Lessons from the Welsh Bag Levy:

The 'ERIC' group (Environmental Regulation and Information Centre) have reported on the lessons learnt from the Welsh levy on carrier bags with some interesting debate on the environmental impact of using paper bags.  It is noted by ERIC that the Welsh Government has further considered the problems associated with paper bags with the quote below:  

"Extending the charge to also include paper means that the Welsh Government has chosen forward thinking by not merely trying to reduce plastic bag use but tackle the environmental issues raised by paper bags as well".

This article further highlights the need for industries to carefully consider the most sustainable and ethical bag option on the market. For more information on our Market Leading Ethically-produced bags please click here

Tesco's New Jute Bag in stores now

Continuing with Tesco's commitment to reduce carrier bag usage, their latest 'Tree' designed jute bag is now available in stores.

Did you know??

The Jute Industry in India alone supports the livelihood of 4 million farm families.

December Newsletter!

Click here for the December Jutexpo Newsletter!

Consumers give green light to plastic bag tax:

Clare Weir reports for the Belfast Telegraph on why consumers and businesses alike support a plastic bag tax:

"An independent survey on the introduction of a levy on carrier bags has found broad approval of the scheme, it was claimed. Market research company Millward Brown Ulster polled 200 businesses and over 1,000 adults on behalf of the Department of the Environment.......Read more here  

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year



                

            Jutexpo would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for 2012.

Waitrose new Christmas Bag and Shopper

Look out for Waitrose's new designed bags at your local store.

Did you know.....?

The contents of 3 single-use plastic bags will fit 1 average sized jute bag!

University Bags: Do you have yours?

Protecting the environment and education are two of the most important aspects to future society. We at Jutexpo recognise this and have teamed up with many Universities to create ethical reusable bags for students, teachers and everybody else. The bags are great for transporting those heavy books! Other uses include: 

• Quality prospectus student and open day material
• University library branded bags
• Ethical Student Union fundraising
• Sustainable dual marketing with local businesses
• Alumni and post graduate mementos

For more information please visit our online University Page or email us here,

Children in Need Jute Bags at Asda

Look out for these wonderful Children in Need bags available at most Asda stores.

Jutexpo and The Royal British Legion: Shoulder to shoulder with all who serve

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

Robert Laurence Binyon - September 1914

Support the Royal British Legion with our limited edition 90th Anniversary and Falling Poppy bags:

Visit the Poppy Shop Online to purchase the Official Poppy Appeal Bags

World Duty Free Donate £1,000,000 to the One Foundation

World Duty Free Group has announced it has funded a donation of over £1,000,000 to the One Foundation with 491,950 of our jute bags helping to contribute a considerable amount of this fantastic donation. The One Foundation bags can be found in all 21 of the World Duty Free Group's UK airport stores.  

The funds raised are used to install PlayPumps which are specially crafted children’s roundabouts that pump clean water from deep underground. We at Jutexpo are very proud to be a part of this worthy cause to provide clean water to some of the worlds poorest communities. 

See the full article here

Orla Kiely Bags in the blog community!

Our Orla Kiely bags are appearing on many popular blogs with some fantastic reviews. Take a look at the following links and join the bag conversations:

the-gingerbread-house.co.uk · chronicles of a crafty mummy

Print & Pattern

nellie-dean.com

Handmade Happiness Blog

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Jutexpo would like to wish everyone a very Happy Halloween.
http://www.jutexpo.com/

Strictly Come Dancing Star Kara Tointon!

Our Tesco bags were spotted in the papers today with Strictly Come Dancing Star Kara Tointon. In an article about her relationship with dancing pal Holly Valance, the bags can be seen helping her with her shopping!

See the full article here

Our Waitrose bag hits the papers in true fashion....

The Daily Mail published a fascinating article about our Waitrose bag today. Titled: "The PM's nanny, the Waitrose bag she used to carry his baby... and a mole hunt at No.1", Simon Walters reports on how our bag was used to carry David Cameron's baby; perhaps a sign of how our bags really are trusted. 

See the full article here

New Orla Kiely Bags

New Orla Kiely designed Bags available now in Tesco stores.

Look at our full range of bags here

Welsh Single Use Bag Charge: Two Weeks in.....

It has been two weeks since the official launch of charging for single use bags in Wales. So far, so good...

