The Pen May Be Mightier Than the Sword – But How About “Green” Eco-Friendly Stationery!

“Green” Stationery – sounds a bit like an oxymoron since ‘writing paper and envelopes’ in North America is mostly made out of timber-based pulp. But in fact, eco-friendly tree-free stationery and recycled post-consumer paper are becoming much more commonplace in the United States and around the world than one may have ever realized. But what exactly does this all mean for you and me?

It means that we don’t have to sacrifice our planet’s health with the unwarranted or unregulated wholesale destruction of forests and trees just to write letters, invitations, and good wishes to friends and family. Instead, we now have some really good environmentally-friendly lifestyle alternatives or substitutes such as renewable energy paper and chlorine-free paper and yes – paper made of used clothing and vintage textiles. But let’s begin with a look at tree-free stationery.

Some of the most well known plants used to make non-wood paper are organic hemp, cotton, coffee, mango, banana, bamboo, bean and tobacco fibers. Other lesser known plants used are bagasse and kenaf fibers. Here is a list of specialty companies where you can order such tree-free stationery.

(1) EcoSource Paper Inc. – British Columbia, Canada                                                       http://www.islandnet.com/~ecodette/ecosource.htm

(2) Vision Paper – Albuquerque, New Mexico                                                                    http://www.visionpaper.com/

(3) Green Field Paper Co. – San Diego, California                                                               http://www.greenfieldpaper.com/

(4) Costa Rica Natural Paper Co. – Costa Rica/Ventura, California                                      http://www.ecopaper.com/

(5) Crane & Co. – Dalton, Massachusetts                                                                    http://www.crane.com/

(6) Smock Paper Co. – Syracuse, New York                                                                          http://smockpaper.com/

As for post-consumer recycled stationery, recycling used waste paper, magazines, and toilet rolls is a viable way of providing new paper for consumers without cutting down trees and filling up landfills. In addition, fewer greenhouses gases are produced and less air and water pollution is created in comparison to making paper from fiber in its original condition. Here too is a list of green-minded companies known for their recycled premium quality stationery.

(1) Gumnut Hill Stationery – Windsor, Australia                                                                  http://www.gumnuthill.com.au/

(2) The Exotic Paper Company – Taunton, Somerset, England                                           http://www.elliepoopaper.co.uk/

(3) Green Stationery Co. – Gauteng, South Africa                                                                 http://greenstationery.co.za/

(4) Green Paper Company – Columbus, Ohio                                                                       http://www.greenpapercompany.com/

(5) Paper Culture Co. – Millbrae, California                                                                           http://www.paperculture.com/eco-friendly-invitations-announcements.html

For many stationery companies, utilizing wind-generated electricity to manufacture and print their greeting cards, notecards, fine writing paper and pocket journals is another way of “going green” without depleting the Earth’s fossil fuel resources. Notable companies using renewable energy for stationery products include:

(1) Borealis Press – Blue Hill, Maine                                                                                      http://www.borealispress.net/

(2) Jacki Paper Co. – Belmont, California                                                                                   http://www.jackipaper.com/

(3) 9SpotMonk Design Co. – Glen Rock, New Jersey                                                                http://www.9spotmonk.com/bio.html

Another example of stationery companies “going green” is using chlorine-free environmentally-friendly bleaching agents in brightening the final paper product. Two noteworthy companies practicing this method are:

(1) New Leaf Paper Co. – San Francisco, California                                                                       http://www.newleafpaper.com/about/mission-history

(2) Greener Printer – Berkeley, California                                                                             http://www.greenerprinter.com/grp/jsp/ourpapers.jsp

But innovation in stationery processes doesn’t stop here – Arch Paper Company – in St. Louis, Missouri (http://www.archpaper.net/) creates business cards, greeting cards, letterpress, and graphics by recycling vintage textiles and used clothing.  And then there are the Benedictine Monks at ‘Abbey Press Printing’ – part of Saint Meinrad Archabbey in southern Indiana – who for the past 140 years have been making an array of cards and stationery in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.   Their Christian commitment to environmental stewardship is far-reaching — and their works — mightier than the sword!

See —                                                                                                                          http://www.snailspacepaper.com/%7Esnails/index.php?id=34&page=Our%20Purpose,%20Promise%20&%20Passion