Imagine Christmas morning. If you are like many families, there will be mounds of gift-wrap and packaging taking over your living room. There are countless amounts of decorations and unused gifts. Then think about the meal. Some resort to prepackaged food or paper products if there are not enough dishes or to make cleaning easier. It is an eco-friendly nightmare. The holidays can increase waste by 25 percent. Amazon.com provided a few ideas to make your holidays a little “greener” this year:

• Gift Selection. Try to pick out a gift that you know the recipient will use. Handmade gifts are always thoughtful, as well as spending time with the person or performing a service for them. Amazon allows you to search for eco-friendly gifts, as well as has the option of “Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging”, which features recyclable boxes that are easy to open and free of excess materials such as hard plastic clamshell cases, plastic bindings, and wire ties. If you don’t know what to get, try a gift certificate. Then the recipient can get a gift they know they will use, and it uses less packaging.

• Gift Wrapping. Gift wrapping makes up a large portion of the waste during the holidays. Much of it is not recycled or is not recyclable. Reuse gift wrapping or consider buying or making reusable cloth gift bags. You can use materials from around the house for gift wrapping, or even try wrapping the gift in another gift, such as a t-shirt, pillowcase, or towels.
• Decorating. Some people do go overboard with their holiday decorations, but you do not have to give up festivity for eco-friendly. Find decorations that you will reuse for years to come. Think of things around your home that remind you of the holidays. You could even create a collage of photos or string photos on yarn in place of streamers.
• Preparing the Meal. Prepackaged food may be more convenient, but think of the benefits of a home-made meal. Not only would it use less packaging, but home-cooked foods are generally more healthy and flavorful. Also, try to stay away from disposable dinnerware. If you do not have enough dishes, you could ask guests to bring extras, or you could purchase reusable dinnerware for special occasions. Cloth napkins are also an eco-friendly option. These options bring a little extra work of washing, but it is worth it to know you are helping the environment.

The holidays do not have to be an environmental disaster. You can still be eco-friendly without giving up your traditions and festivities. Try some of these helpful tips to make your holidays a little “greener” this year.

Your company decides to be more eco-friendly and use energy-efficient IT products, but how do you decide which products actually use less heat, cut energy bills, and reduce the company’s carbon footprint? I read an interesting article in eWeek titled, “The Green Seal of Approval” that touched on this issue.

There are many certification programs that will analyze the products for you and eWeek focused on the three most common certifications:

• Energy Star.

This is one of the most familiar environmental certifications and it is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy. Some of the products they rate are monitors, printers, scanners, desktop computers and notebooks. The products have to meet specific energy-efficiency standards, which include consuming less than a defined amount of power during use and entering into a low-power mode when not in use. The point is to save energy and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Find a product with the features that you need, and then look for an Energy Star model with those features.

• EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool).

This certification applies to desktop computers, notebooks, and monitors. EPEAT defines 51 criteria in eight areas. It is notable for covering an unusually wide range of issues: reduction of environmentally sensitive materials; materials selection; design for end of life; product longevity and life extension; end-of-life management; and packaging. Depending on how many of the certification’s criteria a product meets, it could receive one of three levels of ratings: Bronze, Silver, or Gold.

• ROHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances).

This is the European Union’s instruction for the restriction of the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. The products must meet the EU’s limits on levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, and other substances harmful to the environment. This does not mean that the products do not have any of these hazardous substances. There are exemptions for specific uses without alternatives and there are permissible limits allowed.

With the growing trend of eco-friendly products, it can be difficult to determine which IT products are actually energy-efficient. If you want to find the products that use less heat, cut energy bills, and reduce the company’s carbon footprint, look for IT products with these certifications.

Imagine a brand new customer walking down the aisle of a typical retail store, this potential customer has never purchased your product before and just wants to get in and out. A quick glance of the shelves and in a split second picks up the product next yours and walks away.

It is in this split second that customers either choose your product – or they don’t. As choices increase and it becomes harder to be competitive, packaging is one way to catch the eyes of potential customers and increase sales.

Who wouldn’t want to increase sales? The great thing about creating attractive packaging is you can do it with out busting the bank. Simple and efficient is all you need.

Take the less is more approach. When designing packaging you want to create a unique package that will grab the customers’ attention, not suffocate them. To do this, create packaging with sleek lines and cohesiveness.

One way to give your packaging a professional look is to use the turned edge technique. Turned Edge is a sturdy construction that produces an extremely durable, finished product. Take a look at this YouTube video to better understand how turned-edge covers are made.

Choose a color palette and stick with it. To pick the color palette that will best represent your product, know your audience and what colors appeal to them the most. Then use those colors with the colors that represent your company to make packaging relatable to the customer.

Using metal, foil, or hot stamping is another great way to give your product an elegant look. Using these techniques creates extremely sophisticated packaging.

