Duplication Centre

Archive for the ‘The Environment’ Category

Packaging and the Environment: 1st July 2019

Monday, July 1st, 2019

At Duplication Centre we are sending out an increasing amount of sustainable card products which minimises the necessity for using a massive amount of plastic bubblewrap.

We do however still send lots of plastic and potentially breakable products and the reality is however much fragile tape you put on a parcel, they can sometimes get some rough treatment by the couriers!!!

Our priority is to get orders to customers in the perfect condition that they leave us, so good packing is important.

All this said we still try to reuse and recycle as much as we can :

*Boxes from incoming products are reused to double box giving amazing transit protection.

*Sourcing card boxes from other local businesses that would other wise be discarded.

*Reuse of mailite or bubble bags for outgoing samples and proofs.

It can be time consuming to recycle but we think it’s worth it .

Always trying to take responsibility for our own foot print.

Posted in Helping You Decide, Selling Your Music, The Environment | Comments Off on Packaging and the Environment: 1st July 2019

Being Environmentally Aware: 21st May 2019

Tuesday, May 21st, 2019

Playing our small part and being responsible for our own footprint, is our starting point with environmental issues.

CD, DVD & BluRay has traditionally been a very plastic orientated industry, with the CD Jewell Case and the Standard Plastic DVD box being for many years, the norm for packing and presenting your discs.

Over the last few years, and in conjunction with current responsible thinking we have been keen to promote our Eco-Friendly casing options.

We have developed our own templates and sourced FSC certified Sustainable card stock to provide our customers with a high quality, low price, ecofriendly range for CD, DVD & BluRay packaging.

These include:

Single Card Wallets
Double Card Wallets
Lancing Packs
4 page Digipaks

card lancing pack with cd with woman and man in swimming costumes and a booklet

CD Lancing Pack with 4 page booklet

two card wallet with cds being inserted ,picture of a band in 40's clothes and 5 piece band

Cd single card wallets

As a result of this we have noticed a huge shift in the choice our customers make when deciding on their cases.

Our card wallets by far exceed the popularity of all our plastic options.

At the same time we are very respectful of peoples right to choose and still stock all the traditional case choices. Where possible and where the quality is good enough, we use eco plastic versions like the ecolite Amaray cases for our traditional dvd packaging.These are both fully recycled and recycleable.

All of the templates for designing any of our card products can be found here:

https://www.duplicationcentre.co.uk/artwork-pdf-guidelines.html

Tags: BluRay, card wallets, cases, CD, Choice, DVD, eco friendly
Posted in Customers, Design, Helping You Decide, The Environment, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Being Environmentally Aware: 21st May 2019

Amaray Eco-friendly DVD cases

Wednesday, August 1st, 2018

We have always favoured the Amaray DVD cases. Their quality in the industry is well known and we value using high quality professional cases for all our orders.

We just thought that we would update you about our choice to use the Amaray Ecolite cases whenever we can which you will notice if you look on the inside of the case that it does not carry the usual AMARAY branding stamp.

These is however an itc number embossed on the spine of all Amaray Ecolite cases so you know that it is genuine.

This information comes directly from Amaray and we feel is good justification to continue to use the ecolite case for our orders.

The Ecolite was a down weighting to deliver the same performance of product but 7g less material which is 14% weight saving.

To achieve this we re inserted face plates to new weight.

The material remains the same which is 100% polypropylene even the clear inlay film is. PP(polypropylene) is a great plastic that recycles easily up to 20+ times and can be reused for multiple products. The colour pigment is also PP based clean food grade. Therefore if/when the product reaches end of life the Amaray case can be fully recycled.

Finally within Amaray manufacturing UK we create zero scrap – all machine rejects/start up waste is fed back in through the process and reused.

Tags: amaray, DVD Case, eco friendly, recycle
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Which CD/DVD Case is Right for You?

Thursday, July 5th, 2018

This article is revisiting the topic of casing and giving a more up to date analysis of what is available and popular at the moment.

