Teemill’s mission is to help brands end waste through POD production, using organic materials and renewable energy. All of its products are designed to return to the company when they’re worn out, to be remade into new products. This system, which they have dubbed Remill, has so far recovered over 100,000kg of material. As Debreceni comments: “Our long-term strategy is to create a world without waste, and our platform helps to displace clothing made from fossil fuels as part of a take-make-waste economy, with sustainable alternatives designed for circularity.” Linking this to financial savings and business growth, she adds: “By offering a circular system to recover products at the end of their life and utilising recycled material to make new products – massive savings can be made whilst protecting the planet.” However, Teemill is not content for those financial rewards and good practices to stay within the company. Instead, they offer Teemill as an open-access online platform currently used by thousands of charities, creators, and companies. Debreceni explains this approach, saying: “By sharing our workflow software with other printers and fulfilment providers, we hope to help them accelerate their growth and influence the direction of the market at industrial scale.” Highlighting the breadth of Teemill’s ambitions, Debreceni declares: “We are aiming to be the primary operating system for print companies within five years, helping incentivise transition to an onlinedriven, low-waste-on-demand model.” Miah suggests that taking advantage of this type of recycling refurbishment initiative can boost both the environmental standing of a company and provide significant savings, both when discarding old equipment and replacing it. He comments: “The Recycling Factory advises businesses to embrace sustainability by integrating refurbished IT equipment into their operations, which can significantly reduce environmental footprint and offer cost-savings. “We encourage companies to partner with us for their IT recycling needs, ensuring their old equipment is responsibly processed, refurbished, or recycled in alignment with circular economy principles. This approach not only champions ecofriendliness but also streamlines IT asset management for businesses.” The Recycling Factory’s focus on these initiatives has allowed it to grow beyond the scope of its initial brief, with its ITAD services fostering new relationships with organisations and businesses interested in supporting sustainable IT solutions. In turn, these strategic partnerships have secured an increasingly dependable supply chain for the business, allowing them to scale operations and meet growing demand for refurbished IT assets. The Bottom Line Ultimately, the evidence from industry professionals shows how sustainability can be more than a passive defensive shield against compliance – in fact, it can be an active growth engine that brings in direct profit. Many of the businesses currently thriving in the UK print and signage markets are using sustainable practices to streamline production, capture high-margin corporate tenders, and secure their long-term position in a changing market. By investing in these practices at a deeper level, your business can be the next to find new, greener avenues of success. ▲ Teemill operates a fully circular supply chain, with its products designed to return and be remade into new products BEING A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS | JONATHAN PERT Another company with sustainability in its DNA is The Recycling Factory, which began its journey in 2004 by initially focusing on the collection and recycling of inkjet and toner cartridges. Since then, it has significantly expanded its offerings to include comprehensive IT asset disposal (ITAD) services, as well as collecting used printers and IT equipment for renewal, refurbishment, remanufacturing, and recycling. According to Shakila Miah, ecommerce sales and marketing manager at The Recycling Factory, the organisation’s biggest breakthrough has been expanding into IT equipment refurbishment. As he explains: “This included securing key partnerships with major corporations, providing us with a consistent stream of high-quality used devices.” He continues: “This, combined with investing in advanced diagnostic and repair technologies, allowed us to scale our operations efficiently and meet the growing demand for refurbished IT assets.” If we want to make meaningful progress, the industry needs to place far greater emphasis on material selection and understanding the full lifecycle impact of the products being used 59 www.signlink.co.uk Issue 267 - October | November 2026
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