Make vinyl records and CDs more sustainable
is Key
Our commitment goes beyond making beautiful products. We are continually looking for more sustainable practices in manufacturing and opportunities to share that knowledge with others.
Discover how you can help us improve sustainability.
A cherished album will be maintained and played again and again and still be treasured long after most other plastic products have been discarded.
Emissions from downloads and streaming in 2016 were actually greater than emissions from all physical manufacture in 1977 when vinyl was at its peak!
Plastic usage in music manufacturing topped out around the year 2000 at the height of CD manufacture and has dropped ever since as physical manufacture declined.
Online music consumption can also be energy intensive. Files need to be stored on servers that need to be maintained and the total greenhouse gas emissions have actually been increasing in the digital era due to streaming.
A recent study from MIT’s Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) even found that “the Cloud” now has a greater carbon footprint than the airline industry!
So what should you do if you love your music?
Buy it!
Ultimately whether it's an MP3, a FLAC or 12 inch coloured vinyl; if you're going to play that music again and again you're being kinder to the environment if you buy it - and you're supporting your favourite artists.
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Vinyl Manufacture Footprint
The cradle-to-factory gate footprint of a vinyl record is around 1.15kg CO2e and 50% of those emissions come from the PVC compound used to press the records. So?
Don't go heavyweight!
Slim down from 180gm to 140gm to save 22% material.
Even better the reduced weight will reduce transport emissions.
Reground vinyl
Eco-Mix
Offcuts and leftovers get fed back into the system!
Vinyl offcuts and leftover material from the pressing process can be reground and fed back into the manufacturing process to make new records. Commonly referred to as “eco-mix” vinyl, these records will generally contain a mix of colours and give truly unique results.
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Bio-attributed PVC records
Source Smarter
Less oil, more plant!
We’re now offering records made with bio-attributed PVC; the same high-performance material, made differently. By introducing plant-based raw materials at the start of the PVC production process and allocating them through a certified mass balance approach, we’re helping reduce reliance on fossil-based inputs. The result? Identical sound and colour, with more responsible sourcing.
More DetailInjection Moulded Records
The process can use PET recycled plastic.
Injection moulded records are a new development that has the potential to revolutionise record manufacturing. It uses less energy and produces less waste in the pressing process and uses commonly recycled PET as the raw material.
More DetailUse 100% card and paper based packaging wherever possible.
Less Plastic
The use of FSC certified paper and board throughout the packaging ensures the most sustainably sourced wood and environmentally friendly production methods.
Vegetable-based ink
Key Production have led the way in a shift towards vegetable based inks for our print so you can be sure that's what your product uses wherever possible.
Special Finishes
Die cutting, folding, creasing, perforating and embossing.
There are so many ways in which you can elevate a package while minimising any additional environmental impacts with creative use of specialist techniques. Die cutting, folding, laser-cutting, embossing and debossing can all give packaging a big wow factor without adversely affecting a product’s footprint. Consider using card fitments instead of the familiar foam.
Carbon Balancing
Key Production can provide you with a carbon balancing service which we manage on your behalf through C-Level.
Find out moreRecycling Vinyl and CDs
We believe vinyl and CDs should be cherished and with proper care, can last a lifetime. However, if you find yourself with damaged items that you need to recycle, options are available – including our own recycling service.
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We’re always striving to do the best we can for people and the planet — through our direct actions and by pushing for change across our industry. We believe that if we’re truly going to make a difference, the world needs all companies to do business better by positively impacting all stakeholders: workers, communities, customers, and the planet.
That’s what led us to earn accreditations from B Corp, the Good Business Charter, and the Living Wage Foundation. We’re proud to be part of these communities of businesses using their influence as a force for good.
We pledge to:
- Maintain a sustainable business as part of a sustainable industry
- Continually research and support more sustainable practices in manufacturing
- Share our knowledge with our clients, team and wider industry
- Package responsibly through conscious decisions across all departments
At Key Production we use our wide network across the supply chain, as well as the wider industry, to push for improvements in sustainability within physical music production for vinyl, CDs, cassettes and DVDs. From encouraging a forum for suppliers to share best practices to advocating for the uptake of renewable-attributed PVC compounds for its clients, Key are at the forefront of driving change in the industry.
More DetailImpact Report
We believe in operating with transparency and accountability. Our Impact Report offers a comprehensive look at our environmental performance, showing our commitment to measuring and reporting on our progress towards a more sustainable future.
