Responsible. Recyclable. Supportive.
Our core business ethic has always been to ensure our client’s needs and expectations are fulfilled to the highest possible standard, along, of course, with many smiles along the way! However, we also have values that we believe to be equally important and which we have been working towards quietly in the background. We would like to let you know a little more about them here…
In the early days of Happydesigner, all of the illustrations were designed and created using paper, pencils, pens, ink, paints and other such consumables. As the business grew, so did the need for more and more of these items, and amongst many other things, thousands of sheets of paper were disposed of during this time. Because they contained sensitive information, such as development sketches, unused final illustrations, names, addresses, draft stories etc., we had to shred all of these sheets. Regrettably, local restrictions surrounding shredded paper prohibited us from recycling this paper, and it all ended up in a landfill. Along with this, the inks and paints needed to create the illustrations were not always available in eco-friendly forms, and we were always conscious of the impact this was potentially having on the environment. Thankfully, over recent years there have been significant advances in technology within the art and design industry, brought about by the increasing processing power of the available computers. We have always embraced the available technology as much as we could reasonably afford, and with the advent of increasingly realistic electronic substitutes for the traditional ‘ink, paint and paper’ method of doing things, we decided that this was the way to go. Subsequently, we have invested many thousands of pounds in upgrading the technology and computers we use, thus reducing our reliance on paper & ink to what is now almost zero. State-of-the-art hardware, coupled with the very latest in software innovation, are now used exclusively to create all of the artwork, designs and books produced by Happydesigner.
Although we offer various design and illustrative services, our business is primarily involved with the production of books. Whilst it is super to be able to read books on your mobile device, tablet or computer, nothing quite replaces the experience of holding a real book in your hand, flicking through the pages and enjoying seeing all of those beautiful illustrations in their full glory! Even the smell of the air wafting around as you turn the pages holds a certain magic! We are, however, very conscious of the impact that this has on the environment, especially concerning paper production and the trees used in this process. We were exceptionally pleased, therefore, when we learnt that our preferred printing partner had introduced a recycled paper option, and we now encourage all of our clients to consider using this wherever possible.
Ecologi
Did you also know that when you work with Happydesigner, you are supporting worldwide climate projects and dedicated reforestation projects in the UK with Ecologi?
Realising that there were already many credible and workable solutions available to tackle the problems of climate change and reverse much of the damage caused to nature, Ecologi founder Elliot Coad could see that these ideas, though very good individually, lacked cohesion, meaning that their impact on the problem was limited. So, after pondering the issue over a morning cup of coffee, Elliot eventually came up with a plan to bring many of these ideas together. His plan was simple in design in that it only required a small monetary contribution from the hundreds of thousands of small to medium-sized businesses in the UK and the millions of similar businesses around the world to provide the means to achieve the desired goals. All that was now needed was to get the word out there and garner the required support to turn the idea into real collective action. Utilising the skills and expertise of several family members and friends, Ecologi was born! You can find out more about their story and the continuing journey here: (Our story | Ecologi)
At Happydesigner, we are committed to being a low-carbon business, and Ecologi allows us to track and offset our carbon emissions, enabling us to be a Climate Action Workforce and achieve our sustainability goals. You can visit our very own Ecologi profile & track our low-carbon business progress here: ecologi.com/happydesigner
Still aware of the need for further ways to help us become carbon-neutral, and to further help the environment as a whole, we looked to find other ways we could be more pro-active. In doing this, we have often supported the National Trust and planted several trees with them too. This is our little way to help towards sustaining the tree population in the UK, which is something very close to our hearts.
Love Paper
Paper. The essential element in printing the wonderful books we design and produce at Happydesigner, and we are extremely mindful of the need to ensure that the paper used for all of these books is sourced ethically and sustainably. Apart from actively supporting the planting of new trees and reducing deforestation, we research all the print companies we use to be sure that their ethos matches ours. Along with this, we are proud to support the efforts and ideals of Love Paper, a worldwide campaign to promote the sustainability and many varied attributes of paper and paper packaging.
Established by the not-for-profit organisation Two Sides, Love Paper strives to inform and educate consumers in all areas of the world about the positivity surrounding paper, print and paper packaging, including its environmental credentials and its ability to improve learning, mental wellbeing, and enhance creativity through the many and varied ways it is used.
Despite the fact that the world is leaning more and more towards digital, paper will forever hold a unique place in our lives. You simply don’t get the same feeling flicking through the cold, digital pages on a screen as the excitement, smells and anticipation you get when opening a real, printed book and looking through the individual pages!
Find out more about the Love Paper campaign here: Love Paper
We attach great importance to supporting charities and actively make a point of producing one project each year for a charitable cause. On top of this, each year, we will now choose a charity close to our hearts to support, and as well as donating to them, we will also promote the good work that they do throughout the year.
As Happydesigner, we have worked on numerous projects that have been specifically angled towards helping children in various ways. These projects have been particularly rewarding, knowing that we have contributed, in some small way, to the wellbeing of these children, something which is close to Sarah’s heart.
As a general comment to finish with, although we absolutely enjoy what we do here at Happydesigner, the hours can be long, and it can become extremely intense at times. So, in order to preserve our sanity and be able to maintain the high calibre of work we proudly produce, we take regular daily walks around the beautiful countryside where we live and endeavour to start and finish every day with a smile!
