The careful research and strong environmental credibility behind the Earth Greetings range means we love to promote these beautiful products whenever we can. And, we are grateful that the creator shares her indepth research on paper, printing and the environment. Heide Hackworth (creator and creative director of the Earth Greetings range) is constantly introducing new, nature-inspired cards & wraps to keep the range fresh. Above: Earth Greetings range in 1. cuckoo 2. monsoon forest 3. gang gangs cockatoo 4. of botany and birds (wrap) 5. sugar gliders 6. desert spring 7. argyle cockatoo Heidi shares her research on paper, printing and the environment for the benefit of everyone through her website (see link below). As a resource for other businesses, she lists the printers she feels have made sustainability a real priority across the whole of their business. Heide's genuine, long-standing passion for the environment is one of the reasons we stock the Earth Greetings range. Earth Greetings was established in Adelaide in 2003. When Heide embarked on her idea for nature-inspired greeting cards she wanted to use environmentally friendly paper and non-toxic printing. She thought it would be simple to find some 100% recycled or alternative fibre paper and a printer who could answer all of her questions (as she'd had experience within the publishing industry). Her simple request very quickly turned into an epic quest. Heide asked the hard questions and the deeper she got in her search the more shocked she was about the scale of environmental destruction that can be caused by the paper making and printing process. "Dense, diverse forest which took years to establish is destroyed, wildlife loses its home or is confined to smaller areas, to the carbon-emitting transportation of the wood, the pulping process using vast amounts of water, and pollution created in paper bleaching and printers ink ending up in our air, water and food." Heide Hackworth She found that 100% recycled or alternative fibre for offset print was not even available in Australia (in 2003, the highest recycled content card stock she could locate here was just 50% recycled, 50% plantation forest fibre). The printer and paper supplier were full of reassurance, telling her that this is "the most environmentally friendly stock available", after all it was produced at a mill with numerous environmental accreditations. Eