 3-4 weeks after art has been approved.
• Printed poly mailers: Most custom poly mailers ship 4-5 weeks after art has been approved. Poly mailers in black ink can be offered with a two week rush option. Please inquire.
  
• Printed paper mailers and shopping bags: Most custom paper mailers will ship 4-5 weeks after art has been approved. Printed paper mailers in black ink can be offered with a 2 week rush service. Please inquire. 
• Stickers and Product Labels: Ship 1-2 weeks after art has been approved (varies by Zero Waste and Recycled stickers).
• High volume production runs vary by production and quantity. Please inquire.

FEATURED CONTENT

Adhesives in the World of Eco-friendly Packaging: We get quite a few questions on the adhesives used in our packaging, on our tape and on our stickers and labels. What are they made of, how do they act in a compost or recycling setting, how effective are they? Here, we answer these questions and many more.  

7 Creative Packaging Examples: Sustainable most definitely doesn't mean "boring" when it comes to packaging. Here, we feature 7 creative eco-friendly packaging designs from EcoEnclose customers!

A NEW WAY TO SHARE ECO FEEDBACK

WITH THE BUSINESSES YOU FREQUENT

Have you ever gotten food delivered and been so frustrated by the amount of packaging? Or walked into a store and been so thrilled to see a sign saying that they no longer offer straws?

We recently learned about Remark.eco, a Colorado startup trying to turn those types of encounters into actionable feedback for businesses. Remark let's you send feedback to business decision makers when you encounter environmentally (un)friendly practices. In a sea of overwhelming, discouraging headlines, we need more tools like this that empower us to take action. 

We have no affiliation to this brand, but love how Remark aims to turn complaints into progress. They are looking for beta users nationwide and we thought some folks in the EcoEnclose community would love to get involved.Text JOIN to 720-547-9600 to join the beta & start giving eco feedback.

EcoEnclose

https://ecoenclose.com

280 South Taylor Ave, Suite 200

Louisville, CO 80027

888.475.6575 | support@ecoenclose.com

View email in browser 

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HOLIDAY SALE ON SELECT BUBBLE MAILERS,

PADDED MAILERS AND GRAY POLY MAILERS

20% off our 8.5x11" 100% Recycled Padded Mailers (use code: 20POffPDM)

20% off our 6.5x8.5" 32.6% Recycled Bubble Mailers (use code: 20POffBBM)

30% off 6x9", 14x19", 19x24" 88% Recycled (Gray) Poly Mailers (use code: 30POff88P)

Discounts apply to the website list price and are for blank and custom printed mailers!

FULL COLOR PRINTS AVAILABLE ON PAPER MAILERS

We recently expanded our capabilities to include paper mailers custom printed in MULTI-COLORS. If you are interested in this, email us at design@ecoenclose.com and we'd love to work together to turn your vision into a reality.

Click here to learn more and see pricing for our multi-color printed paper packaging.

RUSH OPTIONS AND CURRENT STANDARD LEAD TIMES

Rush options (2-3 weeks) still available on branded mailers printed in BLACK ink! 

Read on for our current lead times as we enter the height of the holiday season. Check our site for the best information at any time. 

• Stock items: Stock items ship 1-2 business days after your order is placed. 
• Shipping boxes (unprinted): Ship 3-4 business days after your order is placed. 
• Printed shipping boxes: Ship 3-4 weeks after art has been approved.
• Printed poly mailers: Most custom poly mailers ship 4-5 weeks after art has been approved. Poly mailers in black ink available with a 2 week rush option. Please inquire.
  
• Printed paper mailers and shopping bags: Most custom paper mailers will ship 4-5 weeks after art has been approved. Printed paper mailers in black ink can be offered with a 2 week rush service. Please inquire. 
• Stickers and Product Labels: Ship 2 weeks after art has been approved.
• High volume production runs vary by production and quantity. Please inquire.

#THANKTHEPLANET AND WE WILL DONATE TO THE NRDC

We all know the holidays can be a time of stress and excess. We want to remind us ourselves and our community that eco-conscious thinking should be core to all we do this season.

Post on Instagram about something you're doing to thank the planet this month and for every post, we'll donate $1 to the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

Use #ThankThePlanet and tag @ecoenclose so we can track the posts!

Note that EcoEnclose is not affiliated in any manner with the Natural Resources Defense Council or any of its programs, projects, or websites. For more information about about NRDC, please go to www.nrdc.org and find out how to get involved.

FEATURED CONTENT AND RESOURCES

Five Climate Topics the Family May Be Able to Agree on this Thanksgiving: Does your Thanksgiving dinner involve political discourse with those whose environmental policies you oppose? We thought we�d help you find common ground and lay the groundwork to convert them into believes -- with five climate topics we think you�ll be able to agree on.

Making sense of Pantone and CMYK when custom branding your packaging: Whether you're printing packaging with EcoEnclose or printing brochures with another company, there is always a question of how to get a final print that best matches what you envisioned. This resource helps explain the difference between Pantone, CMYK (and RGB), and provides guidance on how to color match, especially when printing on 100% recycled and/or kraft colored surfaces. 

2019 ECO-FRIENDLY GIFT GUIDE:

SHOP THOUGHTFULLY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Our eco-friendly holiday gift guide features over one hundred unique products produced by independent companies that live and breath eco values.

With Black Friday just a few days away, we hope this helps you gift thoughtfully this season!

If you're interested in working with us to showcase your unique, eco conscious products this season, please complete this form. 

And check out our guide to eco-friendly gift wrapping! Whether you're wrapping gifts for your customers or for your friends and family, look for reusable, upcycled, recycled and/or recyclable wrapping solutions. 

EcoEnclose

https://ecoenclose.com

280 South Taylor Ave, Suite 200

Louisville, CO 80027

888.475.6575 | support@ecoenclose.com

View email in browser 

Click here to unsubscribe

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Holidays continue to go digital! Ecommerce sales were up 20% this Black Friday and the trends continued through the weekend and Cyber Monday.

If you outperformed your forecast - way to go! Good News: there is still time to stock up on packaging for your remaining holiday orders. 

• Stock items ship out 1-2 business days after orders are placed. 
• Unprinted shipping boxes ship out 4-6 business days after your order is placed.

Shipping transit times vary, but UPS ground gets to most of the US within 2-3 business days. If you need something expedited, please contact us and we will try to help.

Not only are these ecommerce trends great for the companies we work with, exclusively shopping online is actually better for the environment. Learn more! 

HOLIDAY SALE CONTINUES ON SELECT BUBBLE MAILERS, PADDED MAILERS AND GRAY POLY MAILERS

20% off our 8.5x11" 100% Recycled Padded Mailers (use code: 20POffPDM)

20% off our 6.5x8.5" 32.6% Recycled Bubble Mailers (use code: 20POffBBM)

30% off 6x9", 14x19", 19x24" 88% Recycled (Gray) Poly Mailers (use code: 30POff88P)

Discounts apply to the website list price and are for blank and custom printed mailers!

SETTING SUSTAINABILITY GOALS FOR THE NEXT DECADE

With 2020 just four weeks away, we at EcoEnclose are deep in the process of assessing our current business and performance, and setting sustainability goals for the next decade. If you're in the middle of a similar initiative, check out our 7 Tips to Set the Right Sustainability Goals for Your Business and The Planet. The guide also includes examples of sustainability goals to help get your juices flowing.

