Penrose Products

Background Penrose Products are award-winning manufacturers of luxury bedding and soft furnishings using natural fibres, including Alpaca wool. The Nottinghamshire-based company prides itself on the hand-finished quality and sustainability of its UK-made products. Penrose, which makes duvets, pillows, bedding sets and mattress toppers, sources fibres from sustainable farms in Britain and uses traditional hand-crafted methods of manufacture. It also places great importance in its packaging, working closely with the Packaging Society and Sustain Lincolnshire to meet its goal of producing packaging from recycled material which also becomes a re-usable resource. Challenges Company owner Paul Whittey was looking for packaging that would be suitable for his products and also fitted into his company’s carbon-neutral and sustainable ethos. “We wanted to find some form of packaging use for our products without having to reinvent the wheel,” he said. Paul’s search led to sourcing a second-hand fibre drum over the internet before making contact with Fibrestar in 2012. Fibrestar has since provided Penrose with fibre drums made from recycled material, which are both ideally suited for packing bedding and can be re-used around the house. Solution Fibrestar provides standard diameter drums of different lengths to suit a range of products. Ordering three different sizes across the range, delivered in ‘Russian doll’ fashion, has also allowed Penrose to cut down on transport costs. Penrose then cover the drums with re-cycled paper printed in vegetable ink to produce attractive, informative and environmentally-friendly packaging. The renewable aspect of the drum then comes into play with a top tip from Paul. Using the recycled cloth bag in which the duvet was packed as a liner, the drum becomes a practical storage/linen bin. “As a paper fibre product, Fibrestar’s drums fit the bill perfectly for us and they can also be used as a secondary storage solution, which is an area of packaging that is often missed,” said Paul. Results Penrose Products won Gold for Eco Product of the year in the House Beautiful 2013/2014 Awards for its bedding, with the success of its packaging solution playing a big part in their victory. And Paul is delighted with the results of working with Fibrestar in helping his expanding company continue to grow in a sustainable way. “I like the guys there and they are very good to deal with,” he added. “They come up with good ideas, which I think other areas of retail could use as well. “They have given us the product we want and it fits in perfectly with what we were looking for as a company. I would certainly recommend them.” For more information on the Fibrestar products used by Penrose Products and Penrose’s commitment to sustainability, click here http://www.penroseproducts.com/benefits/sustainable

For more information on Penrose Products talk to Fibrestar Drums Ltd