Sustainability

At Disc Makers we work hard to provide independent artists A-grade quality products that leave as low an eco-footprint as possible.

Since our customers are very concerned with looking as good as (or better than) “the big guys,” we focus less on non-mainstream packaging like craft board and other raw materials that reduce product or printing quality, and more on products that look great on retail shelves while reducing our carbon footprint.

Here are some of the steps Disc Makers takes to reduce our carbon footprint. This list is just a starting point. We will continue to make our products and our company ever greener.

Designing and promoting green products
We believe that the best way to make this industry more eco-friendly is by promoting products that are greener – and making them affordable. Disc Makers has always been in the forefront of designing and promoting low or no-plastic CD and DVD packaging. We turned the board jacket, which is the disc package with the smallest carbon footprint, into a mainstream CD and DVD package. We are the only factory to have invested in fully automated Digipak printing, assembly, and packaging, allowing independent artists to afford this premium retail packaging alternative. And we are rolling out new eco-wallets and other packaging options without plastic – all printed on recycled board.

Recycled board
All our board packaging (e.g. Digipaks, jackets, eco-wallets, etc) is printed on stock that contains at least 10% post-consumer recycled content, and comes from mills that procure raw materials from lands that are forested in a sustainable manner, without clear cutting. We go to great lengths to print on premium recycled board stock that provides you with Grade A quality, without some of the shortcomings and visual defects that can occur with some high recycled content board stock.

Vegetable based inks
We have been printing with non-toxic vegetable-based inks for years. In fact, we’ve found that these biodegradable inks produce some of the richest and most vibrant colors we’ve seen.

Internal recycling
Disc Makers has an aggressive internal recycling program for all waste that can be recycled, including paper trimmings, plastic waste from production overruns or rejects, nickel from CD and DVD stampers, and more. We also recycle office materials throughout our facility.

Sourcing recycled and/or reduced plastic components
We are continually looking for plastic products (like CD jewel case trays) that either use less plastic or are made from recycled plastic . So far, to be frank, we’ve met with mixed results. Due to our significant usage requirements any item we source has to be in sufficient supply to provide for all our needs. We’ve had modest successes – e.g. with our 100% recycled black Digipak trays – and will continue to proactively seek out such alternatives.

Smaller quantities to reduce unused items
One of the ways we reduce waste is by not forcing our customers to buy products in quantities greater than you need. Our factory allows us to efficiently produce small quantities of replicated products – down to 300 units. And if you need even less, our online Short Run Self Service option allows you to get exactly the quantity you need, even if it’s just 50, 10, or even one disc.

Lighter disc packaging options to reduce shipping
Many of the carbon emissions generated by industry come from trucking, flying, or shipping the products around the country (or the world). By designing and promoting lighter weight, no-plastic packaging alternatives, we reduce the weight and volume your product takes up when we ship to you. That means lower carbon emissions during transportation, and lower shipping rates for you.

What is the difference between recycled-content and post-consumer
recycled content?
A recycled-content product is an item that contains recovered materials. Recovered materials are wastes that have been diverted from conventional disposal such as landfills for another use. Recovered materials include both pre-consumer and post-consumer wastes.

Pre-consumer materials are generated by manufacturers and processors, and may consist of scrap, trimmings and other by-products that were never used in the consumer market.

Post-consumer material is an end product that has completed its life cycle as a consumer item and would otherwise have been disposed of as a solid waste. Post-consumer materials include recyclables collected in commercial and residential recycling programs, such as office paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, plastics and metals.

Recycled-content products may contain some pre-consumer waste, some post-consumer waste or both. A product does not have to contain 100 percent recovered materials to be considered "recycled," but clearly the higher the percentage of recycled content, the greater the amount of waste that is diverted from disposal. Always look at the level of post-consumer recycled content in a product.