Over the last few years there has been a great shift in the type of CD/DVD casing chosen by customers.This is partly due to the increasing access we all have to the digital world, where personalising and producing bespoke products is much easier and ever more professional in outcome.

Whether you are a band selling at gigs or a school producing a play or a company producing product or financial information it matters how you present your CD/DVD to your customer or client.

What are your choices?

The first decision to be made is whether you want printed parts with information on for your customer to read…if you don’t then your options are:

FOR YOUR CDS

A plastic Clam Shell Case or a plastic wallet ; both of these will allow your onbody print on the CD to show through and are a good and really low cost option.

The plastic wallet comes in single or double versions and also those used for inserting into books and magazines with clear self adhesive strips.

If you do want printed parts there are a wealth of options and things to consider.

By far the most popular form of casing currently is the card wallet which we print in full colour on both sides.

The Card Wallet

We have noticed a real shift in sales over the last couple of years and this has grown in popularity to become our best selling case option.There are many reasons for its popularity not least because it is very eco-friendly,unbreakable and easy to post. It is most popular however because you can tailor the wallet to print photos , text…whatever you choose…and end up with an inexpensive bespoke product printed on high quality fsc certified 350 gsm box board.

You can then choose to have these cellobagged or shrinkwrapped just to create the complete profession look or for selling online.

The CD Digi-Pak

Along side this is the CD digi-pak which is a 4 page card option with a clear or black tray for the CD to sit in; this gives

all the same benefits as a card wallet but has the more sturdy plastic tray for the CD to sit in.

And finally in the card range is the 4 page lancing pack which is a double card wallet with one side sealed with glue or left open for a booklet.

The CD Jewell Case

The CD Jewell Case….named because they are said to pick up light like jewells!! …. are transparent plastic, fitted with 2 arms that support the lid…these are by far the most traditional, and were the preferred option for many until recent times.

These too allow you to bespoke your order with 2,4,6 and 8 page booklets giving you the space to include all the information you want to; along with a rear tray,single or double sided for your track listings.

The jewell case also comes in a slimline version where there is no back tray so no art in the back, but still plenty of room for the booklet to be inserted in the front.We have the black tray option on the web-site but can order in a clear tray if you wish.

FOR DVDS

For your DVDS the same decision process applies as with CDS….Do you want printed parts?

As a DVD and a CD Disc are the same size you can have any of the CD casing options if you want to for your DVD….. we do have customers who choose to have a DVD in a slimline cd case for example or in a CD card wallet…..however we do offer some other packaging products which are particularly designed for the DVD.

DVD Digi-pak These are made with the same high quality card as the cd digi-pak but are a different shape…rather more like a book …longer but nice and slimline in design.

Our DVD customers mostly still choose the AMARAY standard DVD case made of plastic which comes in single,double,3,4,5,10 way and so on….

The Standard Amaray DVD Case

They come in all colours but we advertised black and clear as they are by far the most popular.

The clear case gives you the option for a double sided wrap to be printed…the black for just single sided.

This traditional DVD casing can also be ordered with a DVD booklet 2 or 4 page.

Our web-site offers a free artwork creation tool and all the templates for both the disc art and printed paper parts are in our Artwork section. Artwork Creator

If you hover over the case options on the web-site you will also see an image and description of the case in question.After you have done this if you are still undecided give us a call and we’ll use our experience to help you decide. Instant Prices and Ordering

Tags: card wallet, cases, choose, digi-pak, DVD, eco friendly, options, plastic cd, printed parts
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Recycling /Upcycling,

Monday, June 4th, 2018

If you care about ecology and the careful and efficient use of our worlds resources you will be interested in reading read this article.

We have always viewed our general efficiency, in all aspects of our work as part of being an eco-friendly and responsible British Company. This includes the responsible choice and use of our own suppliers and supplies, careful budgeting and careful use of power (mainly electricity) and associated machinery. In addition to this we have internal policy regarding the recycling of any waste material.

This article is an informal piece about our most recent thoughts and practices.

