I was recently contacted by the owner of Regreet.com to do a product review. While I am waiting for the Regreet kit to arrive and test out, I stopped by the website to read more about the company. I believe what Christy Elchers has developed is intriguing and creative and is a very good alternative to just recycling old gift cards.
Currently I have two boxes under my bed which houses old greeting cards, notes, ticket stubs, and all sorts of random things. Some greeting cards..whether store bought or handmade are so beautiful that I have them displayed throughout my apartment. My mother took some Maya Angelou Hallmark cards that I gave her and framed them.
But still... there are lots more cards that are in a box under my bed.
Recently for my birthday and associate at work...actually my BOSS BOSS sent me a card that's green and white and elegant and beautil and he wrote a note inside saying how the card had been made from post consumer recycled content and it was printed on soy ink and therefore he thought of me when seeing that card...since I facilitate our green initiatives at work....and the card is nice. I love it. Its one of the ones displayed on my bookcase.
It's hard to see on this picture. But the top shelf has a white card with green swirls. That's the one he gave me. (Pay no mind to the random colored squares on the wall. They are paint samples. I was trying to figure out what color to pain my apartment. I settled on Ralph Lauran Suede Mochernut. Except its not eco-friendly. So I'm back to square one.)
All that to say...yes some cards are on display, some are framed by my mom and the rest are in boxes, bins and drawers taking up space. And each year more cards are added to that pile.
This is where Regreet comes in. Rather then just recycling the cards..why not extend the life of these cards and reuse them. Thus reducing the amount of cards that are purchased. Thus reduced the need to even buy them in the first place. (Although truth be told, I take scraps of everything since I do Art Journaling and make my own greeting cards.) But I also buy cards a lot too.
According to their website,
regreet™ Encourages Consumers to Get More Mileage from Their Greeting Cards
Greeting card re-use kits promote eco-conscious habits while connecting loved ones through the mail and online
MINNEAPOLIS – Sept. 28, 2009 – Almost everyone is familiar with “miles per gallon” ratings for their cars, but a new consumer product encourages people to consider “miles per greeting” for their greeting cards. regreet™ greeting kits enable consumers to reuse greeting cards they receive by sending them on to loved ones using whimsical labels and envelopes. In addition, card senders and recipients can track the path of these “regreeted” cards online, and watch where they travel over time.
Reducing human impact on our planet and encouraging thoughtful consumption are central to the regreet business philosophy. regreet kits enable consumers to reduce the number of greeting cards they need to buy by reusing cards they receive. In addition, regreet kits are produced on earth-friendly materials with a minimum of 30 percent post-consumer waste and printed with soy inks. regreet kits enable consumers to reduce, reuse and recycle with panache and style. Each year, the typical American household purchases 30 cards at an average price of $2-$4 each. Getting more “miles per greeting” out of just a few of those cards each year will help eco-conscious consumers reduce their environmental impact and save money at the same time.
Supporting the Community an Important Part of regreet Business Model
At regreet, encouraging reducing, reusing and recycling of goods is just the beginning. regreet supports designated nonprofits by sharing a portion of company profits. Each time a customer purchases a regreet greeting kit, they earn the right to cast a vote for the nonprofit they think is most deserving. This year, the regreet team designated three nonprofits to receive donations: 4-H, The Nature Conservancy and Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. regreet will use the vote counts to proportionally distribute its nonprofit donations.
About regreet™
regreet greeting kits enable customers to reuse old greeting cards, reducing the number of greeting cards that enter our waste stream and saving consumers money. Regreeted cards provide more whimsy with less waste—helping senders look good and save the planet at the same time. At regreet, encouraging reducing, reusing and recycling of goods is just the beginning. regreet supports nonprofit beneficiaries who are improving the world in important ways. Every time customers purchase a regreet kit, they get to vote for the nonprofit they think is most deserving. Each year, regreet tallies the votes to proportionally distribute donations to the nonprofits. Learn more about regreet at www.regreet.com.
So, I am going to try it out. When the kit arrives I'm going to take a few of my greeting cards that are in a box under my bed...some have been there since 2000. (Almost ten years). And i am going to regreet them and send them to others.
I will also upcycle and repurpose others. I'm really trying to clear the boxes of things from under my bed and get rid of all the paper and things I have around the house. So I will take some cards and reuse them for pieces in my art journal. Maybe I'll make collages out of others. And who knows what else.
I look forward to doing a product review of Regreet and letting you know how it goes! Has anyone ever used regreet? Or has anyone regifted/repurposed a greeting card on their own? How did it go?
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