Whether you’re looking for eco-friendly greeting cards, wedding invitations, graduation announcements, or any other type of card, these sustainable stationery brands have what you’re looking for!
What Makes a Card Eco-Friendly?
Here are some things to look for when shopping for earth-minded greeting cards:
- Tree-Free: Look for cards made from (ideally 100%) post-consumer recycled paper that didn’t require cutting down any trees! And, you can also look for recycled paper envelopes. To take it even one step further, take a look at what kind of packaging your cards will arrive in if you’re shopping online.
- Eco-Conscious Production: Look for things like local production, in-studio printing, and/or use of renewable energy. Carbon offsets can be good, too, but should be used as a last resort after minimizing energy use and carbon emissions in the first place.
- PCF Chlorine Free: With recycled paper, you can’t necessarily guarantee chlorine-free, however, you can look for Process Chlorine Free, or “PCF”. This means that no chlorine or its derivatives were used in the recycling process.
- Environmental Donation Initiatives: Perhaps a brand is a 1% for the Planet Member or plants a tree (responsibly) with every order.
- Low Impact Ink: There are different ways to approach this and it can get a bit complicated, so check out this post for a more in-depth explanation!
Note that this guide includes partners and affiliates. As always, all brands meet strict sustainability criteria and are brands we love — and that we think you’ll love too.
1. Paper Culture
With sustainability at their core, Paper Culture uses 100% post-consumer recycled paper produced by a local paper manufacturer for all of their eco-friendly cards. The company also plants a tree for every order — they’ve planted over 1 million trees so far — and follows a number of other conscious practices.
Conscious Qualities: Recycled Paper, Local Production, Plants Trees
2. Aya Paper Co.
As an environmental justice advocate, founder SaVonne Anderson created Aya Paper Co. with the earth in mind from the very beginning. Aya’s modern minimalist, earthy-hued cards are made from 100% recycled, PCF chlorine-free paper and digitally printed with non-toxic toner.
Conscious Qualities: Recycled Paper, PCF Chlorine-Free, Non-Toxic Toner, Black Woman-Owned
3. Greenvelope
Another way to save some trees with your cards? Avoid paper altogether and send them digitally! Greenvelope has elegantly designed virtual invitation cards that emulate a physical card. And a bonus with Greenvelope’s digital cards is that they can easily track RSVPs for you in one place.
Conscious Qualities: Paper-Free Digital Cards, 1% for the Planet Member
4. Tree Free Greetings from EarthHero
EarthHero is an online zero waste shop with just about everything — including eco-friendly greeting cards! The retailer has recycled paper cards for Christmas, Valentines Day, Mother’s Day, and more from Tree Free Greetings. This stationary company prints with solar energy, produces paper with wind energy, and process their cards without chlorine.
Conscious Qualities: Recycled Paper, Renewable Energy Use, PCF Chlorine-Free
Check Out Tree Free Greetings on Earthhero
Use code CONSCIOUSLIFE for 10% off!
5. Alana Woodward Art
Etsy has a number of shops with beautiful eco-friendly stationary. Alana Woodward Art is a UK-based boutique that stands out with their nature-inspired designs printed on recycled paper produced with green energy. In addition to cards, this shop has notepads, stickers, lined envelopes, and more.
Conscious Qualities: Recycled Paper, Green Energy, Low Waste Packaging
6. EcoVibe
EcoVibe has a number of bold, unique designs (including a bunch full of PLANTS!) that will make opening their cards a gift in themselves. The attributes of the cards vary depending on the brand, but you can find recycled cards, hand-painted cards, and other thoughtfully made cards in their collection.
Conscious Qualities: Recycled Options, 1% for the Planet Member
7. Paper Rose Studio
Paper Rose Studio’s simple plant-themed cards are made from 100% recycled paper heavy cardstock and feature plenty of open space to write out whatever you’d like! And with the sets, you can get these cards at great prices — about $2 per card!
Conscious Qualities: Recycled Paper, Designed, Printed, and Packaged In-Studio
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