Quilt Direct Environmental Policy

Last updated: August 2026

At Quilt Direct, we recognise our responsibility to minimise the environmental impact of our business wherever reasonably possible.

As a quilting, sewing and online retail business, our environmental considerations range from the energy used in our premises and the packaging used to send orders, to fabric waste and extending the useful life of sewing machines and equipment.

Our approach is practical: reduce waste where we can, reuse what we can and recycle responsibly.

Our Premises

Quilt Direct is based at Pitts Cleave in Tavistock, a building designed with energy efficiency and environmental performance in mind.

The development was originally designed to achieve a BREEAM "Very Good" rating and incorporated measures intended to reduce its environmental impact.

These include:

• a ground source heat pump system using twelve boreholes, each approximately 73 metres deep

• extensive use of natural light

• natural ventilation

• water saving measures

• flood protection and sustainable drainage considerations

Together, the solar panels, ground source heating, and energy-efficient lighting help us reduce our reliance on externally supplied energy.

We also encourage everyone working at Quilt Direct to be conscious of unnecessary energy use and to switch off lighting and equipment when it is not required.

Reducing and Recycling Waste

We aim to reduce the amount of waste generated by our day-to-day operations.

We reuse or separate cardboard, paper, plastics, and other recyclable materials from the business and send them for recycling where appropriate.

We are conscious of the packaging involved in receiving and dispatching products and aim to use it responsibly, avoiding unnecessary waste wherever practical.

Fabric Waste

As a quilting business, we are particularly conscious of fabric waste.

We make every effort to find a useful purpose for fabric that might otherwise be discarded. We regularly donate usable surplus fabric and remnants to Project Linus, where they can be used to make quilts and other items for children in need.

Where textile materials cannot be reused, we dispose of them responsibly through appropriate recycling wherever possible.

Repair, Servicing and Reuse

We believe extending the useful life of good-quality equipment is an important part of reducing waste.

We maintain, service, and, where appropriate, offer for resale sewing machines and other equipment that can continue to provide useful service, rather than unnecessarily discarding them.

Machines that are no longer suitable for resale may be retained for usable parts, helping us repair and maintain other machines and reducing the need to throw away components and equipment.

Our machine servicing and repair work also helps customers keep their existing equipment working well for longer.

Products and Purchasing

Where practical, we consider environmental impact when making purchasing and operational decisions.

We value good quality products that are designed to provide many years of use and, where applicable, can be maintained and repaired rather than routinely replaced.

We also aim to work responsibly with our suppliers and to avoid unnecessary purchasing and waste within our own operations.

Packaging and Online Orders

As an online retailer, we recognise that packaging is a significant part of our environmental footprint.

We aim to:

• keep packaging appropriate to the size and protection requirements of the order

• avoid unnecessary packaging wherever practical

• recycle packaging and materials generated within the business

• make responsible use of packaging materials while ensuring that customers' purchases are adequately protected in transit

The balance is important. Insufficient packaging can result in damaged products, replacement deliveries and additional waste, so our aim is to package orders efficiently and responsibly rather than simply use the least packaging possible.

Water and Resources

We aim to use water, paper and other resources responsibly throughout the business.

Our premises incorporate water-saving measures, and we encourage staff to avoid unnecessary resource use as part of everyday working practices.

Our Team

Environmental responsibility is part of the way we expect our team to work.

Staff are encouraged to:

• reduce unnecessary waste

• reuse materials where practical

• separate materials for recycling

• avoid unnecessary printing

• conserve energy and water

• consider whether an item can be reused, donated, repaired or recycled before disposing of it

Our Commitment

We recognise that environmental responsibility is an ongoing process rather than something that can be completed once.

We will continue to review our working practices, premises, packaging and use of resources and look for practical opportunities to reduce waste and improve our environmental performance.

Our aim is to make sensible and achievable improvements while continuing to provide the level of service and product protection our customers expect from Quilt Direct.

Quilt Direct Limited
Pitts Cleave
Tavistock
Devon PL19 0PW
United Kingdom