But real sustainability doesn't really exist in the 3d printing world. Everything is plastic, regardless of whatever "green" marketing term is slapped on the packaging.
This is why 'sustainability' isn't in our promises. It would be a bold faced lie. What we can promise is this--we will always choose the more eco-friendly version of our materials, and hunt down multiple possibilities before we commit to a decision.
As far as the "leftovers" ie printer 'poops', failed prints, and prototypes, we're currently considering a few alternatives to a trash can. Filament recycling services like Printerior Designs and at-home "recycling" possibilities are the most likely paths.
In true transparency, I would like to provide a list of the materials we use, and ask if you know of any other 'green' products, to email us @ NSquaredTeam@gmail.com, kindly. We're all doing our best here.
Please note that we are in no way affiliated with any of these brands.
Recycled
Recycled
Compostable
1/3 CO reduction (10% Elephant Grass)
Plant-Based
Plant-Based
Plant-Based
Please note NONE of our materials are sourced from Amazon, Aliexpress, Temu, Alibaba, etc.
As far as where we buy from. Where they get it from, who knows.
I currently have 3 printers at my disposal. The Ender and Anycubic are fully mine, and the Bambu is my boyfriend's that I will use if necessary.
We're dedicated to keeping our prices as reasonably low as possible, which does
Our prices are determined by a VERY expansive spreadsheet that takes each and every step from creation to shipping into account so we know where to put every penny we receive. As of right now there are about 65 columns of consideration, which are split up into four 'categories': Manufacturing, Finishing, Shipping, and Misc..
Manufacturing consists of the time it takes to print, how many we can print at once, the filament/resin costs of each piece, the shipping and taxes of buying the fiament, and the maintenance of the machines and tools. This also includes the average price of creating accessibility tools, so we know each product is covering the fair share of our free tools. What we're paid as the workers is also in this category.
Finishing consists of hardware like jump rings, earring hooks, chain, beads, wall hooks, suction cups, primer, paint, and finish...everything else that's required to complete a piece, and the shipping needed to get everything here.
Shipping contains the boxes, the protection, the ink, the business cards, the flyers, the label making...everything that's needed to sucessfully get the products to your location safely and attratively, and again also contains the shipping needed to get each of these to us.
The Misc category is the smallest, and consists of taxes, the online store fee, and the 'misc' amount that rounds up to the nearest dollar and is used for small things that can't usually be perfectly accounted for per piece (gloves, paper towels, etc.).
In full transparency, with only the consistent fees and the average accessibility tool priced in, the bottom line of our products is $7. If there's ever a product or sale that brings a price to under $7 each, know that we are