Going Green: Fire Mountain Gems and Beads' Efforts Towards Sustainable Business Practices

Now more than ever, it is important for businesses to consider their carbon footprints and ways to reduce waste. Here at Fire Mountain Gems and Beads, recycling, conservation and sustainability are at the forefront of our day-to-day operations. Read on to learn more about how we're striving to contribute to a healthier, greener world.

Recycling

At the Fire Mountain Gems headquarters, a number of recycling measures are in place. Our Facilities Team is in charge of recycling cardboard and plastic, as well as cans and bottles. Both our warehouse and office buildings have bins to collect regular paper and magazine-type paper for eco-friendly disposal. In 2017 alone, we recycled over 30 tons of cardboard, over three tons of paper, almost two tons of mixed plastics and over half a ton of magazine-type paper, not to mention the numerous drink containers recycled at our local bottle drop.

Shipping and Fulfillment

Efforts to reduce waste and lower our carbon footprint are important in our distribution center as well. While a certain number of bags are needed to pack orders safely and efficiently, we only double-bag products when they are in multiple quantities or when they require a bag to limit damage and loss on it's journey to our customers. This reduces the amount of plastic and printed labels for each order. We use recycled plastics and reusable bags whenever possible and are always looking for more opportunities. We currently use bags made from 15% recycled plastic in our fulfillment center and are testing the ability to use smaller bags in our automated machines.

Our cardboard packaging options have also evolved. We switched from white cardboard boxes to undyed brown cardboard boxes to limit chemicals in the manufacturing process and to better facilitate recycling. We use paper-based tape instead of plastic-based. Paper-based tapes use water-based adhesives and are recyclable, making them an environmentally friendly option.

Fire Mountain Gems continues to test out newer, greener options for our materials as well. Within the last year, we tested biodegradable paper envelopes made with plant-based inks. Although these envelopes didn't meet our customer's needs, we will continue to look for eco-friendly options.

How You Can Help

While we continue to research and improve on new methods and materials for eco-friendly business practices, there are ways you can help. Be sure to reuse or recycle the shipping materials you receive. Reuse the plastic and zip-lock bags to store supplies or finished jewelry designs, reuse the mailing envelopes in your shipping endeavors, and recycle as many materials as possible in your area.

With your help, we are Changing the World One Bead at a Time^®.