Skip to main content Skip to search Skip to main navigation
Go to homepage

Sustainability at ifolor

Working together for the environment

We take our responsibility to protect and preserve a healthy environment very seriously. Already in the product development phase, we are guided by considerations for environmentally friendly business operations. Partners and suppliers are critical to achieving sustainability, which is why we include them in our endeavours. We also actively involve our employees, promote awareness, provide regular training and ensure transparent communication of the outcomes of our efforts. In addition, we are committed to:

keeping our environmental impact as low as possible within the limits of what is economically and technically feasible

to climate-conscious business activity and to further improvements in our environmental management

complying with legal requirements and other obligations

subjecting our activities to regular and independent monitoring and certification

Targeted emissions reductions

Our CO₂ emissions and the climate protection projects that we support relate to Ifolor AG, the operating site in Switzerland. These two areas are covered by the "Swiss Climate Label". ifolor continuously adapts its measures to reduce energy consumption and consistently ensures the correct recycling of cardboard and printing paper waste. Furthermore, ifolor has set itself the long-term strategic goal of reducing CO₂ emissions by 50% by 2020, with reference to the base year 2011. This target was already achieved in 2016. Compared to the base year, CO₂ emissions had even been reduced by 54% by then. This first target period has therefore been successfully completed. We are now embarking on a new target path. We have set ourselves an ambitious target: to achieve a further 30% reduction in CO₂ emissions by 2023 compared to the new base year 2020. We are constantly working to optimize our waste concept and source 100% of our electricity from Swiss hydropower. In 2024, ifolor will be awarded the "Swiss Climate Label" by Swiss Climate for the 13th time. This includes the operationally relevant emission sources for the manufacture of the products: Chemicals (incl. inks and varnish), heating energy, electricity, paper and water consumption, business travel, commuting by our employees and waste. However, the photo products themselves are not considered here. A life cycle assessment (ISO standard 14044) of the photo products is planned.

Our climate-conscious business

We measure all consumption required to manufacture our products, such as chemicals (incl. inks, varnish), energy, electricity, paper and water consumption, business travel, commuting and waste. We offset the emissions calculated from the consumption by supporting the two climate protection projects. This gives us a climate-conscious business. We have had our CO₂ management independently audited by Swiss Climate AG since 2012 and are re-certified "Swiss Climate Label" every year.

Environmentally friendly products

We believe that making the production of our products more environmentally friendly is essential to ensuring long-term environmental sustainability. Therefore, sustainability is just as much a focus when procuring products from external suppliers as it is when making the photo products. We also strive to design durable products, which we do by producing items of the highest quality. Users are then able to enjoy our products for longer, with no need to buy a replacement. We currently offer the following range of environmentally friendly products:

Picture frames

The picture frames from ifolor are made from durable solid wood, 1.2 cm thick and therefore particularly stable. The lime wood comes from a forestry in Europe, the oak wood from one in the USA.

 

Find out more

Photo poster frames

The frames for the matt or glossy photo posters are also made from durable solid wood and are 1.2 cm thick. The lime wood comes from a forestry operation in Europe, the oak wood from one in the USA.

 

Find out more

Photo T-Shirt

The high-quality T-Shirt is made from 100% organic cotton. The T-shirt is characterised by the 180 g/m2 strong and durable material and ensures a comfortable wearing feeling.

 

Find out more

Poster Hanger

The wooden strips of the ifolor poster moulding are made of durable solid wood and will therefore last a very long time. The oak wood used comes from forestry in the USA.

 

Find out more

Easel calendar

The easel calendar with wooden stand is both elegant and sustainable. The wooden stand is made of European oak, and the monthly cards are made of wood-free natural paper.

 

Find out more

Photo Flip

In April 2022, the plastic stand for the photo flip book was replaced by an environmentally friendly cardboard stand. The plastic cover sheet was also replaced by a transparent paper.

 

Find out more

Wall calendar

Recently, we removed the plastic cover sheet from our wall calendars. This change makes our calendars completely plastic-free and a more eco-friendly choice.

