WHY ECO-FRIENDLY?

Rethink ink offers products created with hand illustrated designs that are printed on 100% post consumer waste recycled papers and envelopes. Because I print my products in my own small studio, I am able to reduce the waste created and reuse or recycle small paper scraps that would normally be thrown out. My products are purposefully designed so there will be minimal ink coverage, which reduces waste produced in the recycling process. I utilize recycled and reused shipping materials, use sustainable practices in my day to day operations and am always finding new ways to make rethink ink as eco-friendly as possible.

THE PAPER
Post-consumer waste recycled paper vs. recycled paper. What is the difference?
When paper is created using post-consumer waste, it is created using only paper and paper products that had a previous life as an actual item and were then recycled by the consumer - it is the only actually recycled paper. It does not include scraps from paper mills or any other paper product that never made it into consumers hands. No new trees are used to create post-consumer waste recycled paper.

Rethink ink purchases its paper from a company that focuses only on post-consumer recycled paper. They have the same goals as rethink ink, "Every material we use, every action we take, is done with the environment in mind." I think we make a great team! The papers used by rethink ink come from environmentally responsible U.S. paper mills. The papers are produced with hydro-electricity that is produced in the mills and are chlorine free.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
By choosing a product created by rethink ink, you are purchasing a one of a kind item that is hand made, often with every aspect of an item produced and sourced within a couple hundred miles. Products and supplies are purchased as local as possible and always created with the environment in mind. I can list off the reasons post-consumer recycled papers are better for the environment, but here are some tangible facts. Rethink ink is a very small business, but even with that in mind we are making a difference already. Despite the small quantities of paper and envelopes we use, here is what we have been able to accomplish so far by choosing 100% pcw recycled papers.

We have saved:
12 trees from being cut down.
Enough energy to power an average US home for about 3 weeks.
Enough CO2 to keep a car off the road for about 4 weeks.
Enough particulates to keep a bus off the road for 2 months.
The amount of water to take 304 seven minute showers.
The amount of solid waste produced in 10.5 weeks for a home with 2 people.

I think this proves that no matter how small we are, every little bit can make a difference. If we all take a step to do do our own small part, by thinking about the everyday choices we make - from using recycled paper towels (or cloth towels instead) to unpluging the toaster when it is not in use and buying your meat and produce from a local farmer, just think of the effect we could have!

Environmental impact estimates were made using the Environmental Paper Network Paper Calculator. For more information visit www.papercalculator.org.