Here's a sneak preview at a few tips:

1. Set Ambitious Goals, Then Establish Quarterly Milestones: A Bain & Co study found that just 2% of businesses achieved their sustainability expectations. Companies often set goals but don't have a plan for how to get there, and don't make those goals a true company mandate. 
2. Consider the 9 Planetary Boundaries: Carbon emissions, plastic pollution and zero waste are terms that we hear (and say!) a lot. But consider a framework like the nine planetary boundaries to help you gain a full perspective on environmental issues and identify the ones your business is most stressing. Examples include climate change, loss of biodiversity, phosphorous and nitrogen runoff, deforestation, ocean acidification and freshwater use.
3. Assess Your Entire Supply Chain: Ecommerce businesses often have a negligible direct contribution to the environment if they work with manufacturers, fulfillment centers and logistics companies. Consider your upstream and downstream partners (as well as what customers do with their product!) when setting sustainability goals.
4. Measure, measure, measure: Assessing your performance against key eco metrics (such as water use or carbon emissions) can be extremely complex. Don't let that stop you! Without measurement tools, you can't set goals or make progress. Consider hiring experts, working with grad students, or using open source tools like OpenLCA.org.  

BILL OF MATERIALS:

OUR DETAILED PRODUCT SPECS IN ONE PLACE 

We get so many questions about the specifics of our products - what kind of printing inks are used, what are our adhesives made of, what are our release liners made of? These questions make us even more excited about the companies we work with. That you care enough to go the extra mile in truly understanding the materials you use motivates us to keep advancing ourselves. For your convenience, we have put together a comprehensive Bill of Materials on our products. You can find this resource in the footer of our website at any time. Please contact us at support@ecoenclose.com if you have any questions. 

ECO-FRIENDLY HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

 If you were too busy running your own business to get any shopping done this past week, check out our eco-friendly gift guide to help you get started on your own list. The guide features unique products made by companies who are truly committed to the environment. 

EcoEnclose

https://ecoenclose.com

280 South Taylor Ave, Suite 200

Louisville, CO 80027

888.475.6575 | support@ecoenclose.com

View email in browser 

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We know this is a critical time for you all. We want to make sure you have what you need to ship your last minute orders. For today, tomorrow and Friday - stock orders placed by 1PM MST will be shipped out same day. 

Transit times vary from 1 to 5 days in the US and can be delayed during this time of year, so order today. Same day shipping is for stock items shipping via UPS or USPS only, and is not possible for shipping boxes, custom printed orders or freight orders. Lead times on shipping boxes is currently 4-5 business days. 

Please contact us at support@ecoenclose.com if you need expedited shipping or have any questions. 

Thank you for choosing eco-friendly packaging to ship your products. Happy Holidays!

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR HOLIDAY SALE ON SELECT BUBBLE MAILERS, PADDED MAILERS AND POLY MAILERS

20% off our 8.5x11" 100% Recycled Padded Mailers (use code: 20POffPDM)

20% off our 6.5x8.5" 32.6% Recycled Bubble Mailers (use code: 20POffBBM)

30% off 6x9", 14x19", 19x24" 88% Recycled (Gray) Poly Mailers (use code: 30POff88P)

Discounts apply to the website list price and are for blank and custom printed mailers!

EcoEnclose

https://ecoenclose.com

280 South Taylor Ave, Suite 200

Louisville, CO 80027

888.475.6575 | support@ecoenclose.com

View email in browser 

Click here to unsubscribe

A Look Back at 2019:

10 Reflections and Lessons Learned

When each year comes to a close, we reflect on what we've accomplished, where we fell short, and (most importantly) the most meaningful lessons we will bring into the new year. We share these here because you - our partners in building a better, more sustainable ecommerce landscape - are the ones who gave us the valuable experiences that led to these insights. We hope you enjoy these reflections and find some ideas from it relevant for your own life or business in 2020.

Click here to read our full blog post

1. Sustainable thinking has to start with ourselves - our purchases, operations and behaviors: It is easy to read the news, get angry, and point the finger at bad government policies and ill behaving corporations. It is also compelling to invest heavily in the sustainability of outward facing, marketable eco strategies (such as our product set). But to be a truly environmentally progressive company or household, we have to do the hard work of looking inward first, constantly finding ways to better ourselves. 
2. Let's shift the paradigm from "minimizing the negative" footprint to creating a net positive impact: Sustainability discussions typically ask "how can we minimize our waste or lower our carbon footprint?" But, is it possible for human activity to have a positive contribution the planet? After all, most species replenish the earth through their existence! Recent stories, such as Bhutan as a carbon negative country and Biggest Little Farm's ability to turn 200 acres into a massive carbon sink, remind us that net positive isn't impossible. This year, in one small step forward for EcoEnclose, our black algae printing ink was assessed as carbon negative, sequestering more carbon than is released to produce it.  
3. Transparency reigns, even when it yields answers that aren't ideal: There is no place for broad, vague answers in the world of sustainability. We're often asked questions about our packaging - is it plastic-free, is it vegan, is every single component of it curbside recyclable? It would be easy to gloss over these answers, but that wouldn't serve your needs or our mission. In our attempt to be comprehensive and transparent, we developed a detailed Bill of Materials on our products, and did extensive research to understand questions like "What is Plastic Anyway?" so we could answer these questions honestly. 
4. Eco innovations can be messy: We released quite a few new products and improvements in 2019, such as our 100% Recycled Paper Apparel Mailer and our Zero Waste Stickers and Labels. Even with lengthy, iterative R&D processes leading up to their release, first versions occasionally had unforeseen hiccups. While frustrating for us and our customers, we realize we needed to embrace these challenges. If eco packaging was so seamless, everyone would be doing it! To continue advancing the overall landscape of sustainable packaging, our approach has to be: develop, launch, seek feedback, improve as quickly as possible, rinse and repeat. 
5. Never rush or lower standards when hiring: Attracting awesome new team members in this thriving Colorado economy is tough! It is easy to rush or get lax with the process when we need people fast. But we learned (the hard way) how critical the right people are to building a strong, growing, sustainable company with a great culture. Each time we hired too rapidly or with hesitation, it was the wrong decision. When we took our time, held firm on testing for core values, conducted working interviews, and getting feedback from many different team members - we brought on new hires that not only did their job well, but also enriched our culture.
6. Being a great place to work takes a lot of work! Relentless adherence to core values, clear metrics of success for every single worker, treating adults as adults, hiring good people and then giving them space to do awesome work, airing out rumors and interpersonal tension swiftly and openly. These steps are written about in countless business books and they proved right for EcoEnclose. But actually executing on these requires consistency, vigilance and fearlessness.  
7. In one minute, a video can convey what countless emails and chats cannot: We have sent dozens of emails helping customers figure out their GreenWrap dispenser. Then (sparked by a customer request) we made a series of videos on how to set up the dispenser, adjust tension, and use the GreenWrap...Voila! So many mysteries clarified! This is just one of many examples where a video was worth thousands of words. We can't wait to clarify more topics with short videos next year. 
8. "Two second leans" can make continuous improvement part of your culture (and a way of life): Terms like "Black Belt Six Sigma Lean" can be really intimidating. Paul Aker has a different approach, Two Second Lean. This strategy asks every team member to make a small improvement every day that can save them two seconds daily. For example, team members might organize and label their tools so they aren't needlessly spending time looking for what they need. This approach has brought the concepts of continuous improvement and lean alive and ingrained for our team.   
9. We have to balance our sustainability framework with the eco values of our customers: There are many interrelated components of environmentalism - climate change, biodiversity, ocean acidification, fresh water supply, marine plastic pollution, landfill capacity, air quality...the list goes on. Our sustainable packaging framework considers most of these issues while recognizing climate change as the most pressing concern for the world to address. This year, we found ourselves having many discussions with companies with a more singular and distinct focus (such as waste or minimizing plastic) and we were reminded of how various progressive, informed companies can land on very different environmental strategies. This highlighted the importance of having a product set and research-based sustainability framework that can effectively support companies with different ecological values.
10. We have to actively learn from every mistake: 99.4% of our orders went off without a hitch this year. That left 0.6% of orders we ran into issues with. In 2019, we committed to reviewing every single error, and we're proud to say we have done just that. And we've found that every error reviewed has led to an improvement idea - as simple as relabeling a rack to as complex as redoing a critical piece of website functionality. This type of commitment to learning from mistakes was time consuming and at times tedious, but has been well worth the improvements made and impact on our culture of excellence.  

