Sustainability

The notebook as a sustainable product

In contrast to the random customer gifts and branded giveaways you get that are all too quickly thrown away, the notebooks we produce are high-quality work tools and everyday companions, which you should be only too happy to keep and repeatedly use with a crystal clear conscience. The sustainability of a product is linked directly to its quality. The equation is simple – the higher the quality, the more durable it is. This is also the premise upon which we base our notebooks.

Producing environmentally friendly, sustainable notebooks, which take social and safety standards in Germany into account comes as standard for us. We always keep an eye on innovative materials for our covers and note blocks that emphasize sustainability, whether it be vegan or 100% recycled. During our manufacturing, we use resource-saving, climate-neutral production processes. It is printed on certified paper, using water-based mineral (oil-free) inks and varnishes. Binding is done with adhesives that do not contain solvents. For books that are made to last the distance.


 
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Materials and Paper

Innovative and resource-saving

Recycled paper for covers and note blocks
  • Kraft paper covers

    The kraft paper FoldKraft™ from Papyrus is an uncoated kraft pulp board with a smooth front and a matt back and has high flexural strength and tear resistance. The brown, undyed eco-paper brings an incredibly special, naturally cool look with it, which offers a particularly fresh appearance, especially in combination with a white screen print.
  • Covers from Gmund USED

    Recycled paper does not have to be colourless. This paper is extremely colour stable and available in a beautiful colour range. The eco-production of Gmund USED from Gmund is made from 100% recycled paper.
  • Recycled paper content pages

    Dare anyone say that recycled paper must be grey, or that it yellows quickly. RecyStar Polar proves just the opposite. The paper has a DIN ISO whiteness of 98% and is resistant to aging. It has also been awarded the FSC® certificate, the “Blue Angel” and the EU Flower seals. Sustainability meets excellent writing quality, as well as top printability and tear resistance.
  • Premium Paper Munken content pages 

    The Swedish premium paper from Munken is one of our favorites and we use it in a large part of our productions. All Munken papers are FSC® certified. Since summer 2020 the uncoated fine paper has been freshly awarded the Cradle to Cradle certificate. Cradle to Cradle stands for a self-contained circular economy, no resources are squandered, no environmentally harmful waste is produced, but the product is composted or reused after its use – a radical alternative to the throwaway society. 
     
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We are always up to date with the most innovative materials.

Upcycling concepts for binding materials
  • Binding material from apple leftovers

    This material contains the same properties as a pleasantly soft, voluminous artificial leather. Rather than containing chemical raw materials, however, it consists, to a high degree, of natural waste - namely apples. The residues derived from this fruit, which result from industrial processing, are converted into a new, raw material, in the form of naturally dried apple powder. This is a sustainable cover material that makes both a visual and tactile impression. Especially suitable for extra deep, razor-sharp embossing. Available in a beautiful natural colour range.
  • Cover material from PET bottles

    Circular is a material that is versatile, powerful and environmentally-conscious all at once. It is made with recycled polyester fibres obtained from used PET bottles. To produce one linear meter of the material, five 1.5 litre plastic bottles are needed.
  • Paper made from used coffee grounds  

    Attention coffee fans! This black gold not only gives you that essential boost of energy every morning, it can also be processed into paper. This coffee paper is 100% recycled and contains processed roasting residues from the production of coffee, which gives the material its extraordinary texture. The result: a unique appearance and ideal for printing.
     
  • Paper made from corn, citrus fruits, kiwis, olives, almonds, hazelnuts, lavender, and cherries

    Crush is an uncoated, coloured natural paper made from 30% recycled fabric. The composition of this environmentally friendly material is extremely versatile. The production process uses agricultural waste such as corn, citrus fruits, kiwis, olives, almonds, hazelnuts, lavender, and cherries. A real potpourri of organic ingredients that give the paper a special feel and surface colour. Available in a variety of 10 soft colours in a very natural look.
     
  • Cover material from disposable cups

    From cups to paper: ‘Extract’ is more than just paper; it is a solution to a problem that is widespread around the world: disposable cups, thousands of which end up in the waste stream every day in Germany alone and are, for the most, part not recycled. Recycling is difficult in this case due to the material mixture of paper and polyethylene. G. F. Smith has now succeeded in separating these two components in an environmentally friendly way using CupCycling technology from James Cropper. The result? 90% of the cup can now be recycled into paper. The remaining 10% plastic is used to make other products, making this a “zero waste” process.

Plan your own individual notebook!

In our book configurator you can find a large selection of materials and finishing options for your personal book project.

See book configurator

The most important cornerstone of a sustainable product is quality.

Made in Germany

That is why we manufacture 100% in Germany

For us, "Made in Germany" is not just a seal of quality amongst many, but one of our most important basic principles. The rich tradition of the print and bookbinding trade in Germany is just one good reason to manufacture locally. Local production eliminates the dependence upon the worldwide imports of a global economic system, and avoids exploiting both man and the natural world, which is also becoming increasingly appreciated.

If your interest genuinely lies in sustainability, you should know where and how the production of products takes place. This is why our production, which ranges from handcrafting in a traditional factory to industrial book production using state-of-the-art technologies, has been located at various regional sites across Germany for many years.

