Our Sustainability Story
Discover more about our social and environmental impact.
We’ve been honing our craftsmanship skills for over 130 years since Frank Smythson opened his very first store on London’s New Bond Street. Designed to be a cherished companion for generations, our Smythson pieces are crafted to become an extension of you over time, collecting a snapshot of memories with every use.
This sentiment, to cherish and endure, can be applied to how we view our planet. Woven into our ethos is an importance to continually challenge and improve our sustainable practices, while preserving our traditional craft heritage. Discover more about the positive actions we take, from responsible sourcing to our refillable product range.
Butterfly Mark
Having first been awarded the Butterfly Mark in 2020, we’re proud to have been re-certified in 2023 by Positive Luxury, a global organisation that recognises luxury brands for their positive impact on people and the planet. For more information on our social and environmental impact, visit Positive Luxury’s website.
Our Positive LuxuryClimate
We have implemented a Resource Strategy that collects data on our energy, water, and waste consumption. From an operations perspective, we have also been measuring our carbon emissions and have successfully reduced our Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 27% (2019 vs 2021).
To reduce our logistics emissions, we’ve established a distribution hub in Italy so that most of our European supplies and sales will remain in European mainland instead of being shipped back and forth.
Paper
Our fine paper is milled in England while our Featherweight paper for our notebooks and diaries is milled in Italy. Manufacturing of our stationery and books is then carried out by our artisans in Wiltshire and Hertfordshire.
All paper used in our diaries, notebooks, bespoke stationery and packaging is from FSC certified sources, demonstrating a commitment to forest conservation, while 98% of the inks used for printing are water soluble and solvent free.
Leather
Ensuring our leather products are sourced in the most responsible way by using Leather Working Group certified tanneries is very important to us.
We also work collaboratively with our longstanding supply chain partners so that best practices are maintained.
Circular Economy
Designing with longevity in mind, we offer a variety of product refills ranging from paper stationery to pens, taking a circular approach when crafting where possible.
In terms of packaging, over 75% are made of recyclable or biodegradable materials therefore able to be recycled.
