Our sustainable materials and practices
Highlighting some of our main sustainability efforts.
Materials and Production Practices
Hardwoods
Trophyology wooden awards are handcrafted exclusively from North American hardwoods. We also utilize urban-harvested fallen trees in our work. We never source from South American rainforests.
No VOC Oil
All hardwood elements are finished with a No VOC oil. Per the manufacturer's website: "VOC is the abbreviation for 'Volatile Organic Compounds.' Volatile Organic Compounds is a generic term for chemical substances that evaporate into the air. Organic refers to the chemical composition of the components, and volatile refers to the fact that they evaporate. Products that contain VOCs release vapors that may be hazardous to humans and the environment. VOCs also affect the ozone layer and increase the greenhouse effect." Our finishing materials do not contain VOC.
The specific product we use, Rubio Monocoat, has been awarded for its sustainability by numerous independent, international institutes:
Packaging
Each award is packaged in a reusable felt-like material that is fabricated in the USA from recycled plastic bottles and sewn locally in Austin. It is our hope that these felt sleeves will be repurposed in a creative way.
We utilize handsome recycled boxes for our awards that are made in the USA and we ship our work with biodegradable packing peanuts.
Every Order Plants a Tree
For every order, we plant a tree through One Tree Planted, a nonprofit organization dedicated to global reforestation. Their work makes it easier for individuals and businesses to create a healthier climate, protect biodiversity, and help reforestation efforts around the world. They restore forests after fires and floods, create jobs, build communities, and protect wildlife habitats. All trees funded by Trophyology are planted in North America.
A Culture of Environmental Conscientiousness
Within our team, sustainability is a natural desire and an understood part of operations. We continually strive to improve how we conduct our work and its impact on the planet.
We strongly believe in making many small smart decisions in our business practices that add up to a larger impact on sustainability in every sense of the word. Here are a few examples:
- We reduce, reuse, recycle in our daily studio operations.
- We have minimized and strive to eliminate toxins in our assembly products.
- Our studio lighting comprises many LED light bulbs.
- We use no VOC paints in our studio interiors.
- We utilize green cleaning services in our office, studio, and showroom. The Purple Fig is a local eco-conscious cleaning business.