1. Invitations: Recycled and post-consumer waste paper and soy & vegetable-based inks offer elegant ways to reduce resource-consumption, waste, and the use of harsh chemicals. Greenerprinter offers a variety of options for eco-friendly wedding printing, including save-the-date cards, invitations, thank you cards, and wedding photo books.
2. Jewelry: Eco-conscious jewelers use recycled stones and metals, and ethically sourced gemstones. Family heirlooms, vintage or antiques, and handmade items are sustainable, often less expensive options.
3. Flowers: Using local, seasonal and organic flowers that are not doused with pesticides lowers fuel consumption and is often less costly than ordering exotic species. Also consider simpler arrangements, faux flowers, or reusing ceremony flowers at your reception.
4. Attire: No matter what your style or taste, there are many ways to green your wedding attire, from buying organic, vintage, or re-wearing a family dress, to donating items afterwards.
5. Gifts: By registering with eco-friendly companies, you can support sustainable business and educate your guests about eco-friendly products. Some registry organizations will donate a portion of the sales from your items.
6. Favors: There are tons of fun and non-wasteful favor ideas like CFL bulbs, small potted plants or soy candles. Or, instead of a tangible favor, consider making a small donation for each guest to a cause you support.
7. Venue: Choosing an eco-friendly venue will drastically reduce the environmental impact of your wedding. However, you can add green touches no matter where you have your reception.
8. Travel: Ecotourism options, green hotels, and carbon offsets all conserve resources and ensure your money makes its way into the local economy. To further lesson the impact of your honeymoon, explore local or volunteer vacation options.
9. Photography: Green photographers reduce waste, paper and chemical consumption by using rechargeable batteries, non-toxic inks, 100% post-consumer waste paper, online proofs, LED and CFL bulbs, and recycling.
10. Decor: Using your location and the season for inspiration will provide natural, cost-saving decor ideas, such as collecting sea glass or shells from a nearby beach for a summer celebration. Vintage items or pieces from friends and family add unique flare.
11. Food and Beverage: Working with your caterer to create a menu of local, in-season organic foods and beverages will decrease the carbon footprint or your meal and support the local economy.
12. Transportation: To minimize emissions, hold your ceremony and reception in one centralized location close to your friends and family. Encourage carpools and public transit, or rent an alternative energy bus or trolley for guests.
13. Beauty and Make-up: Because many cosmetics contain toxic chemicals, use all-natural beauty and hair products or seek out a “green” salon for your wedding day. It is much healthier, safer, and green!

Thanks to Kate Harrison from the Green Bride Guide for permission to reprint these tips!

What are embossing and foil stamping?

Embossing and foil stamping are both specialty finishing services that can make your printed materials stand out from the rest.

Embossing is a technique that creates a raised, or 3-dimensional, image on a piece of paper.

Foil stamping is a special kind of printing procedure where heat, pressure, and a metallic paper (foil) are used to create different designs and graphics on various materials. Foil stamping gives the stamped design a bright, shiny look.

What are the environmental impacts of embossing and foil stamping?

The Foil & Special Effects Assocation commissioned a study to look at foil stamping and sustainability. The study concluded that foil stamping did not detract from the recyclability of paper products. In an article about the study, Wendy Jedlicka points out that the embossing option is more sustainable because it uses fewer materials – while also providing a tactile quality that can enrich the printed piece.

With embossing and foil stamping, it is also much more cost effective to produce smaller quantities, so you can order only what you need (a minimum of 100 is recommended).

We also recommend using either the 95# Reincarnation or the 20 pt. Kraft paper, both of which are 100% recycled with 50% post-consumer waste.

We’re happy to announce that we have recently installed a Hewlett-Packard Indigo 7000 Digital Press, which allows us to now offer high-quality digital printing to complement our traditional offset printing.

The Indigo 7000 from Hewlett-Packard represents the breakthrough in digital printing technology we’ve been waiting for. Its strengths are closely aligned with our own mission: Quality, value, efficiency, and sustainability.

Like Greenerprinter, HP has long been an industry leader in reducing its impact on the environment, and the Indigo continues that leadership. The press has been engineered to use 50% less imaging oil and 25% less electricity per printed page. Its consumables (blankets, rollers, etc) offer a longer lifespan, generating far less waste than previous solutions. The press can handle just about any type of paper up to 16-point, including most of Greenerprinter’s recycled stocks. The Indigo 7000’s unrivaled quality produces sharp images and vivid colors that make every job stand out. And its 7-color printing provides the widest digital color gamut available. It can even reproduce Pantone inks and custom corporate colors.

With an image format of 12.48″ x 18.26″, the Indigo is the ideal solution for just about any of our products, whether it’s a flat piece, folded piece or multi-page catalog. And our state-of-the-art bindery operations are a perfect fit for the 7000, offering precise, professional finishing for even the most challenging projects. You can now view our new low prices on digital printing by checking any of our product pages; items that may be printed on the Indigo now specify whether your print job will be done on the digital or the offset press. In either case, you can trust that you will receive the quality that you expect.

