Wright Choice Promotions Blog

20% off during Independents Week! (June 27 - July 4th)

noreply@blogger.com (Julia Wright, MAS) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 02:57:00 +0000

That's right, receive 20% off your order when you mentioned the Local First Arizona Golden Coupon! Please take a minute to check out the other wonderful local merchants who are participating!

Local First Arizona Golden Coupon

Bamboo - Not Just for Pandas Anymore!

noreply@blogger.com (Julia Wright, MAS) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 04:33:00 +0000

Eco Fact:

Bamboo has been around for over 200 million years and is the fastest growing plant on earth. Some bamboo can grow 18 inches per day and reach a height of 100 feet. A bamboo stand generates more oxygen than an equivalent stand of other types of trees. *

Promo Fact:

The #3 reason for keeping a promotional product is that it is attractive. The #8 reason for keeping is that the product is perceived to be of high value. Bamboo products are attractive and classy! **.

Don’t just think wooden items. Bamboo can be made into a fiber that has a luxurious hand and is sewn into a variety of garments.

Bamboo Products Special:

Contact your Wright Choice Promotions representative by phone or call Julia at 602.795.7300, fax 866.711.2470, or email julia@wrightchoicepromotions.com for more information on bamboo options for your next promotion.

Place an order for bamboo products before April 15th and receive a 10% off.

* "Bamboo Facts." Bamboo Facts. 12 Jan. 2010. .

** PPAI Research. "A Lasting Impression: A Study Of American Consumers Reveals Promotional Products As An Effective Advertising Medium". December 2009.

The Buzz about Bees.

noreply@blogger.com (Julia Wright, MAS) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 20:42:00 +0000

Special News From Wright Choice Promotions!

As an effort to support the environment as well as our committment to Social Responsibility, Wright Choice Promotions has donated our first hive of Honey Bees through Heifer International. Our donation will help a family in a developing nation provide an income from selling wax, honey and pollen.

As an extra bonus, as bees search for nectar, they pollinate plants. Placed strategically, beehives can as much as double some fruit and vegetable yields. In this way, a beehive can be a boost to a whole village.
We plan to continue to purchase bees throughout the year. We'll keep you posted!

SPECIAL:

A tube of lip balm will be used over 100 times - that's 100 or more exposures for your company logo or message!

FREE setup on all orders of Natural Beeswax Lip Balm through the end of the year! (A $45 value)

Bamboo - 7 reasons to look at bamboo

noreply@blogger.com (Julia Wright, MAS) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 06:52:00 +0000

1, Bamboo grows rapidly and naturally without any pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers.
2, Bamboo clothing is 100% biodegradable and can be completely decomposed in the soil by micro-organisms and sunlight without decomposing into any pollutants.
3, Growing bamboo improves soil quality and helps rebuild eroded soil.
4, Bamboo grows naturally without the need for agricultural tending.
5, Bamboo plantations are large factories for photosynthesis which reduces greenhouse gases. Bamboo absorbs about 5 times the amount of carbon dioxide and produces about 35% more oxygen than an equivalent stand of trees.
6, Bamboo fabrics and clothing can be manufactured and produced without any chemical additives.
7, There are no known genetically modified organisms (GMO) variants of bamboo.

Provided by: http://www.curl.co.nz/2010/09/14/eco-friendly-bamboo-the-hard-facts-behind-the-fiber/

Plastic Bricks - Lost to New Zealand

noreply@blogger.com (Julia Wright, MAS) — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 07:13:00 +0000

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/121078/otago-man-makes-plastic-fantastic

What a shame the US missed the opportunity to work with this inventor. But I'm happy that New Zealand is supporting recycling.

noreply@blogger.com (Julia Wright, MAS) — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 06:58:00 +0000

What a cool concept. I would guess we have decades worth of "fuel" stored in our landfills!

http://www.greenlaunches.com/recycle/japanese-machine-converts-plastic-into-oil-a-recycling-marvel.php

