Teaming up with the EU Ecolabel for Paris Olympics

Beyond sport performance, the Paris Olympic Games are also a source of creative inspiration for many brands and retailers. For the Hamelin Group, the idea is to extend the magic and values conveyed by this global sporting event throughout the year, both at school and in the office. To achieve this, they have designed a collection of products featuring the three official brands: the “Olympic and Paralympic Games of Paris 2024”, “L’Équipe de France” (the French team) and “Les Mascottes” (the mascots) represented by the two Phryges. The collection of products includes EU Ecolabel awarded ones, including their stationery paper used in their Olympic branded notebooks, for example.

Founded in 1864 in the Normandy city of Caen, this family-run business is now Europe's leading manufacturer of EU Ecolabel certified notebooks, and its products are sold in over 140 countries worldwide. ‘We are world-famous for our Oxford brand 24x32 spiral bound school notebooks, with a special paper that makes writing and learning easier’, explained Virginie Ori, Hamelin’s Sustainability Director, ‘Both the paper and the notebooks are certified by the EU Ecolabel.’

A driving force behind the introduction of the EU Ecolabel 

Hamelin is a success story that has adhered to the requirements and criteria of the EU Ecolabel from the outset. ‘The company has long been convinced that the EU Ecolabel is a real advantage and a trustworthy innovation. We were the first to obtain this certification for our product category [notebooks], and we were the only ones for a very long time’, added Virginie Ori. 

Prior to the official launch of the first EU Ecolabel criteria for printed paper and stationery, the company joined forces with other European manufacturers, customers and organisations in 1992 to open a dialogue with the European Commission on the labelling of stationery products. At the same time, the paper industry had to be convinced of the benefits of such certification. For Hamelin, this has meant innovations in the product design process itself, including the inks and solvents used, as well as the life cycle of each product, including recyclability at the end-of-life. 

The EU Ecolabel for all Hamelin notebooks by 2030

Today, 70% of Hamelin’s notebooks are certified with the EU Ecolabel, and their ambition is to reach 100% by 2030. ‘We have long been convinced that the label is the best in terms of criteria and also because it certifies the entire life cycle of the product’, noted Virginie Ori. ‘We have developed a procedure of eco-design, in which we assess the materials needed to manufacture a new product and how that product will be used to determine whether it can obtain the label or not. For example, a product that contains a lot of plastic will be excluded.’

To prove recyclability, Hamelin’s teams have their products and innovations tested in laboratories. The company also does not hesitate to invest so that its suppliers are able to produce in line with the criteria of the EU Ecolabel. And when the label is unfamiliar to them, the teams work to explain the label’s benefits to consumers and manufacturers alike. 

So, keep score of your favourite Paris Olympics’ athletes with Hamelin notebooks, and feel confident that you’re getting a sustainable option as well!