From the start we use high quality casing for our Cds,Dvds and Blu-rays with the philosophy that in the long term these will provide the best protection for your discs and although some are plastic, will last a life-time so do not need to be replaced. This is slightly counter culture in what has become a throw away society in many walks of life, but there is common sense in choosing quality which will last; and despite this we still remain one of the cheapest, if not the cheapest for all of our products. There is a great deal of inferior quality, cheap packaging out there that is never use for any of our customers.

Over the 12 years that we have been in the duplication business we have noticed a large shift in the casing that our customers choose for their orders. From the days where nearly all CD’s were packed in a plastic standard jewel case and all DVDs packed in a Amaray plastic DVD cases, we now find that a much larger percentage of customers choose the more eco-friendly options of card wallets/digi-paks.

The card/paper we stock for all our printed parts is FSC Certified and sustainable. We feel this is a better option than recycled paper as research shows that due to the high volumes of bleach used to whiten the paper this is not as environmentally friendly…..which is not good. Responsible sourced and properly managed paper is a green industry, encouraging the growth of trees in the worlds forests. www.fsc-uk.org

In addition our, experience and the feedback our customers give us tells us that paper based products are less susceptible to damage in transit and less costly to courier, deliver and store compared to plastic cases.

Customer choice is highly important to us however and whilst there is a demand for the plastic standard jewell and standard DVD case and we continue to provide these on our web-site.

A large part of our recycling programme is to reuse all the incoming boxes and packaging to supply our out-going parcels.

Protecting orders is our top priority so this comes first however where possible we re-cycle all cardboard, jiffy/mailite bags and packaging, always removing any personal information on them first.

Good House-keeping in the production room means less waste, however on every order we do produce 1 or 2 over-runs of discs. This enables us to keep a control copy here of every order. We have researched widely the re-cycling of CD’s, DVD’s and Blu-Rays and have yet to find a highly sustainable channel for these.

We do however supply unburned discs to artists and students of design free of charge for sculpture or artistc projects.

There are also an increasing number of designers who use discs as the raw materials for projects like garden mosaics, lamps, dishes, picture frames, flower pots, mirrors, coasters and even a disco ball!! See www.zerowasteweek.co.uk for DIY ideas on how to recycle discs.

Another great use for discs is as bird scarers on allotments, they catch the sun if hung and will deter without harming birds who would eat delicate crops.

We minimise the use of paper by having an efficient invoice emailing and chasing system; although we will always send hard copy invoices if requested. We shred all paper that we can and this is re-used for animal bedding and then composted.

In short we view ourselves as a very eco-friendly company and we constantly update and re-visit our processes to see where we can improve and evolve in a productive and conscientious way.

Gained knowledge and know-how is the key here to keeping an efficient and eco-friendly approach in balance for our industry.

Tags: Blu-Ray, CD, DVD, efficiency, packaging, re-cycle, up-cycle, waste
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The environmental impacts of CD and DVD duplication and replication

Wednesday, August 9th, 2017

What are the effects of duplicating CDs on the environment?

Reports on the state of the environment are all around us, becoming one of the main concerns of the public. And within this there is no denying that CD and DVD duplication and replication, like every business, has its role in being able to make the environment better or worse. However there are things that can be done to help – and you yourself can do your part!

But first, consider this: For each CD made, one kilogram of carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere. Now, that may not sound like much but when you throw into the equation that In the year 2000, 2.455 billion CDs were sold worldwide it makes 2,455,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide in one year, plus the 3 and a half metric tonnes of toxic waste that comes with it! And that, scarily enough, is for just the mass CD duplication of the music industry alone. That doesn’t count computer games, promotional DVDs, DVD films, any software sales or the blank CDs just sold in shops!

And what happens to all of these CDs once nobody wants them anymore? That’s right, they end up in landfill. Because of the complex nature of their make up (CD’s contain many layers of mined minerals such as aluminium, gold, silver and nickel mixed in layers with non-biodegradable petroleum-derived plastics and lacquers) they cannot be recycled in the tradition sense, either. In fact, if they are accidentally put in plastic recycling, they have been known to ruin the recycling equipment itself! This is because the plastic used for CDs, polycarbonate plastic (derived from BPA) is almost impossible to recycle and has been linked to human and animal health problems and polluted groundwater.