If you're reading this and we had the privilege of working with your company in 2019, I want to thank you. We love what we do! We get to help awesome companies be proud of how they ship and develop new, innovative, eco packaging solutions. We are grateful to call this our life's work and to be a small part of your eco-minded business.

Happy New Year and Cheers to An Incredible 2020 Ahead! 

ONE WEEK LEFT!

20% Off First Time Print Orders

Place your order by Jan 6th

Have you considered branding your packaging?

For e-commerce brands, the shipped package can be the most direct touch point you have with a customer.  It is often an underused opportunity for marketing and education. 

Here's your chance to start!

First time orders for branded packaging are 20% off -

the packaging, the print and the plate! This offer is good for branded: 

Shipping Boxes | Poly Mailers | Paper Apparel Mailers | Kraft Mailers | Padded Mailers | Rigid Mailers | Stickers | Water Activated Tape | Shopping Bags 

Simply build your custom branded order and use the following coupon code at checkout: 1219FTP 

Want some support? Contact us and we'd love to work with you to find the exact right branded packaging solution for your needs.  

Please note that the 20% discount only applies to first time custom print items (not redesigns) and applies to standard website pricing. Orders must be placed on or before January 6th, 2020.

EcoEnclose

280 South Taylor Avenue

Suite 200

Louisville, CO 80027

888.445.6575 | support@ecoenclose.com

unsubscribe 

Now through January 6th
20% Off First Time Print Orders!

Have you considered branding your packaging?

For e-commerce brands, the shipped package can be the most direct touch point you have with a customer.  It is often an underused opportunity for marketing and education. 

Here's your chance to start!

First time orders for branded packaging are 20% off -

the packaging, the print and the plate! This offer is good for branded: 

Shipping Boxes | Poly Mailers | Paper Apparel Mailers | Kraft Mailers | Padded Mailers | Rigid Mailers | Stickers | Water Activated Tape | Shopping Bags 

Simply build your custom branded order and use the following coupon code at checkout: 1219FTP 

Want to learn more? Check out our Guide to Custom Branded Packaging.

Want some support? Contact us and we'd love to work with you to find the exact right branded packaging solution for your needs.  

Please note that the 20% discount only applies to first time custom print items (not redesigns) and applies to standard website pricing. Orders must be placed on or before January 6th, 2020.

Branding Inspiration

EcoEnclose

280 South Taylor Avenue

Suite 200

Louisville, CO 80027

888.445.6575 | support@ecoenclose.com

unsubscribe 

Have you made sustainability an initiative for 2020? We're constantly putting out new resources to help you make progress on your eco goals and are excited to share our latest four posts below (including one highlighting how ecommerce businesses can support the critical environmental movement towards healthy soil). 

And, as you work through sustainable packaging and business decisions, we'd love to be a thought partner. Please reach out with any eco questions or issues you're facing. We've found that most of our own learnings and packaging innovations start with these types of conversations. 

Contact us anytime at support@ecoenclose.com or 888-445-6575.

Eco Packaging Resources and Blog Posts

Check out our latest blog posts, most written in response to common questions we receive.

Is there a topic you want us to cover? Contact saloni@ecoenclose.com with your suggestion. 

Choosing the Most Eco-Friendly Packaging Tape

You've got your box...but what about the tape? Which is better for the planet - Kraft Flatback, Water Activated or Cello? This post shares guidance on how to think through and select the right tape for the planet and your business.

Finding the Most Sustainable Ink: Choosing Between Water, Soy and Algae

Not sure whether to ask for water-based or soy-based ink? Curious where our algae printing fits into all of this? Look no further! Learn more about the world of sustainable ink and why algae pigments are the most innovative step forward in the industry for three decades. 

Our Love Affair With Soil - How to Support Soil Even When You Aren't a Farmer

Fossil fuel consumption and ocean plastic pollution are (rightfully) front and center of the environmental movement. This piece highlights how important soil health is in combating climate change, preserving biodiversity, and protecting land and communities from extreme weather, and includes tips on how a non-farmer can consider soil in their choices. 

Getting Your Custom Packaging Coloring Just Right - Navigating PMS versus CMYK

We want you to be so proud of your custom branded packaging! Selecting the right colors (or setting up colors in your art file properly) is a critical step to ensuring a great outcome. This post describes when to use PMS versus CMYK, when to look at coated or uncoated colors, and considerations when printing on kraft colored substrates. 

Lower Minimums on Custom Branded

Mailers Printed in BLACK

We receive a lot of requests for printed mailers at lower minimums than our standard (which starts at 500) and we are excited to be able to say YES. This limited time offer is for BLACK prints only -- on Kraft Mailers, Padded Mailers, Paper Apparel Mailers, and select sizes of our 100% Recycled Poly Mailers. Click here for details, minimums by mailers, and pricing. Contact design@ecoenclose.com to get your order started.

20% Off Multi-Color Custom Branded Paper Mailers - Now Through Jan 31st

Click here for our standard pricing.

Contact design@ecoenclose.com to get your discounted order started!

EcoEnclose

280 South Taylor Avenue

Suite 200

Louisville, CO 80027

888.445.6575 | support@ecoenclose.com

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66% of consumers would spend more on a product if it came from a sustainable brand. Gen-Zers are willing to pay 50-100% more! Yesterday, climate change emerged as one of the top issues on the minds of voters in the Iowa caucus. These are just two points that make me hopeful we are finally at a true cultural tipping point, one in which ecological factors will drive decisions among voters and consumers (which will, in turn, drive the decisions of government and industry).

With this optimism, we are excited to bring you two new resources: 

• The Business Case For Sustainability: To convince the non-believer that deep investments in sustainability can set your brand up for success. 
• A Comprehensive Guide to Greening Your Ecommerce Business: Twelve sections of sustainability tips, covering every aspect of an ecommerce operation - from product design to manufacturing to inventory management to shipping.

Read on for details on these resources. We love hearing your feedback and additions! Please send any input to saloni@ecoenclose.com. 

The Business Case For Sustainability

Are you looking to convince colleagues, your boss, your CEO, investors, an advisory board, or even your parents that sustainability initiatives are excellent for business?

If so, check out our latest post: The Business Case for Sustainable Ecommerce

The piece highlights two of the biggest environmental trends in business, and why these trends are not just good for the planet, but also the bottom line. A business commitment to sustainability and ethics can (if executed well) give a business a significant leg up over competition. 

As a BONUS, we made a free PowerPoint presentation for you on this topic! Use them as is (here's a PDF version) or repurpose them to help you convince business leaders around you to make an eco commitment.

The Comprehensive Guide to Greening Your Ecommerce Business

We have heard from so many businesses that 2020 is their Year of Sustainability. 

If that describes your commitment right now, we want to help you and your team systematically plan and execute ecological improvements throughout your ecommerce business.

This guide contains twelve sections, each full of steps - big and small - to green your operation. We hope this guide inspires you with new ideas, gives you a framework to think about eco opportunities in your business, and/or allows you to bring a structured approach to sustainability to your company�s leadership team. If you have questions, concerns or ideas to add to this guide, please contact saloni@ecoenclose.com. 

