With 7.4 billion greeting cards sold in America last
year, the greeting card industry is responsible for enormous paper use. Although e-cards represent a growing niche
within the greeting card industry, traditions and personal preferences will
likely insure the continuation of a sizable market for paper cards. Environmental concerns and growing consumer
interest in green products have prompted an increase in eco-friendly greeting
cards and card recycling/reuse programs.
Texas-based CardsDirect offers recycled content greeting
cards, and last year pioneered a card recycling/reuse program. CardsDirect requested used and unused
greeting cards from its corporate clients, and subsequently refashioned the
cards for future use. After receiving
positive feedback from customers, the company plans to continue and grow its
recycling/reuse program over the next few years. Additionally, they plan to expand their
inventory of recycled-content greeting cards.
Large greeting card companies, such as Papyrus and Hallmark,
offer customers many green card options.
Hallmark recently partnered with Wal-Mart to unveil a line of low-cost, eco-friendly
greeting cards. Sold under its
Connections brand, Hallmark’s new cards are comprised of fifty percent sugar
cane pulp and fifty percent recycled paper content. At 94 cents each, customers can indulge in a
variety of eco-conscious greetings.
As in many industries, both large corporations and niche
players in the greeting card industry are paving the way towards a larger selection
of green greeting cards. With high rates
of deforestation worldwide – not to mention a growing number of concerned
potential customers – it is likely that interest will continue to grow in environmentally-conscious
paper greeting cards.