Another way to create eye-catching packaging is through, giving back to charitable causes. Consumers are more willing to buy products from companies that are interested in the same issues as they are. In fact, sales can increase upwards between 14 to 18 pct when companies use their packaging to support a special cause.

Along with the issue of cause packaging, be sure your company is staying in tune with hot button issues regarding packaging. For instance Going Green, reducing packaging waste, the economy, ease of use and convenience, to name a few. When customers can see you’re aware of what’s going on in the world, they are more drawn to your product.

It truly is all about a split second decisions when trying to reach customers. Packaging can help you make your brand the one that stands out; the one that is taken off the shelf; the one that is purchased; the one that makes money.

It’s been a while since we’ve featured a post on eco-friendly products, so I thought I’d tell you about one of our newest clients who are very passionate about our environment - Green Earth Construction Group out of Tampa, Florida.

Their name says it all. They build residential and commercial buildings using environmentally-friendly methods and materials.

Don’t forget: Sunrise offers a recycling “take-back” program for all products that we make. Once you are done using it, you can send any product we make back to us and we will break it down to its component parts to be recycled.

These environmentally-friendly name tags made from cardboard are beautiful!

Recently, they hosted a symposium on green construction and they wanted their event to be as environmentally friendly as possible. That’s why they decided to use our eco-friendly name badges

The name tags are made from recycled chipboard and steel magnets. The name badges are beautifully printed using dry toner on a digital printer which is part of Sunrise’s vibrant recycling program. The name tags can be taken home and re-used, kept as a memento, or both parts can be detached from each other and recycled.

For more information on Green Earth Construction Group or for dates of upcoming symposiums, contact Virginia Grabowski at 813.241.0222

• On the web: greenearthgroup.net
• On the phone: 813-241-0222
• Direct phone: 813 579-0018 direct

There is an increasing demand for environmentally-friendly products. Many artists and record companies have been working to meet this demand for their products. The most environmentally-friendly option may be iTunes, which is to purchase the albums as digital files. But many customers would still prefer to physically own the CD and album artwork to have as their own. This brings the need for eco-friendly packaging.

Pink Floyd guitarist, David Gilmour, released his first carbon-neutral CD in 2006, “On an Island”, which was Columbia Records’ first album to be released under eco-friendly guidelines. The album was produced with biodegradable cardboard packaging, environmentally friendly inks, and water-based lacquer. They had to change the manufacturing process to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. They also offset the carbon dioxide release by paying for alternative energy sources and planting trees. Columbia Records contributed money to a hydroelectric power plant project in China’s Sichuan province.

Many record companies are jumping on the eco-friendly bandwagon. This past spring, Universal Music Group released more than 20 CDs in Wal-Mart stores in recycled paperboard packaging. These CDs also included an insert that offered three free digital downloads. That insert could then also be used to plant wildflowers. Universal also released its Millennium Series in recycled packaging with biodegradable PaperFoam trays, which held the discs.

Sunrise Packaging can help make this possible. We develop creative packaging that is both recyclable and reusable. In order to create an eco-friendly album, we use environmentally-friendly inks, papers and glues for the cover artwork and apply it using biodegradable chipboard. The interlocking trays are made out of recycled plastic or a bio-plastic, which can then have 100% recyclable rings added to complete the album. Sunrise Packaging can give your product the added touch of creativity and offers the social responsibility of an eco-friendly product to attract new and existing customers.

(Pictures taken from Sustainable is Good).

Loose leaf binders are a great way to present and organize information. Salespeople regularly carry binder to hold product information and other materials they need to be effective. Teachers and students rely on binders to protect their work. Businesses use binders to store documents.

STEP 1: Depending on your need, there are many types of binders to choose from:

Clear overlay binders are versatile and customizable for smaller projects

Clear Overlay Binders are a cost-effective, convenient binder that can be used for many projects. When you need a binder, you create and print out cover and spine identification and put them in place. For projects that require only a few binders or when each binder is completely unique, clear overlay binders are a great choice.

Screen printed binders are great for simple artwork and larger quantities.

Screen Printed Vinyl or Poly Binders are great for presentation materials, directories, catalogs and manuals when the cover artwork is not complex and does vary much from binder to binder. Screen printing is most cost-effective when you need 1200 or fewer binders. The cover artwork will be the same on each binder and with poly or vinyl binders you can have a clear pocket sealed to the outside cover or spine that will let you customize or identify the contents inside.

Offset printed turned-edge binders are an elegant choice!

Offset Printed and Turned-Edge Binders are an elegant option for your most important projects or when you need a large number of binders. The outside cover can be almost any material you want. And when you incorporate offset printing, the graphics can be very detailed. Offset printing is the most expensive type of printing and is most cost effective when you need a minimum of 1000 binders. You get the greatest latitude for customizing the covers with turned-edge binders. The cover can be made from a variety of materials like:

• Paper
• Cloth or canvas
• Vinyl or poly
• Metal or foil
• Leather, bonded leather, or faux leather

Printed or unprinted, eco-binders protect and organize your materials while also protecting the Earth!

