Repurposing for a Second Life.

At VGL we take our responsibility towards the environment very seriously. We have a number of initiatives to reduce our carbon footprint, use eco-friendly inks, and materials, invest in print technology, as well as including a robust waste hierarchy.

We understand how important sustainability is to our customers, and as such, we have been working hard in conjunction with our various suppliers to create a range of printed materials that meet the increasing demands for a more sustainable print solution.

MetaStream™

MetaStream™ is a certified closed-loop process designed to capture and recycle all production waste and end-user products made using qualified Metamark materials, turning them into useful articles that can themselves be recycled time and time again. This includes a range of vinyl, overlam and paper, giving them a secondary life as plastic barriers, road cones, note pads or greeting cards, for example. Explore some of our case studies to see where we have used Metamark products.

PrettyLittleThing’s Sustainable Tram Wraps

Stagecoach Supertram Wrap

Sheffield Tram Wrap, promoting the Full Monty Film

Manufacture of Polyester Yarn

Digital Print Media, one of the suppliers we collaborate with to make a positive impact on reducing our carbon footprint, has a process to reuse Deco and Solarbrite process waste. DPM collects this waste from VGL for conversion into polyester yarn. This yarn is then re-used to produce heavy-duty workwear.

Recycling of AllPrint Products

AllPrint, supplier of consumables to VGL, regularly collects the boxes and end-caps supplied with materials delivered to VGL to return them to their facilities for re-use. This is another way in which we offer a secondary life to the products used at VGL.

Reuse of Supplier End Caps

We have an agreement in place with two key vinyl suppliers to capture all plastic core end-caps, these are directly reused based on condition, or alternatively they are processed for recycling.

Recycling Pallet Waste

Recycling pallets is one of the most sustainable ways to dispose of our unwanted wood. Where pallets are damaged and are no longer fit for use, they will be collected, broken down and refurbished into new, durable structures where they remain in the pallet network.

Our friends at Oxford Wood Recycling are an award-winning social enterprise and charity that we work closely with to maximise recycling and reclaiming of our wooden pallets.

Secondary Use of Miscellaneous Fabrics

We deliver fabric process waste to a recycling contractor for secondary use in the equestrian menagerie. This is a catch-all for any printed products that do not fall into any of the above reuse or recycling methodologies.

If you would like to find out more about the environmentally-friendly materials and processes at VGL, please get in touch.