Print Eco-Friendly Announcement Cards

Going green is much more than a passing fad; it's a commitment to run businesses and lifestyles in a responsible manner that not only avoids damaging the environment but fosters its cleanliness and encourages others to follow one's eco-friendly example. And with millions printed each year, announcement cards present the perfect opportunity for companies and individuals alike to further their green agendas and make the world a better place. Announcement cards are deployed to celebrate births, marriages and engagements, anniversaries, retirements, grand openings, sales events, and a wide variety of other celebrations and events. That you know, but what you might not know is that all of them can be printed in an eco-friendly fashion. Not all "green" printing companies are created equals, so the following details what you need to know to print eco-friendly announcement cards.

Choose recycled paper

Perhaps the easiest eco-friendly announcement card printing strategy is to opt for recycled paper. Today's recycled papers are not the grainy, brown-ish, low-quality papers of yesterday. Instead, premium recycled paper is smooth, bright white and extremely cost effective. One of the best recycled paper stocks for announcement cards is 13-point recycled matte cover stock, which is smooth and thick and has a rich matte sheen that enriches your announcement card design colors.

Print with soy-based inks

Another incredibly easy eco-friendly move is to choose a printing company that prints announcement cards with soy-based inks. Soy inks are far better for the environment than their petroleum-based counterparts, which release large volumes of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the drying process. An added bonus is that soy inks are capable of producing richer colors than petroleum inks. And because they do not add to your cost, you can save the environment while you save money.

Skip the envelopes

You do not have to send your announcement cards packaged in envelopes, which are not always made of recycled paper and therefore contribute to depleted paper and forest resources. Instead, turn your announcement cards into postcards. All you'll have to do is affix a stamp (or have your printing company mail them bulk for you) and you'll save money on postage, since postcards are lighter than envelope-bound announcement cards.

Get an electronic proof

Hardcopy proofs are a great way to ensure your announcement cards look perfect off the press, but they're not the most eco-friendly way to do so. This is because hardcopy proofs must be sent in paper packaging and shipped via pollution-emitting vehicles. They also cost money. Electronic proofs, on the other hand, only require you to open your web browser. The eco-friendliness might be subtle for a single print job, but when you add up the millions of print jobs run per day the overall effect of getting an electronic proof for your announcement cards is enormous. Going green with your announcement card printing, as you've seen here, is a combination of small steps. But as the proverb goes, a journey of a 1,000 miles begins with a single step. The same goes for preserving the environment.