wewow.co.uk - Experts in CD/DVD Duplication, Replication and Eco-friendly Media Packaging

Go for Green with Wewow's Eco-friendly Printing

When producing an eco-friendly CD or DVD project, it is important to assess every aspect of the production process.  The good news is that wewow have done the hard work for you by designing packaging solutions so that every aspect of the package is as green as possible.

 

The printing of a CD or DVD packaging solution is sometimes overlooked as the emphasis is often on material and design.  However, wewow are committed to using vegetable based inks to produce all of their packaging products.  Not only do these inks draw upon natural and sustainable sources – vegetables – they massively reduce the amount of harmful VOCs (volatile organic compounds), in comparison with petroleum based inks.

 

This autumn wewow have also introduced alcohol-free printing and their unique packaging solutions will now be printed on a completely alcohol free printer or on a printer which uses less than 5% (the average on most presses is 25%).  As with vegetable based inks, alcohol-free printing reduces the VOCs released into the atmosphere and it actually produces higher quality results, so you will find that the finished print has brighter and cleaner colours.

 

For more information, please contact us today on 01274 301410 or email us at [email protected]

One to One - BBC goes with wewow

Over the course of the last few months, wewow have been working with the BBC to develop a bespoke, eco-friendly packaging solution for a BBC Worldwide DVD release...we think you'll agree that the finished packaging solution is fantastic.

One to One - BBC goes with wewow.

Recycled DVD Cases…A Safe, Eco-Friendly Solution?

Recycled DVD cases are used throughout the optical media industry.  They offer a durable and protective packaging solution for DVD media, they are certainly cheaper than premium DVD cases and they are seemingly more eco-friendly.  After all, they’re produced from recycled plastic, right?

 

If you’re looking for a cost-effective, eco-friendly packaging solution for your media project however, recycled DVD cases may not be the best option for you.  On a superficial level, recycled cases often have a strong odour which detracts from the professional finish of the project.  More worryingly, a well known manufacturer has undertaken research which indicates that there may be dangers to using recycled DVD cases, as the recycled content of many cases does not meet legal requirements, due to the contamination of recycled plastics (Amaray, 2009).

 

There is an abundance of card-based alternatives to recycled DVD cases in today’s market; the majority of which offer a safe and sustainable solution.  For example, the DVD WowWallet is close to the size of a traditional DVD case and even has room for a printed DVD booklet.  In fact, it has an edge over a DVD case which can only be branded by the insertion of a DVD wrap – the WowWallet can be printed inside and out and there is no need for the extra collation cost of inserting a wrap.  Since wewow only use FSC accredited or 100% recycled board you can be assured of its sustainability. 

 

For more information visit our website or call us on 01274 301410.

Plastic CD/DVD Packaging - Polystyrene vs Polypropylene

CD/DVD packaging is a key consideration for companies and individuals who are planning to produce an optical media project.  The demand for eco-friendly packaging solutions is mounting but card-based packages are not suitable for every customer’s requirements.  Plastic disc packaging has a strong position within the industry and providing that careful consideration is given to the material used, be it polystyrene or polypropylene, it need not be disregarded.

 

Polystyrene

Polystyrene is often used to produce standard jewel cases as it is a cost-effective, durable material.  It can be coloured or clear and its clarity is almost unmatched by other plastics.  However, this clarity causes the case to be fragile and prone to breakages.

 

Cases that contain more plastic will be more durable and better suited for shipping.  However, they are also more expensive.  Such cases will also work better with automated collation lines because they are heavier and therefore have better tolerances.

 

Customers often order additional units to compensate for any breakages that occur during transit.  However, this increases wastage and cost.

 

This material can be recycled but it can be difficult to find a recycler who accepts polystyrene.

 

Polypropylene

Polypropylene is often used for DVD cases and CD cases such as C-shell as it is a stiff plastic which produces more durable hinges than other materials.  This substance contains rubber, making it more pliable than some plastics, and it can be produced in a variety of colours.

 

Polypropylene is recyclable and is often recycled.  However, cases which contain recycled materials may not be as heavy and strong as those which are 100% virgin material and recycled cases often have a noticeable smell.

 

wewow always recommend that customers consider all of the available options and select a package which is best suited to their own individual needs.  For this reason, we offer plastic based packaging alongside card-based packaging solutions and our team are always on hand to provide thorough information and guidance on all of our products.

9.9.9…Eco-packaging emergency

Do you have an eco-packaging emergency? Don’t despair weEco.co.uk is here!

  

 

 

 

With the demand for environmentally-friendly media packaging solutions mounting, wewow Ltd. are launching a dedicated eco-division to major in the development of eco-friendly media packaging! On 9/9/9 wewow will launch weEco.co.uk.

