Something that's important to Clover Road and I know is important to my clients is creating brands and specifically design collateral that is at peace with the environment. Now, I'm not going to start a debate on global warming, but I am going to talk about providing products and marketing collateral that does not pollute the Earth even further and uses as few chemicals as possible.

I love paper products. I love receiving and holding a well designed promotional item. I especially love designing them. I believe it leaves a lasting impression. While digital is great, and it has it's place. Good old fashioned analogue printed collateral goes a long way. Paper selection is a vital component to the impact of your printed item. It also has a huge impact on your brand positioning. Different papers say different things.

A part of the paper selection is choosing a paper content with the right amount of recycled fibers. When you select paper for your print collateral, if you are interested in making sure that you are choosing the right paper, I have created a little guide to let you know what is what.

Two types of fibers.

There are two types of paper fibers, virgin fibers and recycled fibers. Virgin fibers are paper fibers that come from wood chips that have been chemically treated and reduced to fibers. Papers made from virgin fibers use the most resources and cut down the most trees. Recycled Fibers on the other hand are created from recycled papers. There are two types of recycled fibers.

Two types of recycled fibers.

Recycled fibers can be broken down into two categories as well. Pre-consumer waste and Post-consumer waste. Pre-consumer is paper fibers which have not made it to the consumer. Often times this is paper that is on the cutting floor of the paper mill. Post-consumer waste is paper that has been delivered to the consumer and then recycled in a typical recycling program that you would have in your neighborhood with your blue box.

Finding the right balance.

Now the key to selection of the recycled content is finding the right balance that gives the look and feel that you are looking for, that reduces the impact of your business on the environment. If you are interested in ensuring that your next round of print collateral is as light on the environment as possible, let me know. I can show you different paper samples and swatches. We can work out a plan that fits in with your organization's eco-policies.

Ciao,

Robert Scozzari RGD