Guide to Greening Your Ecommerce Business

1. Setting Goals and Measurement Systems
2. Designing Your Products and Sourcing Raw Materials
3. Sustainable Manufacturing
4. Warehousing and Fulfillment
5. Product and Shipping Packaging
6. Designing for End of Life
7. Inventory Management
8. Transportation and Shipping
9. Managing Returns
10. Office Operations and Work Environment
11. Corporate Activism and Engagement
12. Marketing Your Eco Effort

Yes! Memorable #Unboxing Can

(and should) Be Eco-Friendly

There are a number of environmental drawbacks to today's #unboxing culture. But we know firsthand that a beautiful unboxing experience does not have to involve excessive packaging (and frankly, when excessive material is involved, customers often react poorly!).

Check out our blog post: Impress Customers with a Unique, Eco-Friendly Unboxing Experience.

This piece breaks down what exactly unboxing is all about and how to create a special and eco minded packaging experience for your customers.

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Twelve Ways to Green Your

Ecommerce Packaging in 2020

If you've made sustainability a core initiative to tackle this year, we encourage you to green your packaging as a first step. Why? On average, packaging represents 5-10% of a product�s carbon emissions. This is significant enough that improvements have a real impact on the planet. And, unlike other eco changes you may be prioritizing, ecommerce packaging is relatively straightforward to address and improve.

Here we share twelve tips to make your packaging more eco-friendly, so you can kick off 2020 with an ecological win. 

Click here to read our full blog post

1. Go 100% recycled, with as much post-consumer waste as possible: Whether you're using a shipping box, paper-based mailer or a poly mailer, transition to a solution that is made with as much recycled content (and as much post-consumer waste) as possible. 100% recycled paper saves 38-50% of the emissions and 100% recycled poly mailers save 40% of emissions associated with their virgin counterparts. Using recycled content also helps strengthen this nation's overall recycling infrastructure, which is essential after China's 2018 recycling ban. Read more about why Recycled Content is Critical and is a more eco-friendly choice for ecommerce packaging than current compostable plastic solutions.

2. Switch from a box to a mailer: For many businesses, a shipping box is the best and most functional packaging solution, but some companies could move from a shipping box to a mailer, saving money, resources and emissions. For example, moving from a shipping box to a similarly sized Apparel Mailer can save 66% of carbon emissions associated with your packaging (and 35% of the cost).

3. Stop shipping excess air: Analyze your outbound shipments to see if you are shipping excess air. If so, resize your box or mailer to cut this down. Distribution accounts for about 15% of a product�s emissions. Resizing will immediately reduce these emissions...and your packaging costs.

4. Reduce the amount of packaging materials: Remember that reduce comes before reusing and recycling! Audit your entire outbound package to see if there are components you can cut back on or eliminate - extra notecards, stickers, void fill and tape are often easy wins. 

5. Save packaging you receive for inbound shipments and use them for your customer shipments. This doesn't work for all brands, especially larger ones, but for some companies, this strategy can actually enhance customers' loyalty (and fully eliminate the resources and emissions associated with a shipping package).

6. Improve your void fill and dunnage: If you use void fill in your packaging, focus on (1) matching the end of life of the void fill with the end of life of the outer package, (2) minimizing the amount of void fill you need by tightening up the dimensions of your box and being smart with how you use your void fill, and (3) using 100% recycled void fill. 

7. Get sustainable shipping labels and release liners: Shipping 1000 packages a week leads to about 400 pounds of landfill bound garbage annually with traditional silicone-coated release liners. Switching to Zero Waste Liners, which are 100% post consumer waste and curbside recyclable, eliminates all of that waste, reduces water usage by 60%, and emissions by 50%.

8. Choose the right tape and stickers that align with your primary packaging: Don't make the mistake of treating tape or stickers as standalone decisions. Choose packaging tape and stickers whose optimal end of life scenario matches whatever material you are putting it on. Corrugated boxes or paper mailers? Use tape or stickers with a paper facestock (ideally 100% recycled). Using poly mailers? We recommend a BOPP or plastic tape. Learn more here. Learn more about our different tape and sticker options to find the right one for your shipping strategy.

9. Move to water-based or soy-based inks. Then make the switch to algae! Printing inks are admittedly a small aspect of an overall package�s carbon footprint but they can be dirty, emitting VOCs and creating air pollution in production. Water-based or soy-based are good first steps, but algae ink is the cleanest, most sustainable option available today. And algae ink is actually a carbon negative solution, sequesters more carbon than is used to produce it! Finally, using algae ink is a great way to showcase your company's commitment to eco innovation. Algae ink is available for all boxes printed in black (at no additional cost to you!).  

10. Green your inner clear poly bags: If you use clear virgin poly bags to protect, store and sort your apparel / products, make this the year you change your strategy. You can look into paper-based alternatives or 100% recycled plastic bags. Even more important, make sure your customers recycle these bags in thin film bins. Check out our guide to Finding an Alternative to Clear Poly Bags for more ideas. Clear bags are often the hardest part of your packaging strategy to change (as it may be so intertwined in your sourcing and supply chain), so be patient as you work with your manufacturing and fulfillment partners to implement improvements.  

11. Make your hang tags and identifiers more sustainable: Move to 100% recycled paper tags with a natural fiber cord (make sure your hang tags are at least 2x2" so they can be curbside recycled), 100% recycled polyester woven labels, or even tags and labels that dissolve in water. Those plastic fasteners and tiny virgin paper hang tags are so last decade!

12. Make your packaging returnable (and make returns easy): An estimated 30-35% of ecommerce purchases are returned. If distribution and packaging accounts for about 20% of your products' emissions, returns end up doubling this pretty significant impact. Make your packaging easy to use for returns, and make it clear to customers (ideally before they begin opening their package - on the package itself or in an email message!) that the package can and should be used for any returns. 

A Bonus Tip! Tell your customers how to dispose of their packaging.

It is not enough for packaging to just be recyclable. Customers have to know how to recycle their packaging.

Give customers clear instructions - what is curbside recyclable, what needs to be dropped off in thin film bins, what needs to be composted instead of recycled, what needs to be landfilled, whether or not tape and stickers need to be removed before disposal, and more.

Want to go further in ensuring your packaging is disposed of responsibly? Consider incentives. Ask customers to post about their actions on social media in exchange for discounts on future orders! 

Looking for Multi-Color Custom Branded

100% Recycled Paper Mailers?

Now through Jan 31st, 20% Off!

Contact design@ecoenclose.com to get your discounted order started!

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280 South Taylor Avenue

Suite 200

Louisville, CO 80027

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Earth Day turns 50 on April 22nd! To honor this milestone, celebrate progress made since that first Earth Day in 1970, and strengthen our continued resolve to make ecological progress, we are excited to announce TWO limited time Earth Day offerings this year. 

50% Off Printing Plates for Eco-Minded Designs

50 years of Earth Day means 50% OFF new printing plates for box or mailer designs that showcase the sustainability of your products, company or packaging.

We hope this promotion helps you showcase your eco efforts and encourage your customers to responsibly recycle your goods and packaging. Email Design@EcoEnclose.com to take advantage of this awesome offer! 

This offer is good for orders placed on or before March 10, 2020, to ensure delivery in time for companies to use their packaging during Earth Month. 

Printed Mailers with Earth Day Design

Not looking to place a full custom print order? We�ve developed a line of mailers that are pre-printed with a unique "Every Day is Earth Day" design.

Earth Day mailers are available in lower quantities than custom branded packaging - just 50 units for paper-based mailers and 100 units for poly mailers. We hope this allows companies of all sizes to to add earth love to their packaging!

These mailers can be ordered through Friday, April 3rd, or while supplies last. 

Earth Day: A Brief History

Why Earth Day Should Be Honored

"It may be hard to imagine that before 1970, a factory could spew black clouds of toxic smoke into the air or dump tons of toxic waste into a nearby stream, and that was perfectly legal. They could not be taken to court to stop it." - Environmental Protection Agency

Earth Day 1970 was a grassroots response to one elected official's call to action. 20 million people rallied that day, advocating for cleaner air and water quality, and corporate regulation that would protect human health through tighter controls on industry. In the decade that followed, major progress was made, including the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act of 1970, the Endangered Species Act, and the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency. Since the enactment of these regulations, air and water quality has vastly improved and some species have in fact made an inspiring comeback.

But, with Earth Day's broader focus today on climate change, we know that so much progress remains. Reflecting on the history of Earth Day reminds us that when people unite in advocating for political, corporate or societal change - incredible results can follow.  

Check out our latest blog post to read more about the History of Earth Day, the progress that has been made since that momentous day, and the climate change campaigns underway for Earth Day 2020. 

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We''ve been quiet on email recently because we have focused our resources on keeping up with order volume increases. We hope these trends mean that companies we serve have been able to grow and invest in sustainability, even during this time of uncertainty.

But I wanted to reach out to say Thank You. Throughout the past few months, we''ve battled extended lead times and some out of stock disruptions. We have worked hard to communicate these to you proactively, but we know these disruptions cause issues for your business. 

Throughout this, our community has been supportive, reminding us yet again of how privileged we are to work with such a forward thinking group of businesses.

I know that each person and company has experienced the past six months differently. Whatever your journey, I hope that EcoEnclose has been an ally to you in some small way and that you have experienced the same level of community and compassion that we have. 

We are also proud that even with all that is going on, we have made some important updates to our products, to make them more sustainable and effective. Please read on for a summary of our current lead times and product updates. At any time, don''t hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns at support@ecoenclose.com or 888-445-6575.

Regards,

Saloni Doshi
EcoEnclose, CEO
saloni@ecoenclose.com
https://ecoenclose.com

CURRENT LEAD TIMES

Our lead times are extended, particularly for custom printed poly mailers. 

As of today, stock orders are shipping in 2-3 business days and non-printed custom shipping boxes (including box samples) are shipping in ~10 business days. 

Custom printed boxes are shipping in 4-5 weeks. Custom printed paper mailers are shipping in 6-7 weeks and custom printed poly mailers are shipping in 9-11 weeks after proof approval. 

Please check out our lead times page for our most up to date lead times (including lead times on inline prints) before you place your order. If your holiday packaging strategy includes custom branded packaging, please review our lead times closely and plan accordingly. 

ECO PRODUCT UPDATES

TAKE OUR BRIEF SURVEY!

HOW HAS COVID-19 IMPACTED YOUR BUSINESS? 

We know COVID-19 has impacted people, communities and industries very differently.

We''d love to learn more about how you and your business have fared over the past six months, so we can share these trends and lessons with our community. If you are interested in contributing, please take this 5-10 minute survey by Friday, September 4th.

We''ll share what we learn later this month!  

NEW BLOG POSTS AND RESOURCES

Here is a samplling of the many packaging resources, blog posts and statements we''ve published this summer.  Check out our blog to read more! 

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We are excited to announce our latest offering - custom branded, 100% recycled note cards! Read on to learn more and email design@ecoenclose.com if you have questions.

Check out our latest blog post, How Far We''ve Come: Victories Since The First Earth Day, stories reminding us that our voices and actions as voters, shoppers, community members, and activists create change.

Looking for a compostable mailer? Trying to decide between paper or poly, or recyclable or compostable? Our latest resource gives a point by point eco comparison of different types of mailers, to help those of you navigating these tricky questions.

Finally, don''t forget about our Earth Day Specials, one of which ends on March 10th!  

Our Latest Offering: Custom Printed Note Cards

We are thrilled to announce our latest offering: Custom Printed Note Cards!

Available in three stock sizes (3x5", 4x4" and 4.25x5.5") and two stock colors (white and milkweed). Use these cards to add a personal touch to your packaging:

• Thank customers for their purchases and loyalty
• Highlight the sustainability of your product and packaging
• Share guidance on how to recycle or responsibly dispose of packaging and products 

What makes these note cards eco-friendly?

This card stock is made with 100% post-consumer waste and is curbside recyclable, naturally biodegradable and compostable. The paper is manufactured in the USA, in a carbon neutral, Green Seal Certified process with 100% renewable power. Note cards are printed with water-based, digital inks. 

Want to see the stock paper firsthand? Order samples today.

Take Advantage of Our Earth Day Specials!

In honor of 50 years of Earth Day, we are offering TWO specials.

1. 50% OFF new printing plates for box or mailer designs that showcase the sustainability of your products, company or packaging. Orders must be placed on or before March 10, 2020. Email design@ecoenclose.com to take advantage of this offer. 
2. Mailers pre-printed with an "Every Day Is Earth Day" graphic, available in quantities as low as 50 for paper mailers and 100 for poly mailers. 

How Far We''ve Come:

Victories Since The First Earth Day

There is a lot of negative information out there about the environment, politics, the economy, safety, health, and more. But, even as these difficult events unfold in the world, there are also amazing stories of hope, progress and change. Here, we share a blog post highlight inspiring environmental victories since the first Earth Day in 1970. We share these to remember the poor environmental conditions 60 years ago, to celebrate the progress made, to remind ourselves of the power of collective action, and to reinforce the importance of legislation that has helped us come this far.

Choosing Between Eco-Friendly Mailers

Selecting the best, most sustainable mailer for your business can be a challenging process. What features are most important - carbon footprint, recycled content, renewable content, curbside recyclability, marine biodegradability, reusability? Our latest sustainable packaging resource compares four of the most common mailers people ask us about: paper-based mailers, recycled poly mailers, compostable poly mailers, and oxo-biodegradable poly mailers. Read our guide to learn more about how these compare.     

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ALGAE INK

THE FUTURE OF INK IS HERE

You can now print virtually any paper-based packaging or marketing material with Black Algae Ink: Mailers | Shipping Boxes | Retail Packaging | Paper Tubes | Brochures | Magazines | Notecards 

Introducing the EcoGeek T-Shirt,

Screen Printed with Algae Ink

Rush Options on Custom Mailers

YES! We can rush certain printed mailer orders, so you have your branded packaging before Black Friday!

With the holidays around the corner, you may be looking for a fast turnaround on Custom Branded Packaging. Unfortunately, our standard lead times for custom mailers has expanded, a trend that is industrywide as companies struggle with the impact of COVID-19 measures on their supply chain and on demand.

We are so excited to offer a few RUSH options for Custom Printed Mailers! Certain ink colors or designs, and several mailer types and sizes can be turned around in 2-3 weeks:

• Poly mailers with simple designs printed in black ink
• Smaller sizes of Kraft Mailers
• Smaller sizes of Paper Apparel Mailers    

Current Lead Times

As of today, stock orders are shipping within 1-2 business days and non-printed custom shipping boxes (including box samples) are shipping in ~15 business days. 

Custom printed boxes are shipping in 4-5 weeks.

Custom printed paper mailers are shipping in 6-7 weeks and custom printed poly mailers are shipping in 9-11 weeks after proof approval. 

Please check out our lead times page for our most up to date lead times (including lead times on inline prints) before you place your order. If your holiday packaging strategy includes custom branded packaging, please review our lead times closely and plan accordingly. 

Have You Lost Goods Due to Floods Or Fires?

Many region across the country have been devastated by fires or floods. We are seeing this firsthand here in Boulder County where two wildfires are wreaking havoc on our community and our beloved outdoors. These extreme weather crises remind us that the impacts of climate change are not decades away, they are happening right now. And they motivate us to invest more aggressively in sustainable practices that reduce our carbon emissions, rejuvenate our soils, improve our water and air quality, and minimize waste. 

If you have been devastated by these natural disasters over the past few months and have lost any packaging you''ve purchased from us as a result, please contact us at support@ecoenclose.com. We''ll do our best to get more supplies to you when you are ready to resume your business operations.   

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280 South Taylor Avenue

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Dear Community,

In this newsletter, we offer a framework to help small businesses think about their strategy and next steps in light of COVID-19. 

We've developed these emails for businesses that have been negatively affected by COVID and are struggling to find their footing with slumping sales or halted operations. In these times, it can be difficult to sit down and develop a real action plan; but we think this is the most important thing to do - for your business and your peace of mind. 

This email offers headlines and highlights for a variety of potential strategies. Our full article: Strategic Guidance for Small Businesses During COVID-19 - goes much deeper, with more guidance, ideas and real life examples for each concept presented here. If you skim this email and would like more depth on any topic, we hope you'll check out the full piece. 

We know every business has been affected differently and have varying need for guidance like this. Wherever you are, we hope you find something of value or empowerment in this email.

Full Guide: Strategic Guidance for Small Businesses During COVID-19

Google Doc Planning Template: A simple, editable framework to guide you through these steps. Make a copy of it to start your own reflection and planning.

Summary of Our Strategic Guidance During COVID

Click here for our full guide

PHASE ONE: Acknowledge where we are and set your contingency plan

Get comfortable with: "what is the worst that can happen right now?" and "how will I respond if this comes to pass?" Face your biggest fears. Having a specific plan will reduce your anxiety as you watch the news or sales.

1. Get in the right frame of mind so you can focus on outcomes and action: Don't think about your business strategy until you are in a positive, present mind space.
2. Know how you'll respond if the worst case happens. Think through the "good, moderate, terrible" outcomes you might experience in the next few months, and have a specific plan for each - for staffing, inventory, rent, etc.
3. Identify your biggest goals for this time. Most businesses have a goal to survive right now. But you may have other - retaining staff, creating new products, giving to the community, etc. Write these down to guide your planning.

PHASE TWO: Look for near term opportunities

What are your strengths? What is your business uniquely able to do? How can you use these assets in a way that can benefit your business or your community right now? 

1. Can you produce or sell what people really need right now? Toilet paper and paper towels, laundry detergent, soap, moisturizer, homeschooling supplies, health and immunity boosters, home cleaners, family games, at home fitness supplies, to name a few. For inspiration, think about the apparel manufacturers out there now making masks for health workers and distilleries becoming hand sanitizing manufacturers.

2. Can you redirect team members whose core functions are shut down? Move retail workers to customer service of fulfillment or ask them to become social media promoters for your brand. If your entire operation is shut down, ask workers to help you build your website, write content, or work on a new product.

3. Assign a currently underutilized employee to organize and help pursue COVID financing opportunities: New financing opportunities emerge every day - to help small businesses, employees and workers who've been laid off. It is a full-time job to keep track and take advantage of these!

   Note that yesterday's Stimulus Package includes forgivable loans for companies that are able to retain their workers. More information coming, but this can help cover costs of your redirecting team members to other tasks.

4. Invest In a great ecommerce experience. If ecommerce was something you did on the side, now is the time to turbocharge your website and fulfillment. Offer free shipping, run sales, improve your website, set up excellent customer service, make returns and exchanges easy, and promote your online shop as much as you can..

5. Stop selling things or doing things that lose money or don't support your values. Crises and recessions remind us to do what we should always be doing - knowing how we spend our money and making decisions about what to stop paying for. Usually, this step leads to a few eliminated operating expenses and potentially, the elimination of a product that is actually a cash drain.

6. Can you package what you offer into something relevant or giftable right now? Help people gift your goods to their distanced loved ones. Or find a way to package your goods in a way that solves a current issue households are facing. For inspiration, consider the many creative brands that are now making homeschooling material to help parents stave off boredom.

7. What can you offer virtually that can complement or replace your main product? Concerts can be live streamed, gyms can do virtual classes, crafters can send kits and give virtual lessons, and many companies can create downloadables for their companies. These strategies can help you generate revenue or simple connect with and build your customer base when sales aren't feasible.

8. Give...to your community, your employees, fellow small businesses, and your customers. Reimburse your team for ordering delivery from restaurants, donate proceeds of sales to relevant causes, offer discounts or free goods for first responders. The list of ways to give right now is virtually endless. 

PHASE THREE: Build for the long term

Reflect, take stock and identify the lessons you want to bring forward with you. 

1. Build your brand and culture. What can you do today - in the difficult time - that your team, community and customers will remember long-term. GoDaddy''s #OpenWeStand campaign is one example of a company going all in on their commitment to small businesses right now, a move that will likely be felt by their community long-term. 

2. Create, innovate and prepare to launch new offerings (that you''ve been putting off for awhile). Sometimes downtime like this is a blessing, forcing you to turn your attention to those ideas you''ve been too busy for. 

3. What lessons will you bring with you to prepare for the next hardship we face? History has shown that once-in-a-lifetime challenges impact us at least every decade or so. Reflect on how you approached this crisis and what you want to be different about your business, cash situation, team, support network, and confidence the next time you're hit with trouble.

4. Clean the house and the Planet. If you have extra time even after tackling these steps above, clean up your house (i.e. your company) - your site, your fulfillment workflow, bookkeeping, protocols, etc. Or better yet, make improvements to support the planet.

If any of these ideas are interesting, read the Full Guide: Strategic Guidance for Small Businesses During COVID-19 for more detail. 

If you have additional ideas for other businesses, examples, or differing perspectives, please email me. I love hearing and learning from you. 

Regards,

Saloni Doshi

EcoEnclose, CEO

saloni@ecoenclose.com

https://ecoenclose.com

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Suite 200

Louisville, CO 80027

888.445.6575 | support@ecoenclose.com

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INTRODUCING GLASSINE BAGS

A Curbside Recyclable Alternative to Poly Bags

BE PART OF OUR HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE!

Each year we put out a holiday gift guide to help encourage others to shop independent and sustainable! If you have a product that would make the perfect holiday gift in the coming season, please fill out our submission form. We are looking for companies with a core commitment to eco-friendly and ethical practices!

CURRENT LEAD TIMES

As of today, stock orders are shipping within 1-2 business days and non-printed custom shipping boxes (including box samples) are shipping in ~10 business days. 

Custom printed boxes are shipping in 4-5 weeks.

Custom printed paper mailers are shipping in 6-7 weeks and custom printed poly mailers are shipping in 9-11 weeks after proof approval. 

Please check out our lead times page for our most up to date lead times (including lead times on inline prints) before you place your order. If your holiday packaging strategy includes custom branded packaging, please review our lead times closely and plan accordingly. 

EcoEnclose

280 South Taylor Avenue

Suite 200

Louisville, CO 80027

888.445.6575 | support@ecoenclose.com

unsubscribe 

EcoEnclose

280 South Taylor Avenue

Suite 200

Louisville, CO 80027

888.445.6575 | support@ecoenclose.com

unsubscribe 

Dear Community,

In this newsletter, we offer guidance to help you lead decisively, confidently and with compassion as your business responds to COVID measures. 