But there is an alternative to this notorious plastic: Polylactic acid (PLA) is an entirely biodegradable plastic substitute derived from corn – not only biodegradable but sustainable, too! Here, then, the environmental impact of mass CD duplication could be lessened greatly.

In a similar vein, jewel CD cases are also clogging up landfill sites. These, too, could be replaced in the mass CD duplication industry with the PLA cases or could be made out of paper out of recycled paper, a practice some individual CD producers have started to do follow. This last idea has its problems, however, as the paper and cardboard cases are simply not as durable as the plastic ones and this, more than anything else, has been keeping them off the market.

But enough about what big business could be doing: What can you do? Well, you could send your old CDs off to a handful of private companies who have come up with some innovative ways to recycle them. They can, for a small processing fee, be transformed into all manner of things, ranging from street lamps and car parts to, rather ironically, new jewel cases for the CDs themselves! A good UK disc recycling company is Polymer Recycling Ltd. You can also choose an environmentally responsible company for your CD and DVD duplication and replication needs, for instance Duplication Centre UK or Replication Centre UK who do all they can for the environment, for instance by recycling their packaging materials they reduce the amount of their waste that goes into landfill!

Tags: Environment, Go Green, Recycling
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How CDs and DVDs Can Impact the Environment

Friday, June 28th, 2013

The environment is a hot topic now-a-days.

How are you helping or hurting the environment with your duplication or replication of CDs?

Working with CDs and DVDs has an impact on the environment and it is important to understand how you are impacting the world around you. Not only that, but you must realise the various ways you can counteract the damage that you put on the environment due to your use of CDs or DVDs.

How are you impacting the environment?

Whenever you create a CD you build one kilogram of carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere.

Unfortunately most people don’t think that this will affect much. However, since the world’s population is so large, 2,455,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide are created every year from the combination of people’s CD creation.

This statistic is just from the music industry alone. With the addition of promotional CDs, DVD movies, computer games and everything else that is used on CDs the numbers most likely double.

The aftermath

What happens to a CD after you dispose of it?

They typically end up in a landfill. Due to their makeup, they cannot be recycled. In fact, if they are accidentally recycled they can damage the equipment that is used to recycle materials.

An alternative

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a great alternative to the plastic used in CDs. It is biodegradable and can reduce the effect of typical plastics used in CDs.

The material used in CD cases is also a great burden on the environment. In order to counteract the effects of CD cases, you can use PLA cases. You can also use cases that are made out of paper that many music producers have used to create CDs. The only problem with using paper cases is that they are not as durable as the usual plastic cases.

What can you do?

Every small act helps. If you would like to prevent the problems of CD pollution you can send your CDs to private companies who recycle them. A great CD recycling company in the UK is Polymer Recycling Ltd.

You can also choose to work with environmentally friendly companies when choosing your CD duplication and replication options. There are many options out there, but don’t forget that Duplication Centre recycles its packaging materials, so it is an environmentally responsible choice for CDs.

Tags: Environment, Recycling
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Going Greener?

Monday, September 12th, 2011

It’s 2011 and little is being done for this planet on which we live! Remember the ‘green’ revolution that started before the financial crisis? And as the situation seems now, it looks as though little, or indeed nothing has really been done in the DVD business.
Well, maybe that’s not quite true! There have been a few companies out there who have invented new technologies and products like the EcoDisc a carbon light DVD and FSC paper. However little has been done to implement these and other technologies on a large scale.
On a more positive note, the DVD/Blu-Ray industry has managed to go a little greener. A few years ago, in the US, Walmart asked one of its DVD suppliers — 20th Century Fox — to be a part of a pilot for a carbon reduction project. They made simple changes to make DVD packaging lighter, which in effect cut energy use by 28%. This reduced the lifecycle carbon emissions of these DVDs by about 25,000 tons. It had a big multiplier effect, too, because the lighter packages were also used on DVDs sold at stores other than Walmart. The change also evolved from movies to video games and software too. Small change — big cumulative effect.
The environmental impact of the manufacturing industry is not only down to the big companies.
When choosing CD/DVD/Blue-ray duplication, consider the environment. The least negative impact your final product or promotional material has the greater support you offer the environment. When and where possible use the least amount of packaging. Ask yourself does the disc need to be in a plastic box or will a cardboard wallet as offer by companies such as Duplication Centre be a better eco-friendly option. Not only does it take up less space, it uses fewer resources to produce and transport and can naturally biodegrade when no longer needed, meaning less to go in land fill.
The environmental impact CD/DVD/Blue-ray duplication has is in all our hands. There are many things businesses small and large can do and if put in place wisely, will further help reduce the carbon footprint (considerably). Let’s remember it’s all cumulative.

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What is the future of green packaging?

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

There is more interest in recyclability than in developing alternative materials

No packaging company can afford to be labelled as ‘environmentally unfriendly’. Consequentially, green awareness is seen as a powerful asset to boost sales. Unfortunately – as there still are no clear rules for naming a particular product ‘green’ – this often leads to overstated claims and the overall devaluation of the term.
One such example would be claiming that discs with only slightly reduced emission of CO2 are ‘green’; whereas this obviously is not a straight forward case.
Clearly there is a need for special regulation on this issue so that the consumers are fully informed about what they buy. Similar regulation is already to be put in place by the EU with regard to orange juice.

On the other hand, event the noblest of concerns – such as the environmental ones – have to be reconciled with customers’ needs. These however often tend to contradict each other; like the demand for reduced costs and increased sustainability. It seems that many will applaud minimizing environmental impact, but only few are willing to carry the weight of the costs involved. Especially that – since the packaging is a part of the product rather than an instant throwaway – there is more interest in recyclability than in developing alternative materials; no matter how sophisticated.

Again, it is necessary to carefully estimate the costs: is putting extra financial effort in producing yet thinner discs – which are recyclable to the same extent as the currently produced thin discs – economically viable?
The current data seems to suggest that the customers are more concerned about sustainability and less willing to experiment with new technologies.

Tags: The environment
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Green half-thickness DVDs – as good as they say?

Friday, July 30th, 2010

Green half-thickness DVDs - do they really work?

With society’s growing occupation with ‘going green’, people are starting to ask what the bulk DVD duplication industry can do to help the cause. Thus the half-thickness ‘green’ DVD, or ‘EcoDisc’, was invented.
Just like a normal disc, this DVD can store audio, visual and text information on it, yet unlike the standard disc it comes at only half the thickness (0.6mm instead of 1.2mm), using less resources in its creation and saving on plastic, emissions and thus allowing the bulk DVD duplication industry to help the environment. This effect is created because a normal disc is two separate halves glued together, while the EcoDisc has only one half, no glue and special clamps and rings to assist the disc player in clamping it properly. The absence of the adhesive used in normal discs is another environmental plus, as the glue gives off toxic fumes.
But do these EcoDiscs actually work?
So far, the bulk DVD duplication centers manufacturing these discs have been keeping quiet about which discs exactly are EcoDiscs so it is quite hard to tell, but several magazines have given away EcoDiscs as free gifts and some consumers had issues getting them to work in ordinary disc players. The half-thickness can seriously compromise the disc player and a disc can become stuck in a player which does not have an ejecting disc-drawer (like the ones you normally find in cars or in mac computers).
Aside from this, the much of the bulk DVD duplication industry is up in arms: They claim these discs are a serious compromise of DVD standards and licensees have been notified that manufacturing sub-standard discs will cause them to have their licenses taken away.
So while the verdict is still out on half-thickness DVDs, the evidence is not looking promising for them! While I agree that going green is all for the good, we need to make sure that the products created in this cause should be fully tested and work very well in all circumstances before they are put out onto the market!

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