Eco-Binders can be offset printed, screen printed, or undecorated. They help you demonstrate your commitment to the environment. Premium eco-binders are made from sturdy chipboard construction and have either a curved or flat spine. Lightweight eco-binders are made from white or natural coverstock paper. Your materials are organized and protected in binders that help protect the Earth!

STEP 2: Once you’ve determined they type of binder and the best printing method, there are other considerations to making the exact binder to fit your needs.

How much material the binder needs to hold. The number of pages and other materials the binder needs to hold will determine the size of the ring metal your binder needs. A good rule of thumb is that each 1/2” holds about 100 pages of standard copy paper. Ring metals start as small as ½” and come as large as 4”. They are measured from the base to the widest diameter of the inside of the ring.

Even greater capacity are found in qua can vin and Trojan expandable mechanisms:

What type of use will the binder be made for? Binders are made for many different environments and usage. Some binders are opened only a few times a year, others are referred to every day. Some binders sit on a shelf and are not taken from place to place. Other Binders need to be transported and are carried in a briefcase, bag or backpack. When you describe how your binder is to be used, we choose the materials and construction methods that will create a binder that will last as long as you need it to.

Add pockets so your binders do more

What else does the binder holdbesides paper?

• Does the binder need to hold a business card or two?
• What about a CD or DVD?
• How about pamphlets or other materials?

You can have standard sized or specially shaped pockets added to the inside covers of your binder for holding loose objects

Pockets or foam CD/DVD hubs can be added to hold discs. Even if you have a VHS tape or audio cassette that goes with your printed materials, we can add pockets or trays to securely hold tapes too.

Pockets, trays and hubs can add functionality to your 3-ring binder to fit your exact situation and your unique needs.

What color should the binder be? Clear overlay binders usually come in white and black. Screen printed binders are usually vinyl or poly and they can come in many different colors to compliment your artwork. Turned-edge binders can be made from many different types of materials in just about any color and texture that will evoke the response you want to generate.

Background colors can really add a punch!

What specialty decorations your binder needs? You cover can be decorated using a variety of specialty decoration methods like: foil stamping, embossing, debossing, tip-ons, lenticular printing, and appliqué. Lamination can be glossy or matte lamination depending on the look you want. We can spot screen print or spot laminate to draw the eye to a particular feature of your cover artwork.

Depending on your needs, there is a clear overlay or custom binder that will serve your needs and your materials. Sunrise Packaging is your binder solution expert!

Lightweight Paperboard Eco-Binder

Continuing our trend of constant innovation in the green packaging field, we are pleased to announce our new line of lightweight recyclable paperboard binders!

Our new 3-ring eco-binder are made from biodegradable cover stock, these binders can be screen printed or 4-color process printed with your cover artwork and feature pockets on both the inside front and back covers.

They also feature our standard nickel rings, which are recyclable at any scrap metal facility. These binders make a beautiful and functional addition to any office, presentation or event.

We have more information about our Lightweight Eco-Binders here.

Buy any of our undecorated Eco-Binders on-line at: shop.sunpack.com

 Loading ...

Enter the drawing for a Limited First Edition Las Vegas The Board Game with a numbered certificate of authenticity signed by the inventors!

Official Rules

“Green” has been a popular buzzword that continues to become more widely and frequently used. Recently, Sunrise Packaging launched its new green product line and it has inspired us to offer different ways in which our products can be used to make everyday situations more “Green.”

The “Green” meeting is a great example of an event that not only occurs regularly in office settings but also creates a lot of office waste in the form of paper and meeting materials. The following tips are ways in which a typical office meeting can be turned into a green meeting by reducing waste and improving efficiency.

·         Create a “green meeting” policy and make sure that every meeting abides by your environmentally friendly standards.

·         Utilize laptops, PowerPoint presentations and other technology to eliminate the use of excess presentations and notes paper, which are often not recycled and take time and money to create.

·         Provide a way for attendees to recycle any paper that is required during the meeting and print these materials on recycled paper.

·         Use binders, name tags and folders made from biodegradable, recycled or recyclable materials them to cut back on waste and environmental harm once your company disposes of these products. You can print your company logo and meeting theme on the covers using vegetable-based inks or UV ink

·         Reuse any materials that you can to cut back on excess waste and excess cost.

·         If you are meeting with people from several different locations, choose a location that is close to the most attendees so that attendees drive less and waste less gas getting to and from your meeting.

·         If you plan to serve food at your meeting, serve vegetarian meals and use local, seasonal produce. Use bulk dispensers for sugar, salt, pepper and condiments.

·         Talk to people about your green efforts and their success. People will catch on that going green is a good idea and follow your lead.

By utilizing these tips, your company can save time, money and the environment.