Green printing tip no. 48: What is new in the Tree free Paper markets?

We are back today with a new tip on our weekly series of green printing tips, where we bring you information on green printing in collaboration with Greg Barber, an experienced eco-friendly printer.

Today Greg is discussing some great tree free paper options and it's amazing to see what a big variety of options is available. Just pick your favorite and go easy on new trees!

What is new in the Tree free Paper markets?

Tip #48

First, I will review the Tree Free papers for you. We stock the following:

1. Sugar Cane
2. Bamboo
3. Banana
4. Lemon
5. Coffee
6. Mango
7. Hemp
8. TerraSkin
9. Seed Paper

Most of the tree free papers made today are a combination of post-consumer waste and the plant chosen. Tree Free is used to specify no new tree fiber is used to make the new grades of paper.

For example, Sugar Cane is now mixed with Bamboo, at 25% Bamboo, and 25% Sugar Cane,
and 50% PCW. Hemp is 25% Hemp and 75% PCW. Banana, Lemon, Coffee, and Mango, all made in Costa Rica, are 10% plant, and 90% PCW. Last but not least, seed Paper is 100% PCW, and Wild Flower Seeds are hand inserted into the mix. Plant this paper, after using, and wild Flowers will grow. We offer these lines in text and cover weights.

Even 100% PCW is a tree free paper to me. No new trees are used to make 100% PCW paper. All of it is recycled, printed waste. ur 100% PCW lines come in natural, beige, green, kraft, tan and light gray, to name a few of the colors.We offer these lines in text and cover weights.

TerraSkin is different. There is no PCW fiber in TerraSkin - it is made of 80% rock mineral deposits and 20% polymer. TerraSkin uses the most renewable natural resources known to mankind. 60 million years of calcium carbonate, and mineral deposits, found in Limestone, at the bottom of the oceans, are used to make this tear resistant, and waterproof paper.

Terraskin uses the least amount of water to make this paper, and TerraSkin looks and prints like a dull coated paper. The mineral used, Calcium Carbonate, is found in numerous health products, including your toothpaste.

TerraSkin is now offered in pressure sensitive labels, on rolls. We have these rolls in several widths for letterpress, digital and flexo, roll printing. We are using TerraSkin to replace 100% plastic, poly labels. Also, terraSkin is available in flat sizes for commercial printing of
brochures, business cards, hang tags , pocket folders, etc.

Price wise, I list below the order of cost from low to highest price per pound.

1. 100% PCW
2. Bamboo & Sugar Cane
3. Hemp
4. TerraSkin
5-8: Coffee, Banana, Lemon and Mango
9. Seed Paper

Call me for samples.


For additional information, please visit www.gregbarberco.com and www.ecofriendlyprinter.com. You're also invited to contact Greg via email at greg@gregbarberco.com

You can find links to all the tips at http://www.ecolibris.net/greentips.asp

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting green printing!

Green printing tip #7: What is the best alternative if you can't afford to buy Seed paper?

It's Tuesday already and it means it's time for another valuable tip on our weekly series of green printing tips, where we bring you in collaboration with Greg Barber, an experienced eco-friendly printer.

Today Greg is discussing one of my favorite papers (especially for bookmarks..) and what options you have if you want to use it but it's too expensive for your budget.

What is the best alternative if you can't afford to buy Seed paper?

Tip #7

First, Seed paper is paper with seeds in the sheets. When ready to be recycled, the consumer is encouraged to bury the postcard, etc in their backyard and the seeds will grow into Wild Flowers.

This paper only comes in 13 x 19 cover weight, and costs approximately $5.00 per sheet delivered.

I suggest using small sizes to get your point across. Postcards and business cards are the most popular uses of this paper. For larger runs, I suggest printing your message on 100% post-consumer paper and die cutting a small piece of the seed paper and spot gluing to the less expensive recycled cover.

In your ad copy, you can say plant the seed paper image and it will grow into flowers. That die cut image could be your main point to your message to your readers. This was done by a company that die cut 200,000 2 x 2 pieces and gluing to 200,000 larger sheets, printed on a grade that was 1/10 the price of the seed paper.

If that doesn't work, I suggest changing to a different Tree Free paper. As the Seed paper has a lot of specs and colors in the paper, I recommend Sugar Cane, Mango, or Banana papers. You won't have the seeds, but the lines are eye catching, environmental, and Tree Free.

If you have any further questions following our tips, or you have a specific question you want us to address, please email us to info@ecolibris.net .

More green printing tips:

Green Printing Tip #6 - Is Spot Color printing environmentally friendly?

Green Printing Tip #5 - How to avoid being greenwashed when buying printing services?

Green Printing Tip #4 - What does FSC Certified mean? Is it enough?

Green Printing Tip #3 - How you make sure everyone knows you're using green printing practices

Green Printing Tip #2 - How you can make money while printing on 100% recycled paper

Green Printing Tip #1 - Go for a digital job

You can also find further valuable information on Greg Barber Company's website - http://www.gregbarberco.com.

All the tips are archived and saved on http://www.ecolibris.net/greentips.asp (part of our green printing tools & resources page).

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting green printing