Posts Tagged ‘eco-friendly’

3 Unique and Chic ways to Go Green
For Your Wedding Celebration

Friday, April 9th, 2010

Flowers, Dresses and Letterpress Wedding Invitations

Going green and being eco friendly for weddings is no longer simply a trend, it is a standard practice for many brides. While there are a million and 1 ways to go green, I wanted to tell you about three ways that are a little less known among the environmentally conscious brides. Flowers, dresses and letterpress wedding invitations are all important.

It is important to select locally grown and flowers that are in season, organic would be ideal. If it is at all possible, consider having the flowers from the ceremony moved to the reception to not only lower your costs, but save on the total amount of flowers you need to purchase. If you are feeling extra generous, have a local hospital or non-profit pick up the flowers at the end of your event so they are enjoyed for as long as possible.

Many brides do not realize just how green letterpress wedding invitation printing can be. While it is not an industry standard, we print on 100% tree free recycled cotton paper using soy based inks that lower carbon emissions. Paperless proofs not only speed up the whole process, but are another way that letterpress wedding invitations are a green option. When thinking about who will print your letterpress wedding invitation design, make sure to ask about their green practices.

Earth friendly materials such as silk and hemp are becoming more popular among eco savvy brides to be. If you are truly dedicated to going green, think about a vintage or used dress. Not only will this save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars, your wedding’s environmental impact will be greatly reduced. Either way, after your wedding consider donating your dress to a charitable organization.

Are there any cool or interesting ways you plan to go green for your wedding?

Written by Nick

Invitations by Ajalon
View our letterpress wedding invitation gallery.

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How to Plan an Eco Friendly Wedding
*Hint* Letterpress Wedding Invitations are Important!

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

Planning eco-friendly weddings is a growing trend in 2010. Brides to be that are environmentally conscious are looking for new ways to integrate green solutions into their dream weddings. Luckily, I can honestly tell you that sending letterpress wedding invitations to your guests is one of the least expensive, most effective ways to cut the carbon emissions and environmental footprint of your wedding.

Allow me to explain:

We print our letterpress wedding invitations on Cranes Lettra 100% tree-free, recycled cotton paper that not only did not cause any trees to be cut down, but it was made using recycled cotton fibers. They have a comprehensive green commitment.

Also, our letterpress wedding invitations are printed using soy oil inks. These are NOT-petroleum based inks like the industry standard. They contain far fewer harmful chemicals and are more easily recycled.

An optional addition to throw into the eco-minded mix is sending out an RSVP postcard without the need for an additional envelope. Not only will this reduce the amount of paper needed for your letterpress invitation set, but you will even save money on postage and printing.

How to Plan an Eco Friendly Wedding <br/ > *Hint* Letterpress Wedding Invitations are Important! Photo

Bethany Wedding Invitation Design

Click here to request free samples

While there are many ways to reduce your weddings carbon footprint, tree free, letterpress invitations are certainly the most elegant. And you may be pleased to know that there is a special for 100 invitations and RSVP postcards that dramatically reduces the costs traditionally associated with letterpress printing.

Written by Nick

Invitations by Ajalon
View our letterpress wedding invitation gallery.

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Another Step in Helping the Environment
Introducing our Acid Free Paper
For Letterpress Wedding Invitations

Friday, January 1st, 2010

One of the concerns of eco friendly brides is the acid used to make the paper for their wedding invitation sets. Whether the paper is made from wood pulp or tree-free materials like cotton, part of the traditional manufacturing process involves using harmful acids. But it does not have to be this way.

There have been a handful of technological advances that allow printers now to use acid free, tree free, 100% recycled and recyclable paper products that are just about as environmentally friendly as anything could possibly be. And we are proud to be a part of this growing movement of ecologically minded printers. And one of the best parts about this new innovation is acid free paper does not cost any more than traditional papers. Think green, save green, be green!

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But no matter what you are having printed, be it wedding invitations or business cards, if you care about the earth and stopping the usage of harmful acids in paper production, be sure to specifically request that your printing be done on paper that is acid free. The earth will thank you and you can feel especially good about your purchase at the same time.

Written by Nick

Invitations by Ajalon
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5 Reasons Why Printing is Green:
The Sustainability and Environmentally
Friendly Nature of Print

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

Being that we are avid printers, once in a while we receive publications from various organizations that are promoting different aspects of the printing process.

I recently received an email from the Print Council in Washington DC, which gave several interesting reasons that printing is already a very eco friendly enterprise:

“Our industry is a leader in recycling, sustainability and pollution control,” says Ben Cooper, Executive Director of the Print Council. “In fact we pioneered putting those concepts into widespread practice over the past three decades. But we did so quietly, to the extent that there is a lack of awareness regarding the environmentally responsible nature of print.”

They continue further to explain how printing’s “strengths as a sustainable and environmentally responsible communications medium…” can be seen through these five simple ideas:

  • In 2008, more than 57 percent of paper consumed in the U.S. was recovered for recycling, more than any material.
  • The paper industry is aiming to reach 60 percent recycling by 2012. Every additional percentage point means that a million tons of paper are recovered.
  • Less than 10 percent of U.S. power comes from renewable sources, but in the pulp and paper industry, that figure is greater than 60 percent.
  • Printers are frequent buyers of renewable-energy certificates. These certificates —which represent power generated by wind, hydro, solar, or biomass — support growth of renewable energy producers.
  • The average person’s paper use for a year — 440 pounds — is produced by 500 kilowatt-hours of electricity, the amount used to power one computer continuously for 5 months.

