Before lockdown, Sir David Attenborough, Greta Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion were on everyone’s lips with the plastic contamination of the earth’s oceans and the pollution of the planet at large bringing environmental issues to front of mind, and with it a rise in the public’s passion for less consumer waste as well as recyclable/sustainable products and packaging.
Paradoxically, while plastic has been something of a saviour in the Covid-19 crisis, being the substrate of choice for much of the PPE equipment, conversely the minimisation of travel (by plane and car), inherent noise reduction as well as the public’s increased imposed ‘home’ time to appreciate nature’s less polluted beauty has also reinforced the importance to care for our world. And so a trend that was already in ascendance is once again set to blossom.
Already pushing the ‘eco card/envelope’ with recycled coffee cup board, recycled post-consumer waste or elephant dung paper, often created and powered using 100% renewable energy, inventive card publishers are also embracing nakedness (or partially covering with a label clasp), applying biodegradable glitter and plant-based glue, using less packaging and aiming for a sustainable business. However, these green greeting card warriors are creating stunning contemporary, bold and colourful designs that often use the recycled and recyclable textured eco board with its raw look to add interest and tactility.
Publisher Opinion…
Sarah Jackson, director of greeting card publisher Stormy Knight shares her view on why the environmental trend is…fully sustainable post-Covid-19.
“Our first ever range of cards was printed on 100% recycled board and it’s always been popular and part of the Stormy Knight brand, however I think the general public are much more engaged with the eco-credentials of what they are buying now than they have been previously thanks to the media attention green issues have received over the last couple of years.
Our stockists that have embraced the Kard-Klasp trend have received so many compliments from their customers who are really pleased to see changes being made to reduce waste and be environmentally-conscious, and we thought we’d explore this further with our latest range. Our ‘Rubbish cards’ are printed on 100% recycled post-consumer waste and, whilst addressing what has become a very serious issue, also bring some fun to the table with their humorous take on what makes them so ‘rubbish’!”
Top: A portion of a 1 Tree Cards’ design.
