Rubber stamps are not made from rubber trees! While a small number of crafters may manufacture their own stamps by gathering their own rubber stamp, most widely available, mass-produced rubber stamps are created by synthetic rubber. The photopolymer used to create clear stamps is also a synthetic; but, the solution is reused. For each large sheet of stamps manufactured by Craffiti, up to 70% of the photopolymer solution is reclaimed and collected for additional uses. The block to which traditional rubber stamps are adhered are manufactured from wood rather than bamboo or other renewable resources. Most of these blocks are mass-produced from pine rather than recycled materials. In addition, a traditional rubber stamp is permanently affixed rendering the block a single-use tool. Contrarily, the blocks used with clear stamps are made from resin. While the production of this component involves chemicals and machinery,the output of this industrial process creates a multi-functional, reusable tool that works with an endless number of stamps. Multiple clear stamps – regardless of size, shape, or design – can fit a resin block. Since clear stamps retail independently from the block, the required packaging is smaller, and a larger quantity can be shipped to retailers in one container.
