Friday Giveaway: GPC on Twitter!

First comes the blog.....then comes Twitter! At this year's National Stationery Show it was so apparent to us how valuable tweeting could be. Information on events, buyers and trends were passed back and forth with the #nss hash tag. We decided to take the plunge and began to tweet at the show. A couple of weeks in, and we are loving it - not to mention learning new things everyday!

To celebrate our entry into the world of Twitter, we are having the first of our Friday Giveaways! True to theme, the prize is (you guessed it...) our Bird Greenotes! Three winners chosen at random will receive a fabulous combo of three 8/packs of our 100% post-consumer recycled cards and envelopes packaged in a compostable/biodegradable bag - all three tweet-worthy styles are shown below:

A7 3-Bird Imprintable (8-pack Flat Cards w/Chestnut Envelopes)

4Bar 3 Bird (8-pack Folded Cards w/Chestnut Envelopes)

4Bar 3 Bird Thank You (8-pack Folded Cards w/Jackpine Envelopes)

Please comment to THIS blog post with your name or company (anonymous posts cannot be counted) by 6pm CST on Monday 6/1. We will post the winners via blog post on Tuesday 6/2 and inform you on how to claim your prize! Good luck and don't forget to follow our tweets!!

GPC on Treehugger

Green Paper Company made Treehugger's "16 Dazzling Eco-Paper Products" list of top picks from the National Stationery Show! Moreover, we were also thrilled just how many green stationery offerings were seen throughout the exhibit floor. Kudos to the industry for stepping it up and greening our pulp selections!

Photo via Treehugger.com

Mother Earth News

If you haven't picked up a recent issue of Mother Earth News it's a must do. The matriarch of all things green, this publication has been running continuously for over thirty years. But this is not your grandmother's hippie mag- it's packed solid with incredible, inspiring and above all practical how to's that teach us all that we CAN make a difference- every day.

Check out their website - it's an amazing resource and consider subscribing and/or giving it as a gift. If you do it on line- it's only $10 for the year. Now that saves some green!

Zakka & Shinzi Katoh

While in one of our favorite Chicago shops, Penelope's, a few weeks ago we came across the work of Shinzi Katoh. We were so impressed and smitten with the playful designs translated to broadside prints, bags, water bottles and housewares. We hadn't seen much of Shinzi's work around and were intrigued at finding out more. After a bit of digging, we learned that Shinzi Katoh's work is part of a Japanese design movement called Zakka. Shinzi is one of the most well known Zakka artists with much of his work stemming from children's books, of which he has published over twenty. One book called 'Solarbear', published in 2006 is of particular interest to us - and explains the the problems that polar bears face with the climate crisis.

Zakka itself can be a bit hard to grasp if not familiar - but it really has some deep meaning and thought. The term (from the Japanese 'zak-ka'（雑貨）or 'many things') refers to everything and anything that improves your home, life and outlook. It is often based on household items from the West that are regarded as kitsch in their countries of origin. But can also be Japanese goods from mainly fifties, sixties and seventies. The interest in Nordic or Scandinavian design, both contemporary and past, is also part of this zakka movement. Zakka can also be contemporary handicraft.

Zakka has also been described as "the art of seeing the savvy in the ordinary and mundane". The zakka boom could be recognized as merely another in a series of consumer fads, but it also touches issues of self-expression and spirituality. Cute, corny and kitschy is not enough. To qualify as a zakka, a product must be attractive, sensitive, and laden with subtext.

For your Shinzi Katoh zakka fix, head to Penelope's online shop for a great selection.

Images via Penelope's, Shinzi Katoh, NekoNeko Felis

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

Image: Recycled Betsy Badges from hasenpfeffer incorporated

We've arrived home from the National Stationery Show, pretty exhausted, but wow...what a week it was!! Our tear down went seamlessly and as the week draws to a close we're just reflecting on all the great moments.

We met so many great people: retailers and designers, new and current customers, press, fans, and followers. The Daily Demo was a HUGE hit and special thanks to Grace and Alyssa of Scribe Paper for putting together such beautiful printed samples. Also to Gary Burlin for donating TONS of supplies and to Renaissance Ribbons for their beautiful 100% cotton ribbon.

So great to meet and see everyone- we so appreciate your enthusiasm for our product, service and all of our environmental pursuits.

We're taking a bit of a rest this Memorial Day weekend. The office will be closed Friday and Monday and we'll be back bright and early Tuesday morning, refreshed and ready to fill all those orders! Have a great weekend and please take some time to remember and honor those that have served and continue to serve our country!

Pardon the rant but it's something to consider...

Photo and cards: La Familia Green

We have two big time pet peeves, industry faux pas, marketing malapropisms- call them what you will. And at the risk of being snarky- here they are:

#1: Misspelling of the word stationery
and
#2: Sending eco-conscious promotional mailers on non-eco-friendly paper

It's an exciting time of year for our industry with The National Stationery Show and The Supply Side Show, both in NY this past week. The promo mail is flooding in and some (lots!) look great. But it never ceases amaze me that anyone attending the stationery show sends a mailer saying StationAry show. But they do (lots!).

