Not-for-profit UK Label Needs has nearly halted all vinyl releases recently, citing environmental concerns around the amount of energy required to press vinyl. Most vinyl records are also non-biodegradable, making it harder to recycle.

NEEDS099 comes as a surprise release as the label will be partnering up with Green Vinyl, an eco-friendly pressing plant which has invented a way of replacing plastic with eco-friendly materials in their records. The album sees tracks from established producers all around the world, with Saoirse, Reptant, Sansibar, Pugilist, Hassan Abou Alam and LUXE contributing tracks.

The first ever green records marks the label’s move towards the future of vinyl production, which sees a 100% recyclable record that uses up to 60% lesser energy than traditional vinyl production methods. Green Vinyl, based in the Netherlands, uses an injection molding process instead of pressing, which cuts both production time and carbon footprints. The record will also come without paper labels, and will be made available online for streaming.

For those who love putting the records on repeat, he new production method also increases the shelf life of records, with records able to play up till 400 times as compared to traditional vinyl, where the sound quality will start to deteriorate after 100 plays.

Through this record, Needs hopes to be able to “raise awareness about this revolutionary new technology and inspire others to think about the way they produce vinyl”.

The record is available for pre-order now online, and will be released on 24 September 2021. Pre-ordering the album now will allow you to download 2 tracks now on Bandcamp, and the whole album once its released.