Almost all businesses use some form of greeting cards, whether they be for Christmas, a birthday or for event invitations. Educate yourself with recycled greeting card key terms to choose cards that work for your business and that are better for the environment. Many people become confused when discussing newer topics such as "earth-friendly," "post-consumer fiber" and "going green." Understanding the meaning of these terms is the first step in ordering recycled greeting cards.

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Green

Green is no longer just a color. The term 'green' or 'going green' refers to the choice to be more environmentally friendly. 'Going green,' as defined by the EPA, is the attempt to reduce the impact on the environment.

I recommend: Gain a better understanding of the term "green" by reading descriptions at LifeOrganizers.com. Read more information about living green at Graphic Define Magazine.

Earth-friendly or eco-friendly

Earth-friendly and eco-friendly are similar to 'green,' but these terms refer to processing or manufacturing. An eco-friendly process is one that produces little to no toxic or harmful waste as a result of manufacturing.

I recommend: Discover more information about earth-friendly or eco-friendly processes at BioSmart. Green America supplies information about different types of earth-friendly or eco-friendly products.

Motif or design

The motif or design of a recycled greeting card is the theme or layout of the card. A motif is used on many cards and generally is related to a holiday or occasion. A design can be used for one or many cards and does not have to have any relation to the content of the card.

I recommend: Read more about motifs and designs from Lillian A. Whipple. InsiderSites provides information about designing cards.

Stock designs

stock designs are generic designs used for greeting cards. An example of stock designs is Christmas cards that come in bulk or in boxes at retail stores. Stock designs are available for most occasions and holidays.

I recommend: Sohnen-Moe Associates provides more information about stock greeting cards.

Card stock

Card stock is a type of paper used in card making. Card stock is thicker than regular paper and is available in a variety of colors and textures.

I recommend: Find details about card stock sizes and quality at wiseGEEK. View more information about card stock at Article Alley.

Post-consumer fiber

Post-consumer fiber includes paper and other products used and then separated from other waste to be recycled. In the greeting card industry, post-consumer fiber is essentially recycled paper and ink.

I recommend: Learn more about post consumer fiber at Erich.

Boost your sales by marketing recycled greeting cards to customers concerned about the environment. Created with varying amounts of post consumer fiber, recycled cards are as thick as regular cards with the same print quality. The eco-friendly versions are also as colorful, expressive and marketable as their traditional counterparts.

Keep your sales consistent throughout the year by choosing a well-rounded inventory from a recycled greeting cards directory or manufacturer to suit a variety of occasions. When choosing recycled greeting cards, try to:

1. Offer holiday specific recycled greeting cards to promote during big sale seasons such as Christmas and Valentine's Day.

2. Stock funny and sentimental recycled greeting cards for birthdays that will be in demand all year long.

3. Find recycled greeting cards for assorted occasions like Mother’s Day, graduations, memorial services and “just because” to round out your inventory.

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Sell recycled greeting cards that customers will mail and give with gifts on popular holidays

From Valentine's Day to Christmas, customers will want earth-friendly recycled greeting cards to celebrate the season with family and friends. Stock designs that appeal to buyers of different ages, since kids, spouses, teachers, parents and grandparents alike buy holiday cards. Also, cater to diverse senses of humor, faith traditions and tastes.

I recommend: Get quantity discounts on recycled greeting cards for Christmas through a distributor like Celebrate the Season. Click on the desired design for pricing information, which includes volume discounts. Order cards in bulk through recycled greeting cards provider CardsDirect. Its designs range from Thanksgiving to Christmas, Valentine’s Day and beyond.

Market recycled greeting cards for birthdays to drive sales throughout the year

Unlike holiday designs, birthday cards will be consistent sellers from January through December. Choose recycled greeting cards with motifs and colors that complement the natural look and tiny inclusions often found in recycled cardstock.

I recommend: Get quantity discounts on birthday cards and versions for occasions like anniversaries and holidays through the Brookhollow Collection. Click on the card photo for specific styles, pricing details and additional recycled greeting cards information. Doodle Greetings offers a variety of whimsical birthday cards on earth-friendly paper at bulk prices.

Promote recycled greeting cards that can be used for other occasions and as thank you notes

Whether it's Mother's Day, Father's Day or ordinary days that deserve a sentimental note, you'll find recycled greeting cards to suit them. Customers will also appreciate a wide selection of blank cards they can use for occasions that crop up throughout the year.

I recommend: The Gallery Collection offers quantity discounts on “thank you,” anniversary and all-occasion cards from its recycled greeting card collection. Select the desired quantity to discover the bulk price. Get bulk pricing on “thank you” and “congratulations” cards featuring natural images through Recycled Greeting Cards, where shipping is free and volume discounts are available.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Keep a recycled greeting cards list at the counter so employees can quickly identify and retrieve specific manufacturers, card lines and designs when customers ask for eco-friendly options. Break the list into themes to make individual cards easier to find.

