Our Sustainable Policy at Prior Shop

Our Environmental and Sustainable Policy 

At Prior Shop we are doing our very best to lessen our impact on the environment. From checking makers’ sustainability policies to committing to 100% renewable energy, we’re always looking for innovative ways to prioritise the environment in every area of our business.  

Here’s a list of the things we’re currently doing, but if you have any ideas about ways we can improve, please do drop us a line and let us know! 

• The makers we stock in the shop must fill out a form detailing their own sustainable practices before we stock them. The form includes information about packaging, sourcing of materials, processes, diversity, and design. Sustainability is an incredibly high priority for us and our customers and as such we want to make sure that the work we represent is of the highest standard - both in terms of craftsmanship, and ecological impact - for the planet, and for us. 

• Prior Shop is run on 100% renewable energy.

• We have invested in replacing all lighting with LED fittings and bulbs.

• To reduce paper waste we have invested in digital methods of stock-keeping, inventory-taking, and communicating within the team.

• We use fully biodegradable gift wrap, including paper tape, paper bags and natural hemp string.

• We reuse as much packaging as we can which we receive from makers’ deliveries, reducing the amount of virgin cardboard boxes we have to buy.

• We review all suppliers of the shop every 6 months to make sure we’re buying sustainably.

• We have reduced size email signatures which reduces our digital footprint.

• We use recycled paper stock and local printers for our promotional materials, reducing the environmental impact of transit.

• We are now looking into offering deliveries in and around Bristol via electric bike! 

• We take in bubble wrap donations from members of the public which means we can give it a new life in deliveries. We do not buy new bubble wrap!

• We have a strict recycling process at Cabot Circus and are able to recycle everything including plastic film.

• The water used for flushing our toilet is collected rain water.

• We sell coffee in edible coffee cups. 

• We are Carbon Neutral and Net Zero. After a carbon report survey we found that we were emitting 2.2 tonnes of carbon per year and to offset our carbon emissions we have directly funded two carbon avoidance projects through Ecologi, which will take 3 tonnes of carbon out of the atmosphere.