Goodwill, better business grow from going green

noreply@blogger.com (Julia Wright, MAS) — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 06:46:00 +0000

Goodwill, better business grow from going green

I love doing business with local and eco-friendly businesses...but we live in a Big Box world. As long as we are going to have Big Box and chain stores, it's wonderful that some are following green practices. For ecological or economical reasons - the result is the same. Change a lightbulb, change the world:)

Popping Up with Great Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Julia Wright, MAS) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 05:18:00 +0000

http://www.helium.com/items/1927270-packaging-materials-that-are-safe-for-the-environment

The way you decide to package your mail could harm the environment as well as yourself. This article brings valid points about Styrofoam and bubble wrap being toxic to the earth and humans. If you plan on using popcorn the next time you send a package, like this article comments on, there are a multitude of ways for the recipient to reuse the all natural, biodegradable and delicious stuffing!
*Use for composting
*Food for birds or pets.
*Use for Holiday decorations (Christmas stringing, filling for a Halloween ghost or a glove for a creepy hand)
*If you are really brave you can put some butter and salt on and eat away.

Next time you send a package think twice about what you are using for a filling. :)

Special - Eco Pen/Pencil Set

noreply@blogger.com (Julia Wright, MAS) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 23:43:00 +0000

Place your order for this awesome pen and pencil set by Sept 1st and recieve a 20% discount. Normally $2.70 at 100 piecies, on sale now for only $2.16! Set up of $56.25 applies. 24 hour rush service available at no additional cost!

You're invited - 4th Annual Client Appreciation Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Julia Wright, MAS) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 01:20:00 +0000

It’s the 4th Annual Wright Choice Promotions Client Appreciation Day!

Mark your calendar for Wednesday September 1st.

We will meet at Diamonds for some great bar-style food, sodas and mingling at 12:00. At
1:00 we will walk over to the Mesa Convention center (very short walk!) to go to the premier promotional products show in Arizona. It is the largest show of its kind in the state and the only show open to promotional product buyers.

It’s by invitation ONLY, so please let me know if you can attend and if you will be joining us for food before the event.

Food: Diamonds Sports Bar (Formerly Sluggo’s Sports Grill)
161 N Centennial Way, Mesa AZ
12:00pm – 1pm

Show: Mesa Convention Center
200 N Centennial Way, Mesa AZ
1pm – 4pm

If you have any questions please call your Wright Choice Promotions representative or feel free to contact our corporate office at 602-795-7300 or 928-525-9012. You can also reach us by e-mail at julia@wrightchoicepromotions.com

If you are coming from Northern AZ and would like to carpool just let me know and I’ll do my best to connect you!

Fill Your Life with Happiness... and Fill Your Ruler with Sawdust!

noreply@blogger.com (Julia Wright, MAS) — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 04:22:00 +0000

Eco Fact:

Currently only 3.5% of all plastics generated are made of recycled materials compared to 34% for paper, 30% for metals and 22% for glass. At this time, plastics recycling only minimally reduces the amount of virgin resources used to make plastics. Fillers in typically all-plastic items reduce the total plastic needed to produce an item. *

Promo Fact:

Many promotional products traditionally made with plastic (rulers, pencils, pens) can also be made with filler products. Recycled fillers that can all be used to replace some of the plastic include denim, electronics, cardboard, sawdust, currency, yellow pages and newspaper. **

Filler Product Special:

Pens, pencils, pencil boxes, rulers, flower pots, buckets, and coffee mugs are just a few examples of products that can be made with filler materials. Please contact your WCP Promotional Consultant or contact the corporate office at 602.795.7300 or Julia@wrightchoicepromotions.com for more information on specific filler materials and products available.Place an order for a filler product before April 1st and receive 10% off!

* "Tidbits and Facts.” Eco-Cycle: Working to Build Zero Waste Communities. 2 Jan. 2010. ** "PPC/Greatstuff!” PPC/Greatstuff! 2 Jan. 2010.

Are you wearing my bottle

noreply@blogger.com (Julia Wright, MAS) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:08:00 +0000

Eco Fact:

It takes 25 two-liter plastic recycled soft drink bottles (PET) to make one sweater and 2 bottles to make a baseball cap. The manufacture of one sweater and one hat from recycled PET keeps 27 soda bottles out of the landfill! *

Promo Fact:

In polls, more than half the people say that they keep a promotional product anywhere from 1 year to more than 4 years. Even if the recipient uses the item only once a week (as may be the case with a jacket or hat) that’s a minimum of 52 impressions made each a year with the possibility of more than 208 during a five-year window. And, this doesn’t factor in the countless number of impressions made by others who view the promotional product when worn by the recipient. **

RPET Wearables Special:

Recycled PET is used to make a variety of wearables including: sweaters, fleece pullovers, jackets, beanies, hats, and much more. For more details on specific Recycled PET wearables or for more information about RPET please contact your WCP Promotional Consultant or contact the corporate office at 602.795.7300 or Julia@wrightchoicepromotions.com. Place an order for RPET wearables before March 15th and receive Free Digitizing, up to a $100 value (up to 7000 stitches, 12 piece minimum order).

"REPLANET - Plastic Recycling." REPLANET - CRV Redemption Centers. 21 Dec. 2009. .
** PPAI Research. "A Lasting Impression: A Study Of American Consumers Reveals Promotional Products As An Effective Advertising Medium". December 2009.

I'll Drink to That!

noreply@blogger.com (Julia Wright, MAS) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:53:00 +0000

Eco Fact:

Typically, plastic products take between 80 and 450 years to break down (not biodegrade) in a natural environment. Biodegradable plastic water bottles biodegrade in 1-5 years if properly disposed.

Promo Fact:

When polled, participants picked coffee mugs/drinkware as the third ranked product category (behind only pens and calendars) to have the greatest advertiser/message recall due to usefulness or uniqueness.

Special: Save $40!

These water bottles are made from biodegradable plastic that will decompose in as little as 5 years. Even in a landfill setting! They come in a variety of colors and both a 20 oz and 28 oz size. For more information of this product, or to learn more about other environmentally friendly drinkware, contact your WCP Promotional Consultant or contact the corporate office at 602-795-7300 or julia@wrightchoicepromotions.com. Place an order for environmentally friendly drinkware before March 1st and we’ll pay the Setup (a $40 value).

"e Volve." e Volve. 2 Jan. 2010. www.ecobottles.org PPAI Research. "A Lasting Impression: A Study Of American Consumers Reveals Promotional Products As An Effective Advertising Medium". December 2009.

The Green Room Exhibit

noreply@blogger.com (Julia Wright, MAS) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:40:00 +0000

We are so excited to be a sponsor of the Green Room at the Arizona Science Center! This room was put together by members of the Phoenix Green Chamber of Commerce and will be open until the first week in January. It's a great display of GREEN building materials, office furniture, cars, artwork, and promotional products. Click here to view our pdf.

Wright Choice Promotions Joins Phoenix Green Chamber of Commerce

noreply@blogger.com (Wright Choice Promotions) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:42:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce that we have joined the Phoenix Green Chamber of Commerce. We look forward to being a part of thier organization which links green-minded businesses together.

noreply@blogger.com (Wright Choice Promotions) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:57:00 +0000

AZ Biz Weekly, an online weekly video blog, recently hosted Wright Choice Promotions’ owner, Julia Wright. To see the interview, please copy and paste the link below.
http://www.thinkbigworksmall.com/mypage/player/114/13634/1168176

New Fax Number

noreply@blogger.com (Wright Choice Promotions) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:56:00 +0000

Wright Choice Promotions is proud to announce our new ELECTRONIC fax number…
866-711-2470
The new fax number was established in an effort to better serve our clients. The electronic faxes do not require the use of paper for printing. Rather, they come across as emails on the computer, and are more environmentally friendly!
We will be phasing out the old fax number over the next few months.
Thank you for your cooperation.

