Green workplace: Eco-friendly business cards

This week's eco-topic: Green workplace

Printing business cards is cheap these days -- sometimes even free. But what about eco-friendly cards? The kind I want didn't seem too complex: Just 500 cards on recycled paper made from 100% post-consumer waste (PCW), printed with veggie-based inks, at a not-outrageous price. Ideally, I also wanted a local company to print them up for me. 

So like all good procrastinators, I did some research. What I found: 100% PCW paper for business cards are still rather tough to find -- and expensive!

And in fact, the eco-ness of paper isn't as simple as looking for high PCW content. One also has to consider the environmental implications of the manufacture of the paper: How it was processed (chlorine's a no-no), how many times it was processed, where and how the raw materials were procured, how eco the processing plant is (does it run on solar power or buy carbon offsets?), etc. Due to these extraneous factors, some paper people will argue that certain FSC-certified paper with a lower PCW content can be better for the environment than some 100% PCW paper.

But a lifecycle analysis for every type of paper that could be used for business cards is impractical. I think the 100% PCW, soy-ink options are a good place to start -- especially as many green businesses specifically seek those options out because they like to have those little eco-labels on the backs of their business cards.

Thus: The 100% PCR soy-ink options I found are below -- followed by perhaps less eco but much less expensive options for the green but less wealthy people.

Greg Barber Company in New Jersey.  This company provides a lot of information to enviro-educate the consumer and offers paper that's FSC-certified AND 100% post-consumer recycled. However, the site's rather badly organized, and the web order form's not very user-friendly, if thorough.
The bottom line: $195 for 500 cards, printed 4-color with soy-based inks on one side, 100% PCW paper. ($225 for 4-color both sides)

Dolphin Blue in Dallas. This company boasts an impressive list of eco-clients from the magazine Plenty to the stationery company Twisted Limb. Like Greg Barber, Dolphin Blue offers FSC-certified 100% PCW, FSC-certified paper that's processed chlorine-free.
The bottom line: $231.94 for 500 cards, printed 3-color with soy-based inks on one side, 100% post consumer recycled paper.

Plan It Green Printing in L.A. This small company in Eagle Rock's not a printer itself, but works with a few local printers to get your job done. Rob of Plan It Green made my friend Summer's cards, and she says she was happy with both the service and the product.
The bottom line: $425 for 500 cards (for just $25 more, you can get 1000 cards), printed 2-color on one side, 1-color on the back side with soy-based inks, 100% PCW paper.

Fugu Fugu Press in Pasadena. The big bonus with this company is that its a small, local letterpress shop. Their stuff is gorgeous -- I wrote about their recycled cards here -- and you can pick from 100% PCW to cotton paper. This eco-prettiness doesn't come cheap, however. Print jobs at this eco-boutique's best suited for designer-types who need one-of-a-kind, eye-catching, unique print jobs.
The bottom line: $450 for 500 cards, printed 2-color with soy-based inks on one side, PLUS $50 for the plates AND $10 per every 100 cards for the eco-paper of your choice.

And now for the less expensive options (I'm guessing many of you just skimmed the ones above after seeing the prices):

• $39 for 500 cards, printed 4-color on one side, 1-color on back with veggie-based inks on 50% recycled, 25% PCW, FSC-certified paper. Get it at Wizard Graphics. I requested sample cards; WG does clean and pretty work.
• $59 for 500 cards, printed full color on one side with soy-based inks on 100% recycled, 50% PCW paper. Get it at GreenerPrinter, recommended to me by Jason Sperling of Prairie Tree Project, whose cards turned out pretty. GreenerPrinter also makes web ordering a breeze.
• Update: $125 for 500 cards, printed full color, both sides with soy-based inks on 30% recycled  paper ($175 for 1000 cards). Get it from Green Square Graphics in the valley.
• $150 for 500 cards (for just $25 more, you can get 1000 cards), printed 4-color on both sides with soy-based inks on FSC-certified paper with no recycled content. Get it at Plan It Green Printing.
• $175 for 500 cards ($210 for 1000 cards), printed 4-color both sides with zero VOC ink (NOT soy-based) on 100% PCW paper. Get it at Plan It Green Printing.
• $285 for 500 cards, printed 3 color on one side with soy-based inks  on 80% PCW, FSC-certified paper. Get it at Pinball Publishing. This printer made Stumptown Coffee's business cards signage, which look fantastic.

All these companies have a strong green mission. I did find some not-particularly-green companies that did offer some recycled paper options, but because their prices weren't any better than the more eco-committed Wizard Graphics.

If you've got extra money to spend, look into business cards that'll grow alfalfa or sprout other plants.

Now I just need to work out a budget to see how much I can afford to spend on printing up my cards. Then, of course, I need to get the business cards designed....

Top image courtesy of Wizard Graphics

Comments

[Cassandra]

I am still impressed (and amused) by the business cards you (used to?) use. Simple, straightforward, and stood out in a crowd:

Unless I am mistaken, you sent a piece of a cardboard boxe cut into business-card size, then stamped with your contact information (presumably with soy-based ink).

I believe the one I recieved was 1/8 (or other obnoxious measurement) of a cereal box.

I wonder if you could start something to print business cards this way, along the lines of what Papergeist does for journals...

Also, don't forget the other green solution: *.VCD

[Siel]

That was a great option -- until it broke my printer! I guess it was a bit more than my cheapo printer could handle -- although a great local printer fixer dude had it back up and running in no time. I still use the same printer -- just not for business cards....

There is a card company that basically does what I did -- but the cereal boxes are from conventional cereals (i.e. Fruit Loops). I also don't know how the boxes are sourced (if they are used boxes, who is eating all this unhealthy cereal?), and ordering from that company defeats my purpose of reusing my own cereal boxes, so I think I'm gonna have to go with a "regular" green printer for now :)

[Vectorpedia (Rick)]

I think eco-friendly business cards is a fantastic idea.........this is an excellent way for companies to identify their position on the environment........lets all go "green"

[Stumptown Printers]

Just a quick correction: Stumptown Coffee Roaster's business cards are printed by Stumptown Printers in Portland, OR, not printed at Pinball Publishing as noted above. Thanks for the nice comment, though.

[Siel]

Sorry -- I meant Stumptown Coffee's signage, not business cards. Type business cards enough times, and you'll keep typing them even when you mean something else :P Thanks for the correction :)

[Jennie]

So glad to see people are seeking Green Biz Cards. And even more thrilled to be able to offer info about a company who supplies green printed products: pixxlz.com. I'm the marketing manager, here in LA but the company is located in Boston. Here's a little bit about pixxlz.com: They offer a choice of papers, all containing 100% recycled stock, ranging from 30-100% PCW. Yes, their ink is soy based as well as chemistry-free toner for shorter runs. The site offers many pre-designed biz card templates for you to play with or one to simply add your own design. 500 cards @30%PCW is about $35.00, and we quote accordingly for higher PCW. It's all about supply and demand, the higher quantity we (all humans) can order of high PCW, the more the prices come down. The in-house designers can help with your designs as well. I would love to help you with your cards...or any other green printed products you or your bloggers may need! Please visit pixxlz.com and read our Green Mission Statement.