1. Presentation: Take a look at business cards that you’ve received – you probably have a few in your purse or wallet, or in your desk drawer. Each of those business cards sends a message about the individual whose name is listed on the front. The card may be formal or whimsical, creative or ordinary. What message do you want your business card to send?
2. Paper: It’s easy to overlook the paper that a business card is printed on. On more than one occasion, I have met someone at a business networking event and exchanged business cards only to find that the business card I was handed was printed on flimsy paper. Even worse is when the edges are perforated, clearly showing that the cards were printed at home! Cards printed on thick, sturdy paper convey a more professional image.
3. Design: Regardless of whether your cards are professionally designed or you use online business card templates, make sure that your cards are readable. Is the font large enough to read easily? Is there enough color contrast? (Beware of the orange font on a blue background – it can be a recipe for disaster!)
4. Email Address: Obviously, this is a fundamental part of your business card since it is the way that most people will get in touch with you. Is your email address a free one, such as Gmail or Yahoo, or are you using your own domain name? It’s easy enough these days to have your own domain name with your own email address, and it will go a long way towards sending a professional message.
5. Social Media Profiles: Did you include links to your social media profiles on your business cards? This is becoming increasingly popular, and we’re seeing more orders coming through with business cards that have links to Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn profiles. Depending upon your business, you may want to add your social media profiles.
6. Business Alignment: This is particularly important if your business is a green one – are your business cards in alignment with the values of your business? High-quality business cards printed on recycled paper are one way to demonstrate that you are incorporating your green values into your business operations.
7. Free Business Cards: Who doesn’t like something free, right? Free is great when it comes to tickets to a ball game or concert that are unexpectedly offered to you; however, free business cards don’t send the right message to a prospective client who is looking for a professional to work with.
8. Proofing: If you choose to design your card online or use a PDF proof, remember that the printed card will be darker than what you see on the screen. If your card requires high color accuracy, we recommend ordering a hard proof so that you can see the color before cards are printed. Additional information about proofing options is available on our website.

What else would you add to this list?

Fortunately, you can minimize these negative impacts by having a green wedding. The Green Bride Guide has great information for reducing the environmental impact of your wedding. They feature a wealth of resources for planning a green wedding as well as a section on green vendors, such as Greenerprinter, who can provide the products and services that can make your wedding a green one. (Full disclosure: We print business cards for the Green Bride Guide, so we know that they abide by the green tips that they recommend!)

We can help by printing your eco-friendly save-the-date cards, which you can even design online using our templates. Simply upload the photo of your choice, customize your text, and submit your order.  If you’re working with a graphic designer to create a custom card, we can print that for you as well.

Once you’re done with the save-the-date cards, we can print your eco-friendly wedding invitations. Our 80# Everest Cover paper is the most popular for invitations – it’s 100% recycled with 100% post-consumer waste. And after the wedding, preserve your memories forever in a wedding photo book printed on acid-free archival paper. Our free photo book tool lets you create your own photo books in just minutes!

1. Green printing is a lot more expensive. Although green printing has traditionally been more expensive, that’s not necessarily the case any longer. At Greenerprinter, for example, we have been able to consistently lower our prices to make them competitive with traditional printers – in many cases, our prices now can actually be lower.
2. Recycled paper results in lower quality. This another myth that might have been true a few years ago, but it’s not anymore. Today, a high-quality recycled paper is virtually indistinguishable from its “virgin” counterpart, and our customers regularly tell us that they’re impressed with the quality of our final printed product. But don’t take our word for it – we invite you to request a sample packet to see our papers and quality prior to placing a print order.
3. All recycled papers are the same. A paper may be 30% recycled but have zero post-consumer waste content. Post-consumer waste is what most of us would consider “recycled” content: Paper that has been used and tossed in the recycle bin. When choosing a paper, it’s good to look at not just the recycled content, but also the post-consumer waste content. Almost all of the papers available at Greenerprinter consist of at least 50% post-consumer waste.
4. Going green means not printing. Yes, there are times when not printing is a better choice. Reading this blog online instead of having us mail you a printed copy is one example. However, there are also times when printing is necessary. Most of us would not show up to a networking event without business cards or go to a trade show without marketing collateral. On those occasions, printing green is the best way to go.
5. All green printers are the same. Would you say that there’s a difference between a printer who only provides recycled paper upon request vs. one who carries only recycled paper as the house stock? How about between a printer whose green practices have been independently verified by third-party audits vs. one who hasn’t? These are just some of the ways in which green printers can actually be quite different. You can learn more about choosing a green printer on our blog.