Consumer Report on Reusable Shopping Bags

noreply@blogger.com (Wright Choice Promotions) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:56:00 +0000

When it comes to choosing the perfect reusable shopping bag, the options can sometimes overwhelming. Wright Choice Promotions will help youpick the right bag to represent your business. We can provide technicalinfo on our bags as well as actual samples for you to test.
Keep reading to find out which shopping bags Consumer Report preferred!
The following is an archived version of a report that appeared inMay 2009 Consumer Reports Magazine.
The Environmental Protection Agency says 3.8 million tons of plastic bagsand wrap and 720,000 tons of paper bags ended up as waste in 2007. You caneasily keep bags out of landfills and incinerators by bringing your own tothe supermarket. To point you toward good choices, we tested eight bags soldby national chains and regional stores (usually near the checkout line).Most cost $1 or less. Many other choices are out there, including tote bagsyou might already own.
The Consumer Reports National Research Center also conducted a nationallyrepresentative survey of 1,000 households to assess Americans’ use of andattitudes toward reusable shopping bags. Among the findings: 61 percent ofrespondents use only grocery-supplied bags. But among those who don’t usetheir own bags, about a third would consider doing so and might thereforebenefit from the findings below.
What our tests found
Strength
We filled each bag with 28 pounds of packaged flour and tomato cans, toppedoff with a 2-pound weight. A mechanical arm lifted the bag by its handlesoff the floor a few inches, then set it down again, and repeated that action500 times. All bags survived intact.
Size
Trader Joe’s bag has the smallest capacity, about 0.6 cu. ft., and WholeFoods’ A Better Bag has the largest, about 0.9 cu. ft. Most of the testedbags measure about 0.7 cu. ft. All can hold much more than the throwawayplastic bags they replace. Bear in mind that bigger may not be better,because the contents can become quite heavy.
Leaking
We poured a tablespoon of milk into each bag, and most contained the leak tosome extent, except for the Walmart bag, which leaked like a sieve. WholeFoods’ A Better Bag worked like a magic trick: The milk disappeared insidethe lining, where it could eventually have created a sour odor. The A&P bagand the Whole Foods Foldable Tote were especially good at repelling leaks.
Washing
The five bags with care instructions specify hand-washing, and all eightbags survived that fine. During machine-washing, some faded slightly orshifted shape.
What our survey found
When asked the usual checkout question, most Americans say “plastic.” Of allrespondents, 80 percent use grocery-supplied plastic bags at leastoccasionally; 34 percent, grocery paper bags; about 40 percent, cloth,string, or laminated bags of their own, for which most spent less than $2.Almost half of all respondents use more than one type of bag. The good newsis that 94 percent of respondents using grocer-supplied paper or plasticbags told us they reuse them (to line wastebaskets, say, or pick up after apet).
Bottom line
Any of the $1 point-of-purchase bags we tested are good alternatives to theusual paper or plastic bags; the $4 tote is useful if you want a less bulkybag. You might already have other good alternatives sitting in closets. Andit may be easier to choose a reusable bag than to use it: Forty-four percentof respondents said they forget to take it to the market more than once amonth; 39 percent said they almost never forget. Here’s a tip we heard fromshoppers: Consider stowing bags in your car.

Skype us!

noreply@blogger.com (Wright Choice Promotions) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:52:00 +0000

In order to better serve our international clients we are now on Skype. Our SkypeIn is “ecopromos”. You can use Skype to talk with any other Skype user for free! We welcome our domestic clients to try it out as well. Let’s have a video call!

We’re now part of Green America!

noreply@blogger.com (Wright Choice Promotions) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 05:53:00 +0000

The process took months, but we were finally approved for membership in Green America! Green America is the leading non-profit organization which certifies businesses as being “Approved for people and planet”. We are very proud that we have been accepted as a Business Member.
I can honestly tell you, they do an excellent job of verifying business’s commitment to being green. They asked me questions about our business that even we hadn’t thought of before. Some of their questions led us to make some great changes.
Please check out the site - www.greenamericatoday.org.

