Our ethics

Quickthorn books are made in the UK. We commission suppliers – designers, proofreaders, illustrators, printers – who are local. That way we offer jobs to the local community and cut down on transport costs. Mindful of our impact on the environment, we always use ethically sourced materials, such as FSC paper and recycled where possible, though recycled paper isn’t always the best choice, as it may have to be shipped in. For Small Steps to Less Waste we trialled a new cellulose lamination to replace the plastic that is commonly used in most books, creating a truly compostable product, a success that we hope to repeat.

All this means that the cost of our books is higher than it might be if we printed our books in the Far East, as is the usual practice for most trade publishers. However, you can be reassured that we’re doing what we can to minimise our impact on the environment, so you might say reassuringly expensive.

We are members of the Independent Guild of Publishers and in 2021 were shortlisted for the IPG’s Sustainability Award.