We recently received several pre-show promo mailers for eco-friendly envelopes and product. Nice mailers, pretty images, BUT, they were printed on the highest gloss, UV coated, cardstock available. NOT eco-friendly!

So the point is this:

When we get back from the show there will be much to tell, much to promote and much to look forward to. Let's make sure when we tell the world about it, we tell them in a way that makes sense. In other words- spelling counts and so does the craftsmanship!

Here's hoping we don't have too many typos in our next blog posts!!!

Night Out in NYC

No, it's not New Year's Eve in Times Square...it's the theatres getting out on a Tuesday night on Broadway! West Side Story was great (although we thought it started at 8 instead of 7, and missed the first 45 mins!). A great end to a great day at the NSS.

Off to the last few hours of the show, and the dreaded tear-down. Wish us lots of luck that our crates arrive some time before next week!!

Broadway Bound

We are pleased to say that the daily demo went great this morning - and we are in for a real treat tonight...taking advantage of being in NYC to see a show that has been getting rave reviews - the revival of the classic West Side Story. Then it's off to an event hosted by the fabulous Erika Firm of Delphine Press.

Who says hard work isn't rewarded!

Day 3 at NSS

We are busy bees this morning gathering all the last goodies for our Daily Demo at the National Stationery Show today. It's our second year in a row participating in the demos - and we could not be more honored. A BIG thanks to Greetings Etc Magazine! We are presenting with one of our retailers, Scribe Papers. Grace and Alyssa from Scribe have been stellar in getting the printed samples together so we are pretty well good to go!

The topic is "Eco Friendly Invites & Favors", and it's an interactive demo of sorts. We'll be working on three different projects, which audience members will be able to complete and take with them.

If you are at the Stationery Show, please come by for this free demo at 11:30 in the demo theatre which will last about 45 minutes. No need to pre-register - just show up. You can find out all the specifics at the National Stationery Show's website. See you soon!

Greetings from NY

Photo via Flickr

The show opened yesterday and we are so happy to report traffic was brisk and we saw lots of both new and familiar faces! Our booth looks great and received lots of props... where's the photo you might ask? True to form my camera (my new camera I might add) isn't working but we'll post later tonight. Meanwhile enjoy the view from the apartment where we are staying. So lucky to awaken each morning to a beautiful view of the George Washington Bridge and a spectacular view of the Manhattan skyline.

NSS setup madness with friends

We are truly in good company. Coming to the Stationery Show this year so far has been a treat...and it hasn't even started yet! During the 2 long days of setup (and clogged "no freight" aisles shown above) we have been so glad to see so many of our fabulous fellow vendor friends. The past couple of days, although pretty exhausting, really rejuvenated us and made us even more honored to be a part of this great industry.

So - on this NSS eve (the show starts tomorrow!) a big thank you to everyone for your support and enthusiasm. We can't wait to see all our retailer friends at the show! Booth 3226-3228

Amy Butler Eco-Friendly Bedding!

Look at the loveliness we just discovered over at decor8! Absolutely beautiful eco bedding from Amy Butler. It's a very bright and varied collection, but we are totally smitten with the gray group shown above It's like having bedding custom made in one of our favorite colors - Ash!

The complete line will be in select stores this June, and on Amy Butler's online store. The collection features 400 thread counts, and is produced with 100% organic cotton printed with low impact dyes - truly sustainable style. Sweet dreams and Happy Friday!

Image: Amy Butler Design via decor 8

Heading to NY

We're headed to NYC for the next week and leave today for the National Stationery Show (May 17-20). This much anticipated annual event promises to be full of incredibly talented exhibitors and buyers and we can't wait to see y'all there!

Watch for posts from the show floor and we look

forward to saying hello in our booth #3226-3228

Need your order asap?

Please note, our regular office, customer service and shipping will be business as usual throughout the show! For immediate assistance, contact us Monday-Friday 9am - 5pm CST or via email at sales@greenpapercompany.com

All ordering and contact information can be found on our website.

This just in...

Very exciting - our new envelope sizes came in today! Just in time for the Stationery Show and to pair with our new Winter Solstice collection. Just a sneak peek for now - come by the booth (3226-3228) to see the real deal and grab samples!

The Flying (Energy Saving) Carpet

The city of Chicago is a abuzz this week with the May 16th opening of the Art Institute's Modern Wing. Designed by Pritzker prize winning architect Renzo Piano, the design is incredibly striking and features an energy saving component.

Popularly referred to as the "flying carpet," the building's unique sunshade will filter daylight into the upper-level gallery spaces. The screen will save electricity consumption while helping to achieve ideal lighting conditions during the day. An interior lighting system will take the benefits of the flying carpet further by adjusting for changing levels of natural light throughout the day. These automatic adjustments will provide an optimal atmosphere for viewing art while saving electricity at the same time.

The project has filed for LEED certification, however the process has not been completed. Only time will tell how well the "flying carpet" design works to save a worthwhile amount of energy.

