Workers co op that was set up in the late 90's by environmental activists. They were printing flyers, info sheets, anything about demos and antiroad protests.
Then they began Ristoprinting. Risoprinting is like digital screen printing. This means they're more environmentally friendly because they're using less inks. 100% recycled. Ethical energy tower. Avoid the big 6. Only ship to the UK, which reduces carbon footprint going abroad. They recycle everything they can. They have relationships with other co-ops. They give back some of their turn over back into the environment by sending someone in to plant seeds.
The reason they can work the way they do and put a strong emphasis on working sustainably and ethically is because they're a workers co-op. Being a co operative means they're owned and managed by the workers. No owner or boss of the business, it's just them. It came out of the labours movement, it's especially strong in the north of England. They were formed to cope with the evils of capitalism. Workers were trying to figure out ways to deal with the labour market with bad conditions and low pay and general exploitation. One was to become a collective and work on trade unions to help better conditions and better pay and the other was to create workers co operatives and form your own business which means you can run a company and decide your own conditions of how you work. A struggle is still to remain competitive but the profit is not massive. You're working to remain ethical.
"Love not money job."
If they don't agree with the content of what they're printing they won't print it. If any one of them feel uncomfortable with the content they won't.
They're known in co op circles because they're likeable. They do a lot of stuff for hippies and punks and the music scene like record sleeves for bands. Zines are a massive customer source for them.
They've said no sexist, homophobic and transphobic content. One time they've said they were not happy printing it so they changed their content. They don't print for political parties.
"It's like one of those things do you want it good fast or cheap? Pick two."
Part of their ethos is that they're affordable to people.
No comments:
Post a Comment