The DJ industry has a problem. Every year the DJ industry sells millions of products with little consideration to their environmental impact. From unrecyclable packaging to including individually wrapped components. We can all do so much better. Currently, only 15-20% of all electronics are recycled.
Thankfully some brands have made a change, producing products and using alternative packaging. In this article, we will take a closer look at these products and some of the changes we can all make to help change things for the better.
The Problem With Current Packaging
Here at Crossfader, we are fortunate enough to review a wide variety of DJ products. As such, we see inside the boxes of these products. Sadly the vast majority of DJ hardware is shipped using polystyrene to secure the product in place. Unfortunately, polystyrene is harmful to the environment as it takes a long time to biodegrade. On top of this, the vast majority of polystyrene ends up in landfill as it’s a difficult product to recycle.
Another issue arises when you take a look at the accessories shipped with the product. From cables to user manuals, all these items seem to come in a plastic bag. Given that the outer packaging is already protecting the main product, surely manuals and accessories don’t require further protection.
What Can Be Done Better
Using cardboard instead of polystyrene solves the main issue immediately. Brands like Hercules DJ have already made the switch to cardboard which is great to see. Hercules also impressed with their small user manual, cutting down on unnecessary documents and leaflets. Again, shipping small items in individual bags is unnecessary and could be easily avoided.
Online manuals could very easily replace the bulky printed physical items. Using e-documents saves paper and is more convenient for users who won’t struggle to find their language within an extensive manual. The inclusion of promotional items such as posters and flyers is equally unnecessary.
We’re pleased to see the changes already made by some DJ brands. AIAIAI, for example, ship their TMA-2 headphones in packaging made from recycled materials. Shipping their headphones unassembled, which saves on larger boxes that take up more room in transport. It’s the small changes just like this that will add up to a big difference.
Products Already Making A Difference
As we’ve already mentioned in this article, it’s not all doom and gloom. Some DJ brands have already taken steps towards reducing their environmental impact. As always, we’re not here to point the finger at any one given brand. This is something we can all do better, even as consumers, responsibly recycling our packaging. Remember, over 80% of all electronics are currently not recycled, sadly being sent straight to landfill instead!
AIAIAI – TMA-2 Ninja Tune Edition
AIAIAI’s popular TMA-2 headphones were already very environmentally friendly thanks to their modular design and compact packaging. Their recent collaboration with London based record label Ninja Tune takes this one step further. Melting unsold vinyl records down and reusing the material to create the headphones speaker cups.
This has two significant advantages. Firstly, unsold vinyl isn’t entering landfill, where sadly it turns toxic and secondly, AIAIAI requires less new plastic for the headphones. Combined with the fully recyclable packaging, AIAIAI have created some of the best DJ headphones for the environment yet!
Magma – Solid Blaze
Magma makes some of the best DJ luggage available. Their latest range, the Solid Blaze features materials made from recycled materials. Magma use 120 recycled PET plastic bottles in the largest bag and 80 in the smaller model. There is even Eco-friendly water repellent on the outer fabric of these bags. Without being told, you’d never know these bags are made from recycled materials. The build quality is that high.
How We Are Making A Difference
Here at Crossfader, we don’t sell physical products. However, we can still offset our company and the impact of our workforce on the environment. Using Ecologi, we have been planting tree’s to offset our carbon emissions.
Over the last six months, we’ve planted more than 400 trees, helping offset over 26 tonnes of carbon emissions.
What You Can Do To Make A Difference
If you’d like to help Crossfader with our tree planting, you can donate trees by clicking this link. Although we can’t walk into the factories of the major equipment manufacturers and swap their packaging, we can make our voices heard. We can also think about the way we recycle our tech. From headphones and controllers to our computers, repair rather than replace. If the only option is to dispose of a piece of tech, ensure it is recycled wherever possible.
We’ve sent this article and the video to all the major brands for them to review. Make your voice heard by commenting, liking and sharing to get the message out. Small steps in the right direction will lead to a big change.
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