Zero Landfill Event

noreply@blogger.com (Wright Choice Promotions) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 05:53:00 +0000

by wrightch
Zero Landfill Event an Eco-Success! – Global Green Integrators (GGI), a division of AZ Docushred, LLC, Wright Choice Promotions and Gold Canyon Bank joined forces to bring the Glendale Chamber of Commerce it’s first Zero Landfill Event. On March 19th the Chamber’s monthly mixer went Green! Chamber members mixed and mingled while eating food off of plates made from sugar cane, using bamboo sporks, drinking from corn plastic cups and cleaned up with recycled paper napkins.
At the end of the evening we managed to divert more than 98% of the trash from the landfill! We composted the contents of a 32 gallon bag at local composting facility, we recycled plastic, glass and aluminum bottles, and some pigs at a rescue center out in Buckeye ate well on the leftovers and food scraps! We did have 4 items of trash that we were not able to recycle – one serving tray (too dirty to recycle) and 3 empty potato chip bags (brought in by guests).
For more information or to find out how your group or organization can have a zero landfill event please contact Julia Wright of Wright Choice Promotions at 602-795-7300.

AMA - custom awards

noreply@blogger.com (Wright Choice Promotions) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 05:52:00 +0000

Custom Wood Awards – Wright Choice Promotions is very proud to be the award sponsor for the Phoenix Chapter of the American Marketing Association. One of our responsibilities as the sponsor is to provide the awards for their annual Spectrum Awards. We wanted the awards to be special and eco-friendly of course, so we set about looking for the perfect item. We found an art glass award made from recycled glass, however all the bases available were made from non-green materials like marble or non-recyclable metals. So, when something you need doesn’t exist – you make it! The bases are being manufactured by a local artist out of Bamboo. As soon as they are complete I’ll get a photo up on our website.

Sugar Cane Plates

noreply@blogger.com (Wright Choice Promotions) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 05:52:00 +0000

Press Release – March 16, 2009New to industry – Imprintable Sugarcane Based Plates
Glendale, AZ –Wright Choice Promotions announces the introduction of sugar cane based plates, bowls & cups to the promotional products industry. These fully compostable and imprintable dinnerware items are the first of their kind in the marketplace.
In the past, disposable dinnerware was made from paper, plastic or Styrofoam. Events like parties, picnics and other events used these disposable items for the convenience of their guests, but at the expense of the environment. Recently we have seen a shift to using corn plastic to make plates and cups. Corn plastic, or PLA, is certainly better than conventional plastic, but there is still some concern about the harvesting of corn for its production. Also, corn plastics are not recyclable and are not accepted by organic composting facilities. Sugarcane based products have been around for awhile but are only recently gaining in popularity.
A new trend in corporate and private event planning is the concept of a “zero landfill event”. This is where all or nearly all of the waste generated from an event is diverted from a landfill. Plastic and paper are recycled and food scraps are used for animal feed or composting. In the past recycling plastic was logistically challenging because the plates or bowls would need to be cleaned off of food before they could be recycled. With sugarcane based plates this is no longer an issue because the plates can be composted with the food residue still remaining.
The key to running a zero landfill event is making sure all the vendors are involved in the planning stage. If a vendor serves their product in cup that can’t be recycled or composted it will negatively impact the zero landfill rating. The sugar cane based plates, bowls and cups provided by Wright Choice Promotions are a great solution. These items can even be printed with your event, company or sponsor logos with a food safe soy ink.
For more info about sugar cane products or running a zero landfill event please contact Wright Choice Promotions at 603-795-7300 or 928-525-9012 or visit our website at www.wrightchoicepromotions.com

Green in 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Wright Choice Promotions) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 06:51:00 +0000

In 2008, sixty-eight percent of Wright Choice Promotion’s sales were “green” orders. A great accomplishment for only our second year as a green company.
The remaining orders were primarily from existing customers. We are in the process of converting all of there orders to eco-friendly alternatives as they become available.
Has your company made the switch?