  

 

 

As wewow’s packaging range continues to wow their clients, weEco will become the home of the best eco-packaging in the industry. With a portfolio which includes the hugely successful WowWallet and WowPak, weEco will be an unmissable showcase of wewow’s and weEco’s growing packaging range.

  

In addition to an impressive range of printable, eco-friendly media packaging solutions and ‘off-the-shelf’ products, weEco will offer a unique product design service.  Clients who are looking for a bespoke eco-packaging solution can commission weEco to design a new product, which will specifically address their environmental, commercial and design requirements.

Is recycled paper less eco-friendly than virgin stock?

There is a common myth that recycled paper is not an eco-friendly alternative to using non-recycled paper because it requires more energy to produce and releases more pollution.

  

On the face of it, recycled paper does use more energy than non-recycled stock because of the additional cleaning involved.  However, waste paper does not require the vast amounts of energy which is involved in turning wood chips into pulp – which is required to produce new paper.

  

To dispel another myth, the production of recycled paper does NOT produce more pollution than the production of new paper.  Many recycled papers require little, if any, bleaching for example.  In contrast, virgin pulp, which is naturally brown, has to be bleached before it can be made into paper.  Furthermore, in general, eco-friendly processes are used to clean waste paper, if necessary, such as diluting and dispersing ink into the pulp (which does not produce any extra pollution).

  

Recycled paper is certainly a ‘green’ option but that doesn’t mean that new paper cannot be eco-friendly.  If you wish to use new paper rather than recycled, opt for an FSC accredited stock and you can be sure that your paper has come from a sustainable and well managed forest.

  

wewow work with a vast range of FSC and 100% recycled stocks so whatever you need we can help.

wewow plan launch of unique eco-friendly packaging design competition

With the launch of their specialist eco-friendly packaging arm, weEco.co.uk, approaching wewow have announced that they will be hosting a unique competition for budding product designers.

 

wewow Ltd. are keen to work with the best up and coming design talent and encourage sustainable design practices, with the aim of developing a bespoke media package which will benefit both their clients and the environment.

 

The competition will be open to anyone over the age of 18 with a unique packaging design concept for optical media.  Designers should pay particular attention to the eco-friendly credentials of their design and the winner will work with wewow to develop their idea into a sustainable and commercially viable product.

 

Individuals, companies and educational institutions who are interested in participating in the competition should register their interest by emailing [email protected] to receive an information pack.  Applications will be available online from 1^st September 2009.

Eco-friendly Optical Media Project

 wewow have recently worked on an eco-friendly project with Nelson and Colne College.  The project involved bringing together printed and replicated DVDs with environmentally friendly WowWallets which were produced using FSC accredited board and printed with vegetable based inks.

 

The end results were impressive and we are pleased to add another 'green' project to our portfolio.

 

Happy Birthday…wewow turns 5!

On 18^th June, wewow celebrated its 5^th birthday!  Here at the wow offices we celebrated with fancy dress and a special lunch.  Of course, we used bio-degradable plates, cutlery and cups so that our celebrations were eco-friendly!

Over the 5 years wewow has been trading there have been a lot of developments and exciting changes…having established itself as a leading media packaging supplier, wewow moved into CD/DVD replication and duplication and built a name for itself as a top quality supplier with a reputation for excellent customer service.

In recent years, wewow has developed its own range of bespoke, eco-friendly CD/DVD packaging including; wowPak, WowWallet and the recent addition of the windowed WowWallet.

Now going into our 6^th year we are looking forward to developing our unique range of environmentally friendly packaging and aim to continue promoting green issues throughout the optical media industry.

 

wewow launches new environmentally-friendly CD/DVD Wallet

Here at wewow we have been very excited about World Environment Day 2009.  In the wewow offices we have had a bake sale to raise money for the Forest of Bradford and have spent time actively looking for new ways to reduce our carbon footprint.

 

We are also pleased to announce the launch of the newest edition to our eco-friendly CD & DVD packaging range - the WowWallet with window.  This optical media package can be produced from FSC accredited board or 100% recycled board.  The window at the front of the wallet allows the package to be customized by inserting a CD booklet, which can be printed with vegetable based inks, rather than full colour print.  Because the wallet itself does not need to be printed with branding, the wallets can be produced in bulk thereby reducing costs and waste.  Furthermore, customers can buy the wallets in bulk and simply produce new booklets for new editions of their CD or DVD, rather than having to throw away excess wallets with printed artwork which is no longer appropriate.  Therefore, this new product is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for projects of all sizes.

 

This latest offering from wewow is part of their unique range of bespoke green packaging.  Further information can be found at here or can be requested from the wewow sales team.