Images: modernwing.org

Check it out! Added bonus if you are in the Chicago area soon: FREE admission to the new wing May 16th through the 23rd.

Tracey Bush

Received a gallery show announcement from Jaggedart- a fabulous London gallery. The title of their Spring show is inspiring in and of itself:

without my journey and
without the spring
I would have missed this dawn

Paintings, photographs, works on paper, and 3dimensional pieces that celebrate new life

One of the artists featured is Tracey Bush and her very beautiful, carefully crafted sculptures that take form in the vein of botanical and entomological studies. Fabricated with paper, her cut outs are made from her old scrapbooks, recycled scraps from the London streets and years of collecting ephemera that she could not bear to part with. Reborn in to new life they have emerged in the form of flora and fauna- delicately assembled layered papers sewn together with a bookbinders pamphlet stitch. Here's what curator Andrea Harari says about the work:

"Old letters and envelopes, stamps, maps or musical scores give shape to Tracey Bush’s butterflies. Butterflies are amongst the first indicators of environmental change; these paper ones caged in museum boxes remind us of their frailty and diversity. Each butterfly is an actual species and is life size and each is made with an allusion to its name or habitat. Bush’s beautiful butterfly boxes not only aim to support the species but are a reflection of our consumer culture."

Her work delves deeply in to the relationship of plants, the interplay of weeds versus botanical legitimacy and the interplay of brand awareness vs. our own awareness of nature. You can read the complete artist bio on the Jaggedart gallery site.

Artwork by Tracey Bush via jaggedart.com

Happy Mother's Day

A day to honor and thank mothers everywhere - made even lovelier with the fragrant blooming peonies and lilacs that grace us in May. Hope your day is sweet!

Paint it Green

Photo: Dwell Magazine

There have been some great articles lately about eco-friendly paint. Dwell magazine recently performed a fairly elaborate test for the numerous eco-paints currently available. So if you are planning any "greenovations" changing the color of your surroundings can provide a quick lift and add a fresh look to any space.

If you are going to paint- be sure to use

products with NO VOC's. Here's why:

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released from paint as a gas and are a major contributor to poor indoor air quality.


• VOCs contribute to urban smog.


• High pollutant levels stay in the air long after the task (ie. painting) is completed.


• VOCs can cause eye irritation, respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders, and memory impairment.


• Read more about the hazards of VOCs at the EPA website.

When Green Paper Company moved into our warehouse space this past June- we did a bit of painting ourselves. Let's just say that the dark grey walls complete with an even darker wide stripe around the perimeter of the room was not conducive to green enterprise. Despite our fabulous windows and natural sunlight- the space needed to be brightened up. A lot.

We chose Home Depot's Freshaire Choice. We found great colors (all with very cool nature and zen inspired names), and, in addition to the product, the packaging and entire marketing package is eco-conscious as well. The quality of the paint provided excellent coverage and rich saturated color.

So if "Still Moment" and "Afternoon Shade" are on your palette - roll up your sleeves and paint it green!

In Full Bloom

Spring is truly here, and we are loving cottonwood, cloud, goldenseal, and jackpine - good enough to combat even the cloudiest of days!

The real "Twitter-er"

Images: AllAboutBirds.org, nestwatch.org

Birds twitter. For real! It's the pseudo-technical term for communication speak amongst birds. And...the namesake for that oh so popular website we all know- Twitter.

As migration ends and breeding season peaks- birds abound. Be sure to make a visit to All About Birds a fantastic website that let's you search specific species and hear their bird calls (and twittering!)

They also have a great program to help you set up bird nesting boxes in your own back yard and you can join Nest Watch to track birds in your area. Should you be lucky enough to have a nest nearby already- enjoy watching Mother Nature at work as nestlings tweet in hopes of being served the perfect worm. (Perhaps they should check the composting bin!) ;) If you do find a baby bird that may have flown the coop a bit early- always best to leave it alone- these mama birds are more clever than we think and well equipped to handle this type of empty nest syndrome.

If it's a beautiful Spring day- try to steal a few minutes out of your busy schedule- grab your field guide and binoculars, run to the park and do a little bird watching of your own. Beats twittering any day!

Hadley Hutton

Recently came aross the work of Portland, Oregon artist Hadley Hutton. Hadley’s work is a blend of traditional painting and modern design. She draws inspiration from Asian patterns and motifs, Victorian die cuts, and geometric designs. Her work explores nature’s beauty, people’s influence on their surroundings, and the environment's influence on people.

Her paintings are typically created with a monoprint printed on an etching press using ink and/or watercolor pencils. The print is mounted on wood and painted with wax and oil pastels or varnished with an acrylic medium.

These and many other stunning prints are available at Hadley's site, and through her etsy shop. She also has a pretty active gallery circulaton, so if you are in the Portland area - get out there and check out Hadley's work soon!

Just Another Manic Monday

Confection inspirations from Chicago's Bittersweet Bakery. Picture perfect pastries, charming mismatched cutlery and... they even serve a delightful (and possibly lo-cal) lunch.

Happy Monday! And Happy Week!