The 100% paper design of poppy is made from renewable fibres, 50% of which was recovered from the waste used in the production of coffee cups.
Specialist papermaker James Cropper collaborated on the creation of the new plastic-free poppy, which will be available as part of this year’s Poppy Appeal starting in October and can be recycled in ordinary paper recycling collections.
Speaking about the new poppy design, The RBL’s Executive Director of Marketing, Fundraising and Remembrance, Gary Ryan, said: “We’re proud to have designed a plastic-free poppy that will enable people to show their support for our Armed Forces community in a more sustainable way.”
The RBL says it has been developing the plastic-free poppy for the last three years in efforts to reduce its use of single-use plastic and be economical, sustainable and less impactful to the environment.
UCL found that the new poppy design has a 40% smaller carbon footprint and a similar reduction in its overall impact on the environment.
It continues that hundreds of iterations of the poppy were explored during the design process, to test form, finish and usability. Paper was chosen to create a single-material solution that can be easily recycled, the RBL says.
The RBL says it worked with experts at University College London (UCL) to assess the environmental impact of the new poppy and ensure it is sustainable.
Professor Paola Lettieri (FREng) from UCL’s Department of Chemical Engineering, said: “We looked at its carbon footprint and factors like how much water and resources go into making it, in what’s called a Life Cycle Assessment.
“By replacing the single-use plastic with a paper-based design, and increasing the amount of recycled paper used, UCL found that the new poppy design has a 40% smaller carbon footprint and a similar reduction in its overall impact on the environment.”