As stated in the Welsh Assembly official guidance, the charge will help to: 

(a) encourage a shift in consumer behavior away from throwaway consumption, towards re-use; 

(b) cut down on the use of resources; 

(c) prevent waste; and 

(d) improve local environment quality by reducing the highly visible litter

from single use carrier bags.

To further support a these objectives the Welsh Assembly have created this handy website:  

Carrier Bag Charge Wales Website

Bags in the News: PM's ultimatum on plastic bags

The plastic bag debate hit the front pages of the papers again yesterday as David Cameron warned the retailers to

"Radically reduce  the number of plastic bags you hand out by choice, or I will force you to by law."

Reporting a 333million single-use plastic bag increase on last year, The Daily Mail has furthered it's campaign to stop the environmental degradation and encourage sustainable and ethical bags.  

Click to read the full article here

Orla Kiely Bag seen in Grazia Magazine

We were lucky enough to have one of our Orla Kiely Jute bags feature in Grazia Magazine recently. As seen above it managed to get on the front cover and an article inside about the bag.

The World's Largest Jute Bag

The launch of the Big Bag happened at Tesco's Bridgend Community Fair in August and was on view to the general public. The bag measures a massive 4.2m wide x 3.2m high x 1.9m deep.

Jutexpo were very pleased to work with Tesco's to create a Guiness World Record breaking bag.

Dundee Heritage Trust

See our bags and a whole lot of information about Jute at the 'From carriers to Coffins' exhibition at Verdant Works, Dundee.

A great family day out with lots to do. See the Dundee Heritage Trust website for details.

Garden Bags

Summer is just around the corner so why not get a couple of our really useful Garden Bags to get a head start in your garden. See our website for details.

Great British Picnic Bag

A new Bag ideal for your Summer Picnic and the Royal Wedding. See our website for details.

Deben Jutes Basketball Club - New Ladies Team

Jutexpo are happy to sponsor Deben Jutes Basketball Club who have recently added a Ladies team to their squad.

BAG SPOT

Our Asda Bag was seen on the One Show this week.
They were doing a report in high street supermarkets about the use of Imperial measures. 

Orla Kiely Bags at Tesco

Celebrated designer Orla Kiely has exclusively designed a range of reuseable juco shopping bags sold through Tesco stores throughout the country.

Jutexpo are very pleased with this unique bag and have enjoyed working with Orla Kiely and Tesco's on this first design.

There will be more designs to come later on in the year, so look out for them!!

BAG SPOT

Another Jute bag spot on the new Sainsbury's advert.



St Stephens's School, Launceston raise essential funds





 





 

Pupil's and staff from St Stephen's School ARB recently went to Tesco, Launceston (pictured above) to sell reusable jute bags designed by pupils in a competition. The school have been really pleased with the way the bags have sold and are grateful to Tesco's and Jutexpo for their support.

Italy ban the carrier bag

As of 1st January 2011, Italy has banned the single use retail carrier bag.

They are the first EU country to ban plastic bags.

Italy use approx 20 billion bags per year!!!

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year

Perfect Presents

We have a range of wine bottle bags in our eBay shop that make perfect Christmas Presents for family, friends and even work colleagues and corporate functions.

Visit on http://stores.ebay.co.uk/jutexpo 

Christmastime

The festive season is upon us and many of the supermarkets are embracing it, with Christmas treats and gifts.

Waitrose have a new range of Christmas juco shoppers for 2010, both are sure to get customers in the Christmas spirit. The supermarket has stocked our bags for many years, supporting the campaigns to reduce the usage of plastic bags.

Tesco also stock many of our jute bags, usually the more popular ladybird bags can be found at the checkouts, however, they also have a photography department in many of the larger stores. Your photographs can be printed onto a range of our plain jute bags to make beautiful, practical and personal gifts for friends and family – perfect Christmas presents.

Thanks to Everybody - WINNER - Worcestershire CSR Environmental Award

Environmental Award!

We were a winner at the awards event last night.

It's a great honour to be recognised and it's fantastic somebody else sees the great work we do.

Earlier this year the Worcestershire Ambassadors launched its CSR Awards 2010. These Awards have been created to recognise and applaud businesses across Worcestershire who take CSR seriously and who endeavour to give something back to their community.

Thanks to everybody that made this possible, the team at Jutexpo, our partners in India, and to all our customers.