One of EcoEnclose''s core values is "We Are Leaders." We teach and preach this to every person on our team, regardless of their role. So whether you are leading only yourself, a two person team or a 500 person team, this guidance applies to you. In fact, this is perhaps most important for teams of one that don't have the benefit of built-in support and shared leadership.

Our guidance is organized into three critical categories a great leader must focus on:

• Taking action and making decisions
• Communicating with your team and stakeholders
• Inspiring leadership and camaraderie among your team

Our hope is that you and your organization, regardless of size and how COVID measures have impacted you, come through this stronger and more resilient than you went in. 

This email offers highlights of a variety of strategies. Our full article: Leadership and Communication During COVID-19 - goes much deeper, with more guidance and examples for each concept presented here. We hope you'll check out the full piece. 

Scroll to the bottom of this email for a summary of Small Business Financing Opportunities in the CARES Act and check out our previously published resources for businesses that have been negatively affected by COVID measures. 

Strategic Guidance for Small Businesses During COVID-19

Small Business COVID-19 Financing Resources

Leadership and Communication During COVID-19: A Summary of Tips

Click here for our full guide

LEAD WITH ACTION: MAKE DECISIONS, ADDRESS ISSUES, LEAN ON YOUR VALUES

Many people are stagnating, paralyzed by the daily news. We recommend turning away from the headlines and focusing instead on taking action on things that are in your circle of influence.

1. Lead and act as though this new normal is here to stay: Make decisions, take action. Some steps will be wrong, but most will be right. And once you make a few, they get easier to make. Help yourself and your team settle into these new routines or expectations. If you made quick, reactive decisions in the past few weeks, revisit them and fix whatever isn''t working. 
2. Draw on your core values. You and your team will be making a lot of difficult decisions right now. Actively invoke your core values each time you work through something complex. Don''t have core values? Now is a good time to create them: Scaling Up, HBR Resource, Core Value Examples.   
3. Be decisive, but leave room to course correct. In a crisis, you have to get comfortable making decisions with limited information and correct as you go. Be swift, then set concrete parameters for when and how you''ll adjust as things unfold. For example, a restaurant might decide to stay open and do deliveries but will shut down if its order volume drops below a specific, set threshold. 
4. Don''t be a lone wolf. Talking and input is essential right now. Find a few people you can lean on to help you gain perspective and hear yourself think. And care of your mental and physical well being so you can be a stronger leader to your team or anyone relying on you. If you want other perspectives, email me. I'd be happy to listen and share any thoughts I have. 

COMMUNICATE PROACTIVELY, HONESTLY, CONFIDENTLY

Stop communicating defensively. Establish communication calendars with a set cadence for each stakeholder type - team members, buyers, customers, suppliers, etc. 

1. Establish a daily communication with your team. If you had a daily huddle before COVID, move it to a virtual format - email, video or conference call. If you didn''t, establish a great update structure, commit to doing it daily, and then carry the habit into your business long-term, even after COVID measures are lifted. We also recommend regular communication with workers you''ve let go but intend to rehire. Team of 1? Check-in with yourself daily. Post your overall game plan somewhere visible and take time each day to reflect on numbers, progress and strategy. If you don''t currently journal, this is a good time to start. 

2. Establish open communication channels with your suppliers. If you halted operations or have to make any change to an open order, let your suppliers know ASAP. Treat and communicate with them as partners whose collaboration will important as you navigate these next few months. Ask suppliers to proactively share likely changes to their production and lead times. 

3. Post real-time updates on your website for customers: Unless you sell an essential supply, your customers don''t need a daily update email on your company''s status. We recommend making critical information insanely clear on your homepage and in any order confirmations to customers. Emails to customers with open orders are also essential if you''ve made changes that impact their expectations.

4. Establish open communication channels with channel partners. Many companies that largely sell through retail are seeing cancelled purchase orders, halted shipments, excess inventory, and looming bills. Proactively contact buyers to get input: Will they buy your goods when they reopen, do they have online sales, can they help pay for the inventory they ordered, etc? Find out their flexibility and then establish a strategy forward - such as holding inventory until stores reopen or deeply discounting and selling online. 
5. Regular connection with an adviser, support network or therapist. Leading during crisis is hard on its own. Leading while being asked to isolate is particularly difficult and lonely. Invest in your support network and emotional well being. If you have a mentor, schedule virtual meetings. Get virtual happy hours with friends. If needed, look into online therapy services such as BetterHelp.com and Talkspace.com.

INSPIRE LEADERSHIP, BUILD CAMARADERIE

Ultimately, a business is the sum of its people and partners, and how well they lead and interact. One of the most important steps you can take right now is to build a foundation of collaboration, trust, openness and leadership among your team and others in your ecosystem.

1. Establish virtual communication forums that are relevant to all employees (office and non-office workers). While snazzy new software can be fun, you don''t need to make a major investment here. This can be a simple Google Doc everyone contributes to daily. Be an active participant from the beginning and/or require that each team members contributes daily early on. Invest your time in building communication habits on your team now, so they can sustain for awhile. 

2. Encourage your team to lead and solve on their own; recognize their leadership. Things will come up that you don't have an existing protocol for. If you have a team, encourage workers to use their judgement and core values to make decisions without you. Trust they will rise to the challenge. Highlight their successes and showcase them as examples for others to draw from.
3. Lead with empathy, comfort, an assurance. Assume positive intent and encourage your team to do the same - when working with each other, customers, suppliers, retail partners, shipping providers, etc. Recognize that many people are very anxious right now and consciously strive to be a steady presence for those you work with. For teams of one, bring that same level of empathy and kindness to yourself. It is okay to be scared, sad or stressed. Take care of yourself, rest and recover. This is a long road, and your success will be driven - not by the amount of time you work - but by being in the right frame of mind to make decisions and seize opportunities.
4. Don''t forget the fun. Establish rituals and celebrations. With in-person culture building on hold for awhile, establish virtual ways to bond. Zoom happy hours or lunches, online book or movie clubs, virtual tours of team members'' homes, pets and families.  

If any of these ideas are interesting, read the Full Guide: Leadership and Communication Guidance for Small Businesses During COVID-19 for more detail. 

If you have additional ideas, please email me. I love hearing and learning from you. 

Regards,

Saloni Doshi
EcoEnclose, CEO
saloni@ecoenclose.com
https://ecoenclose.com

An Update on COVID-Related Financing: The CARES Act

Two weeks ago, we released a summary of cash flow and funding resources for small businesses who have been negatively impacted by COVID measures.

Since then, the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) was passed, a federal bill with several extremely valuable benefits for small businesses. The highlights are summarized here. For more information, review our COVID Financing Blog Post or the US Chamber of Commerce''s excellent summary.

• Payroll Protection Program: This new program sets aside $350 billion in government-backed loans from private banks that can be converted to grants if employee retention levels are met. Loans can be for up to 2.5x monthly payroll costs (inclusive of health insurance and payroll taxes). Check out the application here and apply through a local bank. 
• Emergency Economic Injury Grant (Advance) and Changes to the Economic Injury Loan Program: Small businesses can apply for an advance of up to $10,000 that does not need to be repaid, and would be received within three days of applying for an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). All you have to do is apply for the EIDL and then request the grant as an advance. Additionally, the SBA has relaxed various aspects of the Loan Program, making it easier for small businesses to be approved, especially if they are asking for less than $200,000.  
• Small Business Debt Relief Program: If you have an existing non-disaster SBA loans, the SBA will cover all of your loan payments for six months. This will also be available to new borrowers who take out loans in the next six months.
• Payroll Tax Credits and Deferred Payments: The CARES Act allows employers to defer payment of the employer share of the 6.2% Social Security payroll tax otherwise due on employee wages for the rest of the year. Additionally, some companies are eligible for a payroll tax credit whereby they won''t have to pay 50% of these taxes for the remainder of the year. To qualify for the credit, you must meet the following conditions: (1) your operation was shut down due to COVID measures; or (2) have lost more than 50% of your sales during this time period. 