Raising Green In Arizona

noreply@blogger.com (Wright Choice Promotions) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 06:50:00 +0000

Wright Choice Promotions was recently featured in the promotional productsindustry’s premier magazine, PPB!
Raising Green In ArizonaA green-products distributor discusses the motivations behind her transition to eco-friendly promotions.
Green business is big, this much we know. But exactly how big is it? It turns out there’s no existing metric for calculating the number of green businesses, their revenue or growth, according to www.greenbiz.com and its State of Green Business 2008 report. Basically, the report says, there is no definition for a green business. The whole movement amounts to businesses, entrepreneurs and workers deciding every day to do things in a more eco-conscious way.
The promotional products industry is no exception. Julia Wright, founder of Glendale, Arizona-based distributor Wright Choice Promotions (UPIC: wcpaz) and a 15-year industry veteran, created her own eco-friendly distributorship four years ago and even though she can’t always go green, she does what she can with what’s available. We talked to Julia about why she chose to reinvent herself as a green promotional consultant and how she makes it work.
PPB: Why did you change your business focus to green promotions?Wright: Early in my career, I worked for a supplier that offered acid etching as an imprint process. It bothered me that the workers had to wear gloves and masks and that special hazmat trucks had to pick up the used chemicals. It also concerned me that so many items were petroleum-plastic based and brought in from overseas.
About seven years ago, my husband and I moved to Flagstaff, Arizona, the quintessential home of granola-eating, sandal-wearing tree huggers. (I say that with respect, and I consider myself to be one of them.) At the time, I was working for a medium-sized distributor as an independent contractor. They were one of the first distributors in the industry to put a green page on their website. It had about five items on it—pretty much the extent of what was available then. When I formed my own company four years ago, I had in mind that I would offer only eco-friendly products, but the reality is that we’ve only been able to offer a good variety of green items in the last couple of years. Another factor that solidified my commitment to green is my kids. I want to show them that a green company can make a difference in an industry that is still dominated by plastic widgets.
PPB: What do your clients think?Wright: Clients who have been with me since before I went green have been very receptive. When they approach me with a request, I’m usually able to find a green solution. We have so many items to choose from now, and the prices are very similar to their conventional plastic counterparts. Honestly, I still sell conventional plastic when a green option isn’t available, but in those cases we ensure the item is targeted properly for the demographic so that the item is retained and used.
PPB: How is business?Wright: We have been wonderfully successful. Our numbers are up almost 50 percent over last year, and we continue to have new clients seek us out for green products.
PPB: Did health and safety warnings have any bearing on your decision to go green?Wright: The BPA report on the Today show scared me, as well as some of my clients. There is so much information out there being presented from both sides of the argument that it’s hard to know what is true. I’ve decided to err on the side of caution. After BPA became a concern this year, I started a policy of advising my clients if the item they selected contained BPA. Remember that a year ago we were all happy to sell polycarbonate bottles as a green alternative to bottled water. Now we’re being told to do a 180 and switch to aluminum or stainless steel. With the research I’ve done, it looks like glass is the safest choice—but not many people are going to ask for glass travel water bottles.
PPB: What’s your biggest challenge in this new endeavor?Wright: Greenwashing is my biggest challenge. I have to carefully evaluate suppliers’ claims before I can offer their products to my clients. Some factories are advertising their new eco-friendly mug, for example, but it turns out the only thing green about it is that you can reuse it. Some suppliers have done a good job being honest. Often when something claims to be recycled, it’s only 10-percent recycled material. There needs to be an industry standard (or at least a guideline) to calling something eco-friendly.
Also, I’ve had to become an expert in each little detail of the products I sell. No longer is it good enough to know that the key chain is available in red, blue and green—now I have to know the country of origin, the human rights standards of the factory, the material it’s made from, the rate of decomposition, the eco-friendliness of the imprint method and whether it will be shipped in recycled packaging