Creating Sustainable Graphic Design

Happy World Earth Day! At Bryce Mennell, we wanted to ask ourselves how we can create sustainable graphic design practices that not only make our work shine but also lighten our environmental footprint.

So, here’s a few ideas we discussed in our studio:

Choose Earth-Loving Materials
We work with our clients to help them opt for papers that are recyclable or originate from forests nurtured with love and care (always look for FSC-certified or recycled content labels). From brochures to business cards, we always try to consider using materials that biodegrade gracefully or have already been given a second chance at life. We’ve recently worked alongside our client British Land to develop their Responsible Choices, Lasting Changes campaign. The nature of the project was to publicise and promote the environmental work and community effort that has taken place across the British Land retail portfolio. In the roll-out for the campaign, we utilised digital design work and opted for green source print where achievable.

Minimise Our Waste
When creating digital designs, we strive to optimise images and graphics for web without compromising quality. This not only reduces the digital footprint but also contributes to faster loading times and better user experiences. For physical projects, we always design with printing efficiency in mind to cut down on excess trimming and material usage – including reducing the amount of print we do in-house, for example where a piece of work can be viewed or checked on screen instead.

Make Our Studio Sustainable
Our office is our second home, we spend most of our time here after all! So, we always aim for an eco-friendly environment by making small changes such as:

• Unplugging devices overnight and when they’re not charging.
• Recycling our rubbish – whether that’s paper from projects or plastics from lunch
• Considering buying refurbished devices.
• Turning off devices when we’re not using them.
• Drinking from our environmentally friendly water cooler.

By taking these steps, we are not only helping to save the planet (one wrapper at a time), but also creating an enjoyable workspace.

Embrace Tech Tools
As graphic designers, we embrace digital tools and cloud-based solutions to reduce travel miles. When needed, members of our team can work remotely from home, and we’ve waved goodbye to unnecessary meetings – welcoming more streamlined workflows and smarter collaborations through project management and instant messaging chat tools, and video calling platforms.

Overall, we believe in our colourful world of pixels and prints, it’s crucial to be kind to our planet. By choosing eco-friendly materials, reducing waste and embracing digital tools, we can inspire others to join us on our green journey and create a brighter and greener tomorrow!