We strongly recommend that businesses take advantage of one or more of these opportunities, which are designed to help small businesses work through this time and be able to thrive again in the future. While I am not an expert in SBA financing, feel free to email me if you have questions and I''d be happy to help share additional resources. 

EcoEnclose

280 South Taylor Avenue

Suite 200

Louisville, CO 80027

888.445.6575 | support@ecoenclose.com

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Dear Community,

Over the next two weeks, we will be sharing resources to help small businesses during this uncertain time. Today's newsletter is focused on cash flow and financing. Read on for a summary of funding options that could help cover expenses such as rent, utilities, payroll and working capital if sales have slowed or halted altogether as a result of coronavirus protection measures. 

In the coming days we will share resources on business strategy during this crisis and managing company culture and personal morale.

We've also created a more searchable spreadsheet of funding opportunities. We will do our best to update the spreadsheet every few days as new funding sources become available. Please share anything we are missing so we can include these on our list.

• Understanding your cash position (the first step): Cash Flow Story has a wonderful set of tools to help you get a handle on your cash flow over the next few months, which is an essential step to then making business decisions such as purchasing, staffing and identifying how much funding (if any) to pursue. They are offering this valuable tool FOR FREE for the next three months to help small businesses during this COVID crisis. 
• Federal, state and local loans, and a few grant opportunities: For more detail on these opportunities including links on how to apply, please check out our Google Doc. 
  • SBA Disaster Relief Loan, up to $2 million at a 3.75% interest rate
  • State / Local Loans and Grants: Various states and cities have set up loan programs for businesses impacted by coronavirus. Please review this spreadsheet for more information. 
  • Conventional SBA and Commercial Loans: If your business has assets, a history of cash flow and profitability and/or an accounts receivables balance, you may qualify for a traditional loan or a conventional SBA loan. With interest rates at a historic low, these are excellent options to consider that also allow for COVID relief to go to companies that can''t access credit elsewhere. Contact your local banks for more information.  
• 0% interest rate credit cards: Credit cards are not an ideal way to fund a business. But we are in a unique time, and for some businesses, a credit card that has an introductory 6-12 month period with a 0% interest rate can help purchase raw materials and pay for day-to-day expenses while sales are slow. Loans, like those outlined above, can take a long time to be reviewed, processed and funded. If you anticipate getting a loan in the coming months, a 0% interest rate card can also help bridge you from right now to when loan funds hit your account. This article provides a summary of applicable credit cards with an introductory 0% interest rate.
• Crowdfunding and/or a sale on gift cards: Many people are looking for ways to support small businesses right now, and you may have loyal customers who want to contribute. Two potential ways to rally customers around your business: sale on gift cards (such as 5% off gift cards to help bring in cash that can be redeemed for products later) and crowdfunding using a platform like GoFundMe. These are unlikely to generate huge sums but the revenue they do bring in is immediate. This article highlights two GoFundMe efforts to support a business through coronavirus.
• Deferred tax filing and payments: The IRS has moved tax day to July 15th, giving you three extra months to file and pay any taxes you owe. If you qualify for a refund, file immediately. But for those who would need to pay taxes, think of this as a 0% interest loan with the IRS. Many states and municipalities are also following suit, so contact your local Department of Revenue to find out what they have in the works.
• Payroll tax credits (with accompanying sick and FMLA requirements): Last Wednesday, the federal government signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Note that this act impacts businesses that are able to continue operating during Coronavirus shutdowns (not companies that have had to lay off their workers). The act ensures two weeks of COVID-related paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave (up to 10 weeks at ? of pay to care for a child who is home due to school or daycare closures). The act is structured to minimize the economic impact of these requirements on businesses. Employers will be able to hold their payroll tax payments to the IRS to cover their cost of qualified sick and child care leave. Details of how to utilize this payroll tax credit are expected to be announced shortly. Click here to learn more. There are benefits in this act for self employed workers as well. 
• Workshare and partial unemployment programs: Letting team members go is one of the single hardest thing a business leader has to do. For some businesses, this may be an inevitability of coronavirus measures. The Federal Department of Labor is trying to help businesses make more temporary decisions around staffing and ensure laid off workers can swiftly access unemployment benefits. Specifically, the DOL has allowed states to lax unemployment insurance rules - states can now pay benefits if a closing relating to COVID-19 prevents employees from working or if a worker is quarantined, even if employment is only halted temporarily. The DOL also notes that states can waive the seven-day unpaid waiting period for benefits. States are taking the cue and adjusting policies with more lenient policies, more rapid benefits, and workshare programs that allow employers to cut hours and have the balance of these hours eligible for unemployment. Our spreadsheet lists modified UI benefits in states, but for the most up to date information and next steps, check out this site and choose your state. 
• Track expenses you incur as a result of coronavirus mandates: New measures will be rolled out at the federal, state and local level each week. By keeping close tabs on the costs you're incurring now, you'll be in a better good position to leverage benefits as they are announced. We recommend tracking the following each week:
  • Sick leave or any paid time off (personnel hours and total payroll) related to the pandemic, including workers staying home due to COVID-like symptoms, quarantine, caring for sick loved ones, or caring for children home from school.
  • Changes made to shifts, including the number of reduced workforce hours made to accommodate social distancing or workforce reduction mandates. If you are paying team members for these unworked hours in this reduction, record these costs as well.
  • Supplies you've had to purchase workers who are now working from home
  • Supplies you've had to purchase and/or services you've had to secure to maximize protection against coronavirus transmission in your facility, including cleaning services and disinfectants.
  • Estimated lost revenue as a result of coronavirus measures, both as a hard number and as a total percentage of sales.
• Coming soon: There is a sweeping small-business rescue package that stalled yesterday, but a version of it is expected to be pushed through in the coming week.  While the details of this package are not yet known, it seems to include SBA loans that would be forgiven if companies maintain their payroll and staffing levels during this crisis.

If you plan to take advantage of any loan or grant opportunities, we recommend getting your documentation organized as soon as possible. This wonderful article outlines what you want in place before starting an application. 

It is so important to remember that (outside of a handful of grants), most of these opportunities are loans. While they have low or even 0% interest rates, the money needs to be paid back. In thinking about if and how much to request, it is imperative to forecast your cash position and anticipated revenue over the course of the next 6-18 months so you can estimate your ability to pay back any loans. Additionally, unless you are investing in a strategy that is likely to have a strong rate of return (such as a marketing campaign or a new piece of equipment that can help you diversity for your revenue) we caution against high interest loans right now.

Finally, when thinking about funding opportunities, remember that loans and grants take time - weeks or months - to hit your bank account. Balance your strategy with a combination of cost cutting measures, sources of immediate revenue and funding, and low interest loans. 

I hope you found some of these resources and ideas valuable. While I'm not a CPA or financial expert, I'd be happy to field any questions about where I found the information above to help you take further action. 

In the midst of this uncertainty and anxiety, I have been struck by the country's focus on supporting small business and buoyed by the fact that everyone - including governments and consumers - seems to understand how essential independent companies are to the economy and culture of our country. I have never been prouder that EcoEnclose plays a small part in helping these businesses ship, grow and thrive. 

Regards,

Saloni Doshi, CEO

saloni@ecoenclose.com

EcoEnclose

280 South Taylor Avenue

Suite 200

Louisville, CO 80027

888.445.6575 | support@ecoenclose.com

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