How Dardinie Designs Stays Eco-Conscious

Doing Our Part: How Dardinie Designs Stays Eco-Conscious 🌿

At Dardinie Designs, we believe that small businesses can still make a big difference when it comes to caring for our planet. Being mindful of our environmental impact is woven into everything we do — from the materials we choose to how we pack your orders. We’d love to share a little behind-the-scenes look at how we keep our footprint small, while still bringing you beautiful, quality handmade pieces.

Our choice of materials

All of our 3D-printed items, like our polymer clay cutters and crafting tools, are made from PLA. Unlike traditional plastics, PLA (polylactic acid) is a biodegradable thermoplastic derived from renewable resources such as corn starch and sugarcane. This means it’s not petroleum-based, and under the right industrial composting conditions, it can break down, reducing long-term plastic waste.

We’re committed to using only PLA in our prints, and generally print single filament colours at a time. This ensures clean, vibrant products while also cutting down on unnecessary wastage that can come from frequent colour changes.

Printing and production with care

We keep our production small and intentional, making small batches to avoid overproduction and the potential waste that comes with it. This way, each item is crafted with care and finds a home that truly wants it.

Our embroidery uses polyester threads, upholstery vinyl, and nylon zips. While these materials aren’t biodegradable, we make sure to use every last bit, carefully planning our cuts and designs to squeeze as much as possible from each piece. We also only buy what we need, which prevents stockpiles that might become waste later on.

Thoughtful packaging choices

Packaging is another big focus for us. Our business and thank you cards are printed on recycled paper, and we ship your orders in sturdy cardboard boxes cushioned with paper honeycomb wrap and tissue paper.

For our more delicate creations, we sometimes need to use bubble wrap — but here’s the good news: we reuse bubble wrap from our own filament deliveries, giving it a second life instead of sending it straight to landfill. Wherever it’s sanitary to do so, we also reuse boxes and packing materials from our own incoming orders, cutting down on waste even further.

A small business with a small footprint

We’re certainly not a zero-waste business, but we’re always looking for ways to do better. From making only what’s needed, using renewable or recyclable materials where possible, to reusing packaging — we hope to show that even small steps can collectively make a big impact.

So when you shop with us, know that you’re supporting a small business that cares deeply about creativity, quality, and doing right by our planet.

💚 Thank you for being a part of our journey — and for choosing thoughtful, handmade, and eco-conscious.