Tree-Free Greetings

Tree-Free was founded in 1999 with the goal of being the most transparent, most environmentally friendly greeting card company ever. At the time, there was only one eco-friendly alternative to traditional paper, but they didn't disclose what the recycled content was, or whether is was post consumer recycled. Steve Silverstein, founder of Tree-Free, knew there had to be a better way.

Tree-Free began to test different paper textiles, starting with Kenaf, a fast growing plant related to the hibiscus flower. They experimented with printing on bamboo, hemp, and most recently 100% bagasse, aka sugarcane waste pulp. No matter what eco-friendly process they use to create their products, they are aiming to reverse the trend of paper product waste.

Tree-Free has a commitment to renewable energy sources, investing in wind power to offset the impacts of their paper suppliers, as well as funding a solar powered art printing facility. Their new state of the art printing facility has decreased the amount of paper used and wasted by 10 tons a year (that's 111 trees!). Plus, the 200 solar panels on the roof will provide 65,344 kilowatt hours of clean, renewable electricity each year. These goals will be reducing Tree-Free's carbon footprint by nearly 60,000 lbs of carbon pollution annually!

Less Trees, More Possibilities

From bamboo, to hemp, and now sugarcane waste pulp, Tree-Free has experimented with a number of naturally renewable paper alternatives, committed to reducing the amount of post-consumer waste caused by paper products. By printing on 100% post consumer recycled paper, Tree-Free saves 2,405 mature trees, 1,121,858 gallons of water, 1,078 million BTU's of energy, 75,098 pounds of solid waste, and 206,850 pounds of greenhouse gases a year (wow!). All of Tree-Free's 100% recycled papers meet the rigorous standards for Process Chlorine Free (PCF) coding, ensuring less harmful byproducts than the other guy. PCF paper is made with fiber recycled from post consumer waste and is unbleached, or bleached without chlorine compounds, making it the most environmentally preferable type of paper. Not only are their paper products chlorine free, but they're Green-e certified, meaning they're made with electricity generated from wind power. As Tree-Free works towards being carbon neutral, the role of renewable energy is more important than ever. By investing in wind energy, Tree-Free paper suppliers are reducing their overall impact on the planet, as well as aiding in the growth of emission-free, renewable energy. In their new state of the art printing facility, they plan to bring printing and production under one solar powered roof. The 200 panel photovoltaic array will power the entire site, reducing carbon pollution by thousands of pounds. All Tree-Free paper mills source environmentally sustainable fiber for all their paper, and are required to provide documentation demonstrating good environmental practices and responsible forestry management. If they ever use virgin fibers in their products, they are able to ensure the wood pulp comes from a forest that is FSC-Certified, and that the forest is being managed responsibly.

Time Well-Spent

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Tree-Free Greetings

Less Trees, More Possibilities

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