Binding your documents is one of the best ways
you can make them look professional. Bound documents are perfect for
client consultations, sample books, marketing materials, important
presentations, and more. There are lots of easy binding methods and some
of them are even affordable.Here are a few ways you can save the
planet by using eco-friendly binding supplies:
Binding your documents is one of the best
ways you can make them look professional. Bound documents are perfect
for client consultations, sample books, marketing materials, important
presentations, and more. There are lots of easy binding methods and some
of them are even affordable. Unfortunately, the materials used for many
types of binding are not environmentally friendly, which is problematic
if you're trying to make eco-friendly decisions. However, there are
some greener options available. Here are a few ways you can save the
planet by using eco-friendly binding supplies:
Use recycled paper.
One of the easiest ways to be greener when binding your documents is by
using recycled paper. This type of paper can be used with various
binding machines and it's just as good as regular paper. Plus, it's easy
to get and it's affordable, so there's really no excuse not to use it.
Choose paper covers over plastic ones.
A lot of people use plastic covers simply because they can make just
about any document look great. However, plastic covers can be bad for
the environment. If your reader tosses a document with a plastic cover
in the trash, the paper will break down long before the plastic will. So
be sure to choose paper covers and give the plastic ones a pass.
Use eco-friendly binding coils.
Spiral binding is a popular bookbinding method because it's suitable
for long documents and the coils come in dozens of colors. However,
regular coils are hard to recycle and they're usually not made of any
post-consumer materials. Luckily, there are now eco-coils available.
These coils are made from recycled content and can be recycled after
use. They work with just about every spiral binding machine out there
and they come in a wide range of colors that can complement your work.
Be careful when choosing a binding system.
A lot of binding machines are designed for use with supplies that are
anything but good for the environment. However, some systems are
designed specifically for use with eco-friendly supplies. One of them is
the Prima PaperLock system. This machine uses paper combs that resemble
their plastic counterparts. If you bind a document with this system and
use paper covers and recycled sheets, you'll do something great for the
planet. When you're done with the document, you can toss it in your
recycling bin with a clear conscience. (Or you could shred the document
and then recycle it, depending on your need for privacy.)
While
there are some binding supplies out there that aren't environmentally
friendly, there are plenty that are. Recycled paper is easy to get and
can be used for all kinds of documents. Paper covers are better than
plastic ones. Eco-friendly binding coils are both recycled and
recyclable. And if you choose the right binding system, you can use
environmentally friendly supplies throughout the process. Now that you
know which binding supplies are good for the environment, you'll be able
to create professional-looking documents that are also eco-friendly.
Jeff McRitchie is the Vice-President of Marketing for MyBinding.com.
He regularly writes articles, reviews, and blog posts on topics related
to bookbinding, laminating, paper shredding, and office equipment. More
than 2,500 of his reviews have been published in thousands of locations
on the Internet. If you're looking for information about binding machines, his articles are a great place to start.
