Eco-Invites Save the Date

Eco-savvy invitations are the perfect way to celebrate love for each other and the planet, because recycled and tree-free paper options are just as pretty as their virgin-pulp paper counterparts. Local office supply stores carry eco-paper sheets for customizing, and several online companies offer alternative papers in easily individualized packages.

www.GreenFieldPaper.com offers handmade paper cards, envelopes and sheets, made from a blend of recycled paper and hemp. Their gourmet line is infused with hemp threads, roasted coffee chaff, garlic skins or recycled junk mail, for a custom look. Green Field’s Grow-A-Note paper embeds wildflower seeds, so that guests can plant the paper and watch the flowers grow. They print invitations, too, using nontoxic, soy-based inks.

www.TwistedLimbPaper.com offers wedding, commitment and anniversary invitations, envelopes, and reply cards, made of 100 percent post-consumer waste fibers. Artists handcraft the paper from recycled office paper, junk mail, grocery bags, flowers and grass cuttings, for an artistic look. No new dyes are used; colors come from recycled materials, and the company prints with soy-based inks. Couples can work directly with a Twisted Limb Paper artist.

For a truly green option, forget paper and use email instead. www.Evite.com provides a free electronic invitation service, complete with RSVP tracking.

Source: www.CoopAmerica.org