I Am Green

What I Am Green does

I Am Green (legally I Am Green (Pty) Ltd, trading as Intelligent Marketing t/a I Am Green) is a South African manufacturer of eco-friendly, biodegradable and sustainable promotional merchandise, founded in 2008 by Clyde Edwin Parton and headquartered at 6 3rd Street, Montague Gardens, Cape Town. The company designs and produces customized corporate gifts and branded merchandise across 14+ product categories including Living Gifts and seeded paper products, bags, placemats and coasters, recycle bins, stationery, keyrings/badges/magnets/lanyards, journals and diaries, clothing, cardboard-core products, wooden card holders and cellphone stands, wooden desk organizers, document holders, USBs/speakers/technology items, and clocks and calendars. Manufacturing relies on woodworking and promotional-product production using CNC routers, laser cutters, and a license to localize imported stationery manufacturing technology, with raw-material sourcing governed by FSC forestry standards and waste streams recycled or repurposed.

The company generates revenue through two streams: (i) one-time sales of customized eco-friendly promotional merchandise to South African corporate clients via its own e-commerce storefront and direct corporate account sales, with unit pricing ranging from R5.69 (Paper Papen Pens) to R15-R30 (recycled card-cover notebooks), positioned below imported alternatives; and (ii) bespoke product design and manufacturing services tailored to specific client branding requirements, delivered through partnerships with top South African advertising agencies. Customer segmentation is oriented toward corporate businesses (primary) using promotional merchandise for marketing campaigns, client gifting and employee engagement, with advertising agencies acting as a secondary channel. I Am Green operates a Community Employment Program (CEP) sub-brand that channels production through small local businesses and equips community members with skills, functioning both as a social-impact initiative and a reseller channel targeting SMB and consumer demand. The firm adheres to FSC (forest stewardship), ETI (ethical trading), UN Global Compact and ILO (labour) framework standards and is governed by directors Clyde Edwin Parton and Candice Olivia Parton with no disclosed institutional investors.

Name

I Am Green

Legal name

I Am Green (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://iamgreen.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

I Am Green (Pty) Ltd, trading as Intelligent Marketing t/a I Am Green, is a Cape Town, South Africa-based manufacturer founded in 2008 that designs and sells eco-friendly, biodegradable and sustainable customized promotional merchandise across 14+ product categories to corporate clients and advertising agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Eco-Friendly Promotional Merchandise Manufacturing

NAICS

Converted Paper Product Manufacturing (3222)

SIC

Wholesale-Durable Goods, Nec (5099), Miscellaneous Furniture & Fixtures (2590)

akta.pro primary industry

Compostable & Bio-Based Packaging (PLA/PHA, Starch Blends, Cellulose Films) (IMALAMAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Recycled Tissue & Hygiene Products (IMAMAKAF)

Keywords

• Eco-friendly promotional products
• Sustainable corporate merchandise
• Biodegradable gift manufacturing
• Green branded merchandise
• Recycled promotional items

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. ECO Promotional Merchandise Sales: One-time sales of eco-friendly promotional products to corporate clients including stationery, bags, clothing, wooden items, and custom-branded merchandise. Products are sold as customized items for corporate marketing and branding purposes with no recurring revenue model indicated.
2. Custom Product Design and Manufacturing: Bespoke product development services where the company creates custom ECO-friendly promotional items tailored to specific client branding requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

I Am Green manufactures and sells eco-friendly, biodegradable, and sustainable promotional products and corporate merchandise across 14+ categories. Items are made from recycled, biodegradable, or renewable content, are customizable for corporate branding, and are sold primarily to South African businesses and advertising agencies. The company also offers bespoke custom product design and manufacturing tailored to specific client branding requirements.

Product overview

I Am Green (Intelligent Marketing t/a) is a South African manufacturer offering a single unified portfolio of eco-friendly, biodegradable and sustainable promotional products and merchandise. The product range includes Living Gifts & Seeded Paper Products, Bags & Pencil Cases, Placemats & Coasters, Recycle Bins, Stationery, Keyrings/Badges/Magnets/Lanyards, Journals & Diaries, Clothing & General Items, Products from Cardboard Cores, Wooden Card Holders & Cellphone Stands, Wooden Holders & Desk Organisers, Document Holders, USB's/Speakers & Technology, and Clocks & Calendars. The company positions itself as manufacturing the largest range of ECO-friendly products in South Africa, with a focus on corporate marketing and promotional merchandise. Products are made from recycled, biodegradable or renewable content, supporting the 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle' philosophy. The company operates a Community Employment Program (CEP) and uses advanced manufacturing techniques including CNC machining and laser cutting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Community Employment Program (CEP): An initiative that equips individuals from local communities with various skills and employment opportunities, and supports small local businesses by creating a platform from which they can market and sell their products.