 

Find out more

ifolor’s CEO Hannes Schwarz

“As a family-run company, we have lived and breathed photography since 1961. Environmentally friendly development and production on site according to Swiss quality standards is a tradition with us".

Andreas Schmidt, Head of Quality Management Systems

“We are renowned for carefully crafted, high-quality products and guaranteed satisfaction.”

Employee engagement activities

On Earth Day, which took place on 22 April 2024, we launched our first Clean Up Day initiative in Kreuzlingen. This is part of our ongoing commitment to social responsibility at ifolor. Environmental awareness is particularly important to us as a manufacturing and resource-consuming company. We also believe that even small measures can lead to significant changes. In our endeavour to offset our impact on the environment, a total of 15 employees took part in the Clean Up campaign and collected waste in the vicinity of the ifolor headquarters in Kreuzlingen.

Social commitment to climate protection project

By investing in Swiss Climate projects and saving resources within the company, we are making our contribution to environmentally conscious living and a sustainable future. The greenhouse gas emissions generated by business operations are offset via a percentage-based contribution to one of Swiss Climate's climate protection project. This amount is calculated based on the quantity of CO₂ generated in the corresponding reporting period. The two projects we have been supporting since 2016 are:

Forest climate protection in Quinten (Switzerland)

ifolor supports the forest climate protection project in Quinten, which ensures sustainable forest management and climate protection in Switzerland. The program combines several projects, as it ensures CO₂ storage and the sustainable management of over 160,000 hectares of forest throughout Switzerland. This protects the climate and preserves biodiversity in the Swiss forest.

More information about the project

Energy-efficient stoves in Ghana

ifolor supports this project, which uses specially developed, efficient stoves to help families in Ghana drastically reduce their need for firewood. These energy-efficient stoves reduce health risks, create jobs, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and protect forests and biodiversity.

More information about the project

Forest protection in the Congo Basin

ifolor supports the project, which fights against the destruction of the rainforest in the heart of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It provides the local population and a variety of rare and endangered animal and plant species with a sustainable livelihood. and thereby significantly reduces the annual CO₂ emissions.

More information about the project

Protecting and preserving biodiversity in Indonesia

ifolor supports this project, which protects the swamp rainforest in the south of the island of Borneo from the threat of being cleared by the palm oil industry. This project makes an important contribution to climate protection project by ensuring the storage of more than 4.5 million tonnes of CO₂ per year and therefore serves as a global beacon for sustainability.

More information about the project

Social commitment and fundraising campaigns

Wall calendar

About two years ago, the plastic cover sheet on the wall calendars was replaced with a stiffer cover page. This means that our calendars are completely plastic-free.

 

Find out more

Certified environmental management

Swiss Climate Label

We have been awarded this certificate - based on the international ISO 14064 standard - since 2012 for our commitment to strive for continuous improvement of our greenhouse gas balance in line with Swiss Climate. As we are aware of our responsibility for a healthy environment, we attach importance to an environmentally conscious use of natural resources in our daily operations. For more information on the "Swiss Climate Label", go to www.swissclimate.ch

ISO 14001:2015

In 2022, we received this certificate – based on the international ISO 14001:2015 standard – for our excellent and thorough organisation in setting up and implementing our environmental management system. Our commitment to environmental issues is part of this integrated management system and is constantly being developed and optimised. You can find further information on the “ISO 14001:2015” label at https://www.sqs.ch/en/services/products/iso-140012015

Interesting facts about sustainability

Read our sustainability blogs on the Inspiration page.

Find out more

*Valid until 06.05.2025:
15% off with a minimum order value of CHF 80.- with the code HEYMAYCH15 on all photo products.
20% off with a minimum order value of CHF 100.- with the code HEYMAYCH2X on all photo products.
25% off with a minimum order value of CHF 120.- with the code HEYMAYCH25 on all photo products.
Gift vouchers excluded.

On all digital photos, from 10 cm format: up to 35%.

All prices incl. VAT. Shipping costs apply. Shipping costs are not eligible for discount.