• Green Business Cards: This is the first thing that every new business needs. As you’re networking with potential clients, you’ll want to give them a business card with your contact information and your website. Your business card is a reflection of you and your business – is a cheap, flimsy card going to send the message you want? Our business cards are printed on thick (16 pt.), 100% recycled paper. And starting at only $29.50, they fit in any new business budget.
• Online Design Templates: The marketing challenge for a new business is getting your name out there when you’re just getting started and money is tight. If this sounds familiar, our online design center lets you design professional-looking materials on your own. Just upload your logo or a photo, add your text, and you’re all set! This is a great way to design your own postcards, announce a new product, or create your own business presentation folders for your sales presentations.
• Green Printing Affiliate Program: As every new business owner knows, cash flow is important. One easy way to earn money is to become a Greenerprinter affiliate. As an approved affiliate, you’ll be able to refer your clients to a certified green printer, while earning a commission for yourself!
• Green Printing Case Studies: Businesses are recognizing that going green means looking at all of their operations, and green printing helps them to achieve their sustainability goals. Our Partners in Sustainability share with you how they have made their businesses more sustainable.
• 24-hour pricing and order information: As a new business owner, you’ll become accustomed to working late nights. You may realize that you’re out of business cards for an important conference, think of a great idea for a postcard promotion, or need to revise your marketing budget – at 11:30 p.m. No worries, our website is set up so that you can easily obtain pricing, place and track orders, and track shipping 24/7.
• Communication that fits your lifestyle: You’re on the go, and so are we! Whether you’re sending tweets from your iPhone or updating your Facebook status on your Blackberry, we’ll keep in touch with you via whatever platform you prefer. You can choose to follow us on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook, and we’ll keep you posted with information about green printing, special offers, and sustainability (but we won’t inundate you – we know you’re busy).

Be sure to check out our green printing checklist for new businesses as well to make sure that you don’t forget anything – and good luck with the new business!

• Holiday Cards on Recycled Paper: Remember the “old days” when you had to go to the store to buy  Christmas cards, and worry that someone else might be sending out the same ones? With Greenerprinter, you can create your own unique eco-friendly holiday cards right on our site. Our online templates allow you to add your own messages and photos to our holiday-themed designs. Or maybe you’ve already created your cards yourself… no problem, just send us the files. No matter which method you choose, you’ll get 15% off through Dec. 31.

• Personalized 2010 Photo Calendars: Why fight the crowds at the mall to buy a generic calendar when you can create one with your own photos, captions and special dates right at home? Our free, easy-to-use calendar software makes it a breeze. Or, upload your photos directly into our online template for even faster results. We also offer a “house calendar” with a nature theme that you can quickly and easily customize with your company information and logo. Whichever calendar you choose, they’re just $15.99 each… and you don’t have to find a parking space!

• Eco-Friendly Photo Books: Now you can easily create and print a photo book to showcase all of your best pictures from the past year. We’re proud to offer a green alternative to this ever-popular holiday gift. With pre-designed layouts, and attractive choices for colors and backgrounds, our easy-to-use photo book tool will help you design like a pro. Plus, the recycled paper used in our photo books is acid-free and archival quality, so you can rest assured it will last for years to come. This year, a personalized, environmentally responsible photo book can be the greenest gift of the holiday season.

According to a report about offshore printing released last year by the Rochester Institute of Technology, 49% of U.S. printers who participated in the survey indicated that they had lost a job to a foreign competitor. Of those, 57% of the jobs went to China, 16% to Mexico, 16% to Canada, and 10% to Europe, and 5% to India.

The primary reason for printing offshore is the same as for other types of outsourcing: Lower costs, primarily due to decreased labor expenses. This makes it particularly challenging for domestic printers to compete with overseas competitors, and in some cases the effects have been devastating. Outsourcing can also result in inferior quality, and can even be hazardous to our health: Two years ago there was a large recall of outsourced printed materials due to high amounts of lead in the final product.

All types of printed products, from books to marketing collateral, are being printed offshore. In fact, we’ve even spoken with green businesses who have told us that some of their printing needs are met in China…

If you are considering outsourcing your printing, there are a number of things you should be concerned about:

• Quality standards: Typically, quality standards may not be as high as what you would get with high-quality domestic printing. And if you are unhappy with the quality of your outsourced print job, there’s little chance of getting it reprinted!
• Environmental impact: Besides the normal impact of printing, the carbon footprint of a printed piece that travels halfway around the world is much higher. Also, most countries lack the environmental regulations and standards that we have in the U.S. Petroleum-based inks and paper from virgin, mismanaged forests are commonplace.
• Jobs: As print orders are sent overseas, printers at home lose their jobs.
• Shipping delays: Deadlines are easy to miss when products have to travel so far to their final destination.
• Workplace concerns: Most overseas facilities lack the labor laws and OSHA standards required in the U.S. and may result in lower standards for employee safety.

Certainly, not all of these conditions apply to all off-shore printers, but you can be sure that none of them apply to Greenerprinter: We are proud that all of our green printing is done in-house, under our own roof in Berkeley.

Think for a moment about what would truly make a calendar your own. Perhaps pictures of the kids, on the month of their birthdays. A picture from last summer’s family reunion might be perfect for the month of July, and the family gathered together for Thanksgiving could look nice for November.

Or maybe this could be the perfect opportunity to showcase the pictures that you took during your vacation last year. (If you’ve been known to forget birthdays or anniversaries, you can even customize the dates to help you remember important events….)

At work, a personalized calendar hanging in your client’s office could remind them year-round about your company.

You get the idea.

Whatever you think of, our easy-to-use design tool will let you create your own calendar for 2010. And of course, we’ll make sure that it’s printed responsibly for you on recycled, acid-free paper (it’s archival quality, so that you can keep it for years come).

Your imagination is the limit.