Next stop a national award, and then the world!

Dreaming of a Green Christmas

Oxfam, like many charities, are selling Christmas cards this year, this eco Rudolph fits in nicely witEdit Postsh our company ethos.

Bond Noel

Last Thursday Bond Street was turned into a 'winter wonderland' with snow falling, reindeer, carol singers, musicians and fireworks. This was all because it was the annual Bond Street Christmas Light Switch On; the lights were switched on by model and radio presenter Lisa Snowden with the help of a little girl who has had to attend Great Ormond Street Hospital over the last few years. The event raises money and awareness for The Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity; many supporters of the charity were roaming the streets with collection buckets. This year funds are being raised for the Louis Dundas Centre for Children's Palliative Care.

Visit www.gosh.org to find out more

The Sheffield Retired Greyhound Fund

The Sheffield Retired Greyhound Fund is a branch of the national Retired Greyhound Trust operating in the Sheffield and South Yorkshire area.

'Our single aim is to provide fully vetted and loving homes for as many retired greyhounds as possible so that these beautiful animals can continue to live a full and enjoyable life at the end of their careers.'

We hope they enjoy their bags, and they help support this great cause.

Just Desserts

'Our emphasis is on traditional home baking.'

Just Desserts is a small independent home bakery, their main aim being quality. They try and source as many of the ingredients from local suppliers. 

Just Desserts makes birthday cakes, wedding cakes and all special occasion cakes.  Also from cheese cakes to fudge cakes. We make all desserts all shapes and sizes. There is nothing they can't make!

The Green Marketing Conference 2010

The Green Marketing Conference that took place on 10 November is the second conference organised by Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) members in Peterborough.

This year there was a packed program of expert speakers and workshops, the aim, to help participants understand how climate change will affect their organisations.

The conference is also the ideal place to hear about how organisations, and marketers in particular, can achieve a suitable blend or acting green and communicating their green credentials to customers. Despite the current economic situation, there is still huge interest in environmental performance and great opportunities for businesses that make it part of their core activity and marketing campaigns.

Speakers at the event included;

Sam Turner, Jutexpo

Andy Wood, Adnams

Ed Gillespie, Futerra

Pat Dade, Cult Dynamics

Kevin Misselbrook, Access UK

Rob Harward, Riverford Organic Vegetables

Army of Collectors

'Volunteers are the lifeblood of The Royal British Legion and Poppy Appeal and we couldn't achieve all that we do without them.'

There is a wide range of volunteering opportunities throughout the year and during the Poppy Appeal, including, poppy collectors and poppy distributors.

Sam Turner, from Jutexpo, was out & about a few days ago and stopped for a quick break at Peterborough Extra Service Station, there he saw 2 of the Royal British Legion's invaluable volunteers poppy selling.

The Story Behind The Poppy

Some of the bloodiest fighting of World War One took place in the Flanders and Picardy regions of Belgium and Northern France. The poppy was the only thing which grew in the aftermath of the complete devastation. We remember and honour those who fought for our freedom during the two World Wars and who have lost their lives in more recent conflicts with a two minute silence on the 11^th day of the 11^th month at the 11^th hour.

The association between the poppy and Remembrance Sunday was recognised by John McCrae as a memorial symbol to the fallen in his poem In Flanders Field. The Royal British Legion adopted the symbol for their Poppy Appeal in 1921.            

In Flanders Fields

By John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Visit http://www.poppyshop.org.uk/

Poppy Bag, Guest on Popular TV Show

Our Jute Poppy Bag was carried down the runway on The Alan Titchmarsh Show alongside the new crystal poppy broach made by jewellery designer Kleshna which has been very popular with celebrities including the judges on The X Factor this weekend.

Visit http://www.poppyshop.org.uk/

Teenage Cancer Trust

On the weekend of 24^th/25^th July 2010 a partnership between Teenage Cancer Trust and Home Retail Group (which includes Argos and Homebase) was officially announced. The two will help more young people in the UK fight cancer by building specialist cancer units designed to feel like a 'home from home'.

The units are built in NHS hospitals especially for teenagers, this way during treatment they are surrounded by people their own age also fighting the same illness. This also improves the quality of life and chances of survival for the young people with cancer.

'We don't believe that teenagers should have to stop being teenagers, just because they have cancer.' Teenage Cancer Trust