While some people in the media claim that printing is lagging as an environmentally friendly medium, in reality, printing is a leader in this important field.

So the next time you are worried about the impact of your printing needs, particularly those regarding your wedding invitations, remember that you are helping to support one of the industry leaders in respect to environmental consciousness.

Written by Nick

Invitations by Ajalon
View our letterpress wedding invitation gallery.

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Is it Possible to be Too Green and Eco Friendly
When Planning Your Wedding Invitation Sets?

Wednesday, September 9th, 2009

Brides to be, you all know that I am very fond of earth-friendly and green alternatives when it comes to your wedding. I have written many updates about the ways to help save the environment, keep your marriage planning as ecological as possible, and to use only the most harmless materials in your wedding invitation sets.

But today I am here to offer a different perspective. While tree free paper, soy oil inks and printers that use renewable energy sources are always a plus, when is going digital as a means to save resources not the best idea?

Your wedding day is a once in a lifetime event. It is something that you look forward to all your life, and probably have been planning for years already (even if you were not yet officially engaged). While creating websites for RSVP information, details and directions can be an easy way to go green,  the impression that a physical invitation set creates when opened cannot be understated.

When sorting through your mail, how much of a greater impression does a personalized, beautiful, textured letterpress invitation make when compared to a small piece of paper directing you toward a website for further instructions? Likewise when was the last time you printed out an e-vite and displayed it somewhere in your home or kept it for a keepsake?

Formal printed letterpress wedding invitations are not only a timeless artisan creation that will never be ‘deleted,’ but they express an emotion and deliver a message in a way that no other method can compare to.

In our digital age, the electronic world can be a great help in reducing our carbon footprint, though sometimes we have to ask ourselves when the traditional methods of communication are still the best. For this one day event, ask yourself where the most efficient means of reducing your environmental impact truly are.

Good luck!

If you have any comments, questions or concerns regarding this post, please feel free to leave them below.

Written by Nick

Invitations by Ajalon
View our letterpress wedding invitation gallery.

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What Is Your Wedding’s Carbon Footprint?

Monday, May 25th, 2009

Everyone today seems to be talking about their carbon footprint. From the cars they drive to the foods they eat, measuring carbon emissions is a growing trend among Americans. Trying to watch our waste has become such a large concern, that I recently discovered a group that focuses on making their clients weddings 100% emission free.

Carbonfund is a nonprofit company that has a very easy calculator anyone can use to find out how many tons of CO2 will be generated because of their wedding.

While that may sound depressing, the good news is that this non-profit has several programs that offset global carbon emissions. After receiving your calculation, you have the option to purchase emissions reduction credits that balance out your recent usage. The site has been reviewed and recommended by the Environmental Defense Fund so I trust the information is at least mostly accurate.

Now I am not suggesting to (nor do I think most people would) go out and buy these credits. They seem like a great idea and the environment is important, but that purchase is up to you. There are however, several smaller and easier ways to make your wedding lean toward being more green.

We offer unique and personalized letterpress wedding invitations printed on a host of different tree- free papers (made from 100% recycled cotton). Saving trees, while at the same time using recycled products, is a great green way to go.

Inks used in printing are traditionally a very non eco-friendly item. However, Invitations by Ajalon has used soy-based inks for over 15 years. We can mix or match just about any color and we will do it with inks that mother nature approves of.

There are many different ways to make your wedding green. The easiest thing to do would be to start small and dream big. Remember, your wedding day should be exactly the way you want it.

Written by Nick

Invitations by Ajalon
View our letterpress wedding invitation gallery.

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Wedding Invitation Trends of 2009

Friday, April 17th, 2009

With the beginning of Spring comes the the start of another wedding season. No doubt you’re looking for innovative and unique ways to express yourself through your wedding invitation. Here are some of the trends we’ve come across:

Letterpress

According to several blogs and wedding-related websites, letterpress wedding invitations are the main attraction this season. Offering that personalized, unique feel that every bride wants, letterpress wedding invitations are an excellent way to incorporate your ideas and dreams into your invitations.

Going Green

Eco-friendly weddings are on the rise and what easier way to be green than incorporate that theme into your wedding invitation. Our house paper, Crane’s Lettra is a 100% recycled cotton paper (tree-free), and we use soy-based inks that have a much smaller impact on the environment. Lowering the carbon footprint of your wedding can help local businesses, promote community health and is a trend that is not only earth friendly, but sophisticated as well.

Personalization

Incorporating the wedding location, your family crest, religious beliefs and personalized ideas into the invitation is possible now unlike ever before. At Invitations by Ajalon we excel in taking your dreams and making them an invitation reality. Some of the ways you can personalize your letterpress wedding invitations include:

Ethnicity
Free Letterpress Invitation Sample - Oasis
Request a free sample of our Oasis wedding invitation design.

Location
Free Letterpress Invitation Sample - Key West
Request a free sample of our Key West letterpress invitation design.

Favorite Color
Free Letterpress Invitation Sample - Serenity
Request a free sample of our Serenity letterpress invitation design.

Invitations by Ajalon
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