Unique wedding invitations are a sure way to get guests excited about an upcoming wedding. In this day and age, it is the responsibility of anyone in the wedding invitation business to give customers eco-friendly print options. With the advent of online invitations and registration, print wedding invitations could go the way of the dinosaur if they don't remain environmentally conscious.

Wedding invites, like all printing, uses inks and toners that often include dangerous chemicals. Therefore, it is the paper that must carry the burden of eco-awareness. There are new and numerous types of recycled papers available today, so offering your customers an eco-option is now easier than ever. As a business owner, it's important to remember the following arguments for environmentally friendly paper.

1. Wedding invitation information is normally extensive, so the amount of paper needed is substantial.

2. Though they do exist, non-chemical inks and toners used in printing wedding invitations are rare.

3. Recycled paper is oftentimes stronger and more durable than normal paper, thus making for a more reliable product.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn why its worth going green with printable wedding invitations

As a wedding invitation business owner, it is in your best interest to educate yourself on eco-friendly paper as it relates to your product. More and more young couples are looking for environmentally safe options for their customized wedding invitations. If you can't supply the product, the bride and groom will go elsewhere.

I recommend: The uber-wedding site The Knot offers a number of ways to make a wedding eco-friendly, including invitation printing tips. The engaging Pulp and Circumstance website offers a detailed explanation of the process and impact of using recycled paper as it relates to wedding invitations.

Print wedding invitations with eco-friendly paper

If you are in the business of printing wedding invites, consider using eco-friendly paper. Many brides and grooms today care more about their wedding's impact on the environment than they do its impact on their friends and family. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of eco-friendly inks and toners available due to their inherent chemical nature, so making sure the paper is as environmentally friendly as possible is important.

I recommend: Eco Friendly Invitations presents 3 paper options when considering wedding invitation printing. The first is standard recycled paper, which is now almost indistinguishable from regular paper. The second is tree free paper, which is made from crops, rags, and agricultural residue. And the third, and coolest, is plantable paper, which is embedded with seeds and can be planted to produce beautiful wildflowers.

Carry socially responsible yet elegant wedding invitations

Offering environmentally conscious wedding invitations to eco-friendly brides and grooms will not only improve your business numbers but will enhance your image in the eyes of the consumer. If you aren't in the business of printing, then make sure the product you stock on your shelves is green. There are a number of responsible printers that supply a variety of desirable products.

I recommend: WomanCraft is not only environmentally sound, but socially responsible, as all their products are made by women battling homelessness. Companies such as Crane and Greenvites discuss in detail why their products and recycling processes warrant inclusion of their wares on your store shelves.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Digital printing can cut down on a lot of the dangerous toxic chemicals used in the printing process. Investigate using digital printing for some of your smaller run orders.