Products and services

• Living Gifts & Seeded Paper Products Eco-friendly living gifts and seeded paper products that can grow into plants after use, supporting sustainable gifting for corporate and consumer buyers.
• Bags & Pencil Cases Eco-friendly bags and pencil cases made from sustainable or recycled materials, customizable for corporate branding and gifting.
• Placemats & Coasters Sustainable placemats and coasters designed to preserve surfaces while promoting environmental responsibility for corporate or consumer use.
• Recycle Bins Recycling bins designed to encourage waste separation and support circular economy practices for offices and corporate environments.
• Stationery Eco-friendly stationery products including Paper Papen Pens and recycled Aluminum Pens with highlighters, intended for office and corporate use and customizable for branding.
• Keyrings, Badges, Magnets & Lanyards Branded keyrings, badges, magnets and lanyards made from wood, recycled plastic and other sustainable materials for corporate promotional use.
• Journals & Diaries Recycled card cover notebooks, journals and diaries for corporate stationery and gifting purposes, customizable with company branding.
• Clothing & General Items Eco-friendly clothing items and general merchandise supporting sustainable fashion and corporate branding campaigns.
• Products from Cardboard Cores Products manufactured from cardboard core materials, repurposing industrial waste into functional items for promotional use.
• Wooden Card Holders & Cellphone Stand Protective wooden card holders and cellphone stands made from sustainably sourced timber, customizable for corporate branding.
• Wooden Holders & Desk Organisers Wooden desk organizers and holders designed to help arrange workspaces sustainably for office and corporate use.
• Document Holders Document holders made from eco-friendly materials to safely store and organize paperwork in offices and corporate settings.
• USBs, Speakers & Technology Technology-related promotional products including USB drives and speakers with eco-friendly designs, customizable for corporate gifting.
• Clocks & Calendars Eco-friendly clocks and calendars for corporate branding and promotional purposes, made from sustainable materials.
• Custom Eco-Friendly Product Design & Manufacturing Bespoke product development service creating custom eco-friendly promotional items tailored to specific corporate client branding and campaign requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of employees have adopted recycling practices at home, demonstrating cultural change impact beyond workplace
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)coreOthersFSC certification ensures timber and raw materials are sourced from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social and economic benefits. The company requires suppliers to comply with FSC standards for sustainable forestry practices.
• ETI (Ethical Trading Initiative)coreOthersCompany policies adhere to ETI Base Code principles including prohibition of forced labor, fair wages, and non-discrimination. Policies align with international ethical trading standards.
• UN Global CompactcoreOthersCompany supports UN Global Compact principles focusing on human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. Environmental policies reflect commitment to sustainability and responsible business practices.
• ILO (International Labour Organization)coreOthersLabor practices guided by ILO Conventions including elimination of child labor, forced labor, discrimination, and promotion of collective bargaining rights. Company aligns with international labor standards.
• Certified Recycling FacilitiesminorOthersCompany partners with certified recycling facilities to ensure recyclable materials are processed appropriately according to environmental regulations.
• Hazardous Waste Disposal CompaniesminorOthersCompany works with licensed hazardous waste disposal companies to ensure compliance with legal requirements for safe handling and disposal of hazardous materials.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Biopak: Australia-based manufacturer of compostable packaging and foodservice products made from renewable resources. Comparable in sustainable-materials philosophy and B2B corporate customer focus, but serves a different geography and primarily packaging/foodservice rather than promotional merchandise.

Broad incumbents

• Quality Logo Products: US-based promotional products e-commerce distributor with thousands of customisable items including eco-friendly options (recycled pens, bamboo items, reusable bags). Comparable in product mix and corporate sales motion; larger catalogue and broader geographic reach.
• 4imprint: Large publicly-listed North American promotional products distributor offering thousands of customisable products including sustainable/eco lines. Comparable product category and corporate customer base; operates as a much broader catalogue distributor rather than a sustainability-focused manufacturer.

Direct peers

• Brandability: South African promotional products and corporate gifts company offering custom-branded merchandise across multiple categories. Comparable in customer segment (SA corporates) and one-time-purchase revenue model, competing head-to-head for the same promotional merchandise wallet.
• Amrod: South African promotional merchandise and corporate gifts supplier offering branded stationery, bags, drinkware and apparel. Directly comparable as a domestic competitor selling customised promotional products to SA corporates, though with a broader, less sustainability-pure catalogue.
• HALO Branded Solutions: Global corporate branded merchandise and rewards provider serving enterprises with customised promotional products and apparel. Comparable in product category (corporate-branded merchandise, eco lines) and B2B sales motion, though at significantly greater scale.
• Eco Promotional Products: North American supplier specialising in environmentally friendly promotional merchandise (recycled, organic, reusable items). Closely comparable in narrow focus on sustainable promotional products and corporate-branded merchandise; competing in a different geography (US).
• Eco-Products: US manufacturer of compostable and recyclable foodservice and consumer goods (cups, containers, cutlery). Comparable in sustainability positioning, B2B sales to corporate/enterprise buyers, and compostable/biodegradable materials focus; differs in serving foodservice rather than promotional merchandise.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/iAmGreenGifts
• Facebookfacebook.com/iamgreenSA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/i-am-green---intelligent-marketing
• Instagraminstagram.com/iamgreensa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about I Am Green