When Hallmark thinks “green” it can mean two things—greenbacks and environmentalism—and Kristin Edie is happy when it means both at once. Edie was co-leader of a cost-saving project in 2010 that began the shift from polystyrene plastic signs for in-store merchandising to those made of earth-friendly paper.
Edie and Carrie Thomas’s team began by targeting the highest-volume sign formats for everyday occasion products, since replacing those would yield the biggest benefit, Edie explains. Hallmark will have eliminated about 73 percent of polystyrene signs in mass channel stores, such as Walmart, CVS and Walgreens, and 29 percent in Hallmark Gold Crown stores.
The new signs bring a number of advantages, Edie says. In addition to cost savings, there's a broader supply base of vendors who produce paper signs, and the new signs have improved print quality.
And, Edie notes happily, the new paper signs now include more recyclable and biodegradable materials, which is good for the environment.
“I was the kid in fifth grade taking the petition to the principal to switch from Styrofoam to recycled paper plates,” she laughs. “So I love it when reducing costs and benefiting the environment go hand-in-hand. That’s a pretty big success for everyone.”