Our commitment to a better future
At Wheelers Books, we are dedicated to working towards a better future for Aotearoa New Zealand and making a positive impact for our people, our beautiful country, and the planet.
These are some of the ways which Wheelers Books is contributing more to a sustainable future.
Working towards zero waste
We re-use all packaging (both boxes and filler) which results in a significant decrease in the use of raw materials.
All boxes we use for dispatch both recycled and recyclable: we re-use boxes received from publishers and wholesalers for dispatching to our library and school customers. Couriers and libraries can easily identify our boxes by the ‘Wheelers’ tape used to bind the boxes.
We refuse to receive materials from publishers and wholesalers which are not biodegradable and as a result, they have all changed to using suitable materials for our shipments. These materials are made from vegetable compounds which dissolve in water and are 100% recyclable. Because we supply and deliver locally within New Zealand, plastic binding cord is not required.
We only use recycled paper as filler for our deliveries, no synthetic materials are used as filler.
Sustainable workflows from Wheelers
We have designed our shelf-ready workflows to ensure minimal or no waste, especially in our book covering and spine labelling workflows.
Recyclable waste including paper, cardboard, plastic, and print cartridges are recycled. Redundant IT equipment and damaged cardboard is recycled through Abilities Group, and any paper waste, recyclable plastic, glass, and metal is recycled through Auckland Council.
Wheelers receives very little plastic bubble wrap, but what is received, we give back to a local courier company to re-use.
Conservation & Community
Wheelers Books is committed to supporting organisations and initiatives which work towards a more sustainable and positive future for Aotearoa.
Trees That Count
Wheelers Books is proud to support Trees That Count, a New Zealand environmental charity who plant native trees across our country.
Through this partnership, we have planted hundreds of native trees to help combat climate change, mitigate parts of our carbon footprint, protect Aotearoa’s threatened biodiversity, and help grow our forests for future generations to enjoy.
Read more about Trees That Count.
Duffy Books in Homes – Ready 4 Reading Programme
For over 15 years, Wheelers Books has proudly supported the important work of Duffy Books in Homes, by distributing books to tamariki in need through Early Childhood Centres and communities that serve them and their whānau.
Duffy Books in Homes is a New Zealand literacy programme aimed at breaking the cycle of bookless homes amongst children at low decile schools and fostering a love of reading with tamariki throughout the country.
Read more about Duffy Books in Homes and the ECE Ready 4 Reading programme.
Little Libraries
Wheelers is proud to work with Little Libraries, a project from The Values Trust, which supplies interactive kitset libraries to ECE centres in high-need areas across Aotearoa.
These beautiful kitsets not only house books, but they also create reading environments for ECE centres, empowering children to tell their own stories and fuel their imaginations.
Read more about Little Libraries,
Community Organisations Supported by Wheelers Books
By working with Wheelers Books, are customers are also supporting community organisations who do incredible work for New Zealanders and our communities. These organisations include:
Child Cancer Foundation
Ronald McDonald House
Give a Kid a Blanket
Women’s Refuge
Auckland City Mission
Duffy Books in Homes
