Tim Johnson, a Cambridge-based inventor and print industry veteran, has developed a solution to reduce plastic packaging used for Gift Wrap packs. The first products to market have been launched through Offset Publishing, an Essex based publisher, this week. The concept is currently being considered by major retailers as a viable environmentally-friendly alternative to unnecessary plastic bags. The solution is available now and utilises a cardboard hanger with incorporated Gift Tags.
Tim Johnson, says: “Everyone is aware of the damage that plastic packaging is doing to the environment. Last year I started seriously thinking about how I can make a contribution, no matter how small, to changing this situation. I work in the greeting card and charity markets, so the obvious way would be to look at how the use of plastics in this market place could be reduced. As an industry, I am glad to say, greeting card publishers and suppliers have made great strides on reducing plastic from cards but no one had made a usable alternative for gift wrap packs.
“My gift wrap holder concept has now been tested, refined and patent (GB1900062.9) duly applied for. The team at Offset have now created a great range of gift wraps utilising this system, with the aim of minimising the impact on the environment. There are at least 10 million gift wrap packs sold in the UK every year, and my ambition is to seriously reduce how many of these are packed in plastic. I challenge anyone to justify continuing to select gift wrap packed in plastic when there is such an obvious alternative.”
The world is currently producing nearly 300 million tons of plastic each year – most of which is used in packaging. In fact, of the 8.3bn tonnes of plastic that has been produce, 6.3bn tonnes of this is now waste. The innovative design created by Tim Johnson follows a zero-plastic approach, which could reduce plastic waste significantly for both retailers and consumers.
Tim Johnson is a veteran of the greetings, print and charity sectors, with more than three decades of experience, including senior roles at Hallmark Cards, Andrew Brownsword Group and Paper House PLC.