This not only strengthens local craftsmanship, but also secures jobs. The "Made in Germany" concept also allows us to ensure direct quality assurance, a smooth coordination and approval process, on-time delivery, and short delivery times and transport routes without wasting any resources. Thanks to the extraordinary flexibility made possible by our local network, we can offer a particularly wide variety of materials, book types and finishing techniques. Additionally, through the use of the latest technologies, optimized processes and high efficiency, we can offer our "Made in Germany" guarantee at attractive prices.
The advantages of regionally located production.
  • It strengthens craft trades, and secures local jobs
  • It offers flexible transport logistics
  • It adheres to delivery dates and short-lead delivery times
  • It optimizes storage and production processes
  • It guarantees on-site quality control
  • It offers sustainable production that meets high environmental and social standards
  • It offers large product variety through a flexible local network

Made in Germany ensures sustainability, flexibility and an adherence to production deadlines.

Sustainable book production

Environmentally friendly and future-oriented

The Facts
  • Certified raw material paper: FSC®, PEFC™ and the “Blue Angel” seals.

    80% of all emissions caused by a print product are attributed to the paper used. Careful paper selection, therefore, is essential for an environmentally friendly book. The production of recycled paper consumes around two thirds less energy, water and CO2 compared to virgin fibre paper. From an ecological point of view, recycled paper is always the better choice as a result. The “Blue Angel” label, which our favourite recycled paper also proudly bears, guarantees that paper fibers are 100% obtained from waste paper and that no harmful chemicals or optical brighteners are added in the process.

    However, it’s worth noting that paper fibers can only be recycled between five to seven times before they become brittle. In addition, paper must sometimes meet requirements that go beyond recycling. That is why we also depend upon fresh pulp. Globally recognized seals such as FSC® and PEFC™, which our standard and premium papers carry, provide assurance here about our adherence to strictly controlled, responsible and sustainable forestry management.
     
  • Production processes

    Printing plates and inks both belong to the printing process. Here, too, we pay the utmost attention to detail in order to save energy and we use our raw materials with care. As a result, the exposure of our printing plates works without the need for a developing machine and thus, without requiring chemicals or water.

    The mineral (oil-free) organic inks for sheetfed offset printing used in our production contain vegetable-based binders. The ingredients of these printing inks are both registered and controlled according to the EU chemical regulation REACH. They enable extended washing intervals of the inking units and require, at most, only minor adjustments. They also have ‘high rub resistance’, which prevents the need for additional protective coating.
     
  • Environmental awareness

    Many things, such as waste separation and proper waste disposal, are a matter of course for us as a German company. We also like to closely monitor our partner companies, from the paper mills to the freight transporters, to see what is being done at each stage for environmental protection. Along with the certificates, is our focus on a general awareness of the effects of our actions and our production. In our production halls, we use regenerative energy sources and modern machinery, which produce efficiently, and with little waste, and therefore is as environmentally friendly as possible.

    In addition, we have also consciously opted for individual book production, where we can guarantee low material costs and low subsidies for each individual production with the right equipment for each editions’ range. This means that we don’t require mass processing systems that combine a wide range of different production elements for better planning and machine utilization; this method signifies that many tons of printed paper go straight into the wastepaper unit.
     
  • Climate Neutral Production


    Book production, like the production of all consumer goods, and with the best will in the world, is not completely CO2 emission-free possible. However, the resulting emissions that do get produced can be identified and compensated for with each order. If you decide on climate neutrality for your order, we can have it certified by our partner natureOffice and you can place the “printed climate neutrally” logo with a tracking ID on your printed product. For the CO2 compensation (guideline value: approx. 1% of order value) you choose one of the environmental projects to which the amount will be donated. The scope of these projects range from technology transfer and support for social structures in emerging markets, reforestation projects in South America and nature conservation in Europe's largest freshwater area, the De Biesbosch National Park in the Netherlands, through to the care of our regional forests in the Rhön, Taunus or in Hunsrück.
     
  • Possible alternatives

    To protect your books from damage caused by transport, storage or weather, we usually shrink-wrap them in foil. The amount of waste produced in this process is minimal and recyclable. However, if you are still on the look-out for plastic-free packaging, we have various solutions for you. We pack on request with separator sheets in cardboard boxes or offer various gift packaging.

    Vegan products are on trend more than ever. So, we have worked on producing 100% vegan books. We have now also made note block production as well as cover production also possible with vegan glue.

    Come to us with your ideas! We will try to make anything & everything possible for you and your project.
     

Any questions about sustainable book production?

If you are planning a high-quality, consistently environment-friendly production, we will be happy to advise you

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Our contribution
  • The Bergwaldprojekt e.V.

    During the production of our notebooks, we strive for the responsible and careful use of global resources. Especially when it comes to selecting the paper; we focus on the conscious and efficient use of raw materials. We also want to do something to preserve this valuable renewable raw material.

    Therefore, for every order you place with us, we will automatically donate two trees to the Bergwaldprojekt e.V. These trees are used for reforestation and near-natural forest restructuring in various regions throughout Germany.

    The planting of local trees contributes significantly to climate protection; after all, forests are central CO2 reservoirs and a source of energy for the environment.

    Due to global climate change and massive threats to biodiversity, the mountain forest project aims to preserve the biodiversity of native forests and establish socially acceptable and ecological forest use through its’ planting and maintenance measures, as well as moorland and stream renaturation. The aim? To achieve social rethinking towards environmentally friendly lifestyles.

Two trees with every order!

brandbook automatically donates two trees to the Bergwaldprojekt e.V. for every order you place with us. We look forward to your request via the book configurator!

See book configurator

Climate neutral production, certified paper, vegan books - we make it all possible!