If you want a way to help the environment while either stocking your card store or sending out greetings, a unique way to do so is by finding out recycled greeting cards information. You might think such cards, like many eco-friendly products, are slightly more expensive than normal greeting cards. However, once you find out recycled greeting cards pricing and costs, you'll see that benefiting the environment is financially-friendly, as well.

You don't need a recycled greeting cards directory to get to know the costs of such cards. Instead, simply surf the Internet to browse the costs of recycled greeting cards like the following:

1. Get to know the price of putting a picture in your recycled card.
   
2. Find out the costs of a typical recycled card.
   
3. Find a recycled greeting cards provider that offers volume discounts.
   

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Find recycled greeting cards that allow you to include a picture

If you want to customize the cards you send out to clients and employees, you can do so using recycled cards. Make yourself memorable while helping save the environment with photo cards. Such recycled cards are usually not much more expensive than regular kinds, as you can expect to pay about $.75 to $3.00 per card.

I recommend: Recycled photo cards run from $1.29 to $2.79 depending on type and size at cardstore.com. Pear Tree Greetings charges $.72 to $.90 per recycled photo card, depending on how many you order at one time.

Choose general greeting cards from a recycled greeting cards list

If you simply want to find a regular recycled greeting card for any occasion, it should be easy to figure it into your budget. For cards that do not have special features, you will likely pay $.90 to $3.59, with prices depending on how large the card is and how many you buy at once.

I recommend: Expect to pay $1.95 to $3.59 per recycled card at Curiosities Greeting Cards. Doodle Greetings charges $.90 to $.95 per card, depending on whether you buy a pack of 5 or 50.

Buy in bulk from a recycled greeting cards provider

If your main goal is to save money while either stocking your card store or sending out cards to clients, consider buying hundreds at a time. When you find a store with a bulk discount, you'll find out that the more cards you buy at once, the less each individual card costs. Expect to pay $1 to $1.76 per card when you buy at least 100 recycled cards at once, or $2 to $4 per card if you buy 1 to 25.

I recommend: CardsDirect sells 100 recycled cards for $1.20 to $ 1.76 each, but if you get the minimum of 25 at a time, you'll pay $2 to $2.68 per card. Recycled Greeting Cards sells 100 blank recycled cards for $1 each, or just 1 for $4.

A recycled greeting card makes a unique and thoughtful holiday message, especially for companies that are interested in promoting environmental activism or conveying corporate responsibility to the environment. Recycled greeting cards education and training can take many forms, from how-to instructions to paper making workshops that allow you to create your own recycled paper for cards.

While you can purchase recycled holiday cards for use on any special occasion, recycling paper is also a basic process that many individuals and businesses can perform themselves with few resources. You can also create useful projects around the office that allow you to reuse existing greeting cards that you have received. Recycled greeting cards provide a convenient, cost effective and environmentally friendly option all year round.

Begin your recycled greeting cards education and training with the following options for learning more:

1. Get suggestions and tips for how to recycle greeting cards that you receive;

2. Learn how to recycle paper to make your own recycled paper greeting cards;

3. Attend a paper making workshop for more training and expertise on recycling different types of paper.

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Learn ways you can recycle greeting cards for easy craft projects

Because businesses may receive a large bulk of greeting cards every year, learning to recycle greeting cards is a thrifty and convenient way to make use of the paper resources greeting cards have to offer. Greeting cards can be reused in a number of projects, from scrap paper for marking places in books and documents to postcards for memos and office communications.

I recommend: A number of craft sites offer tips for how to recycle greeting cards at home, with minimal artistic expertise. IdeaMarketers and EcoSalon are two sites that provide how-to instructions and suggestions, while you can also use your own creativity to put greeting cards to use.

Make simple recycled paper greeting cards at home or in the office

Recycled paper is easy to make from newspapers and other newsprint you already have around the office, and can be used to make simple recycled paper greeting cards. Recycling your own paper makes efficient use of discarded paper materials, while handmade cards send a thoughtful, personalized message to your customers and clients during the holiday season.

I recommend: Make-Stuff provides a concise how-to article for making paper for a recycled greeting card. You can also get step-by-step instructions from Earth911.com, along with photographs to illustrate the process.

Get additional expertise for making a recycled greeting card with paper making workshops

If you intend to make recycled paper greeting cards regularly or in large quantities, you may be interested in obtaining additional education and training with a workshop or short class on paper making. While paper making does not always involve recycling used paper materials, your improved expertise can help you create a more professional product with your recycling projects.

I recommend: Make high quality recycled holiday cards when you learn advanced techniques for paper making through a workshop like those offered by TLC Recycles. You can also attend a continuing education class at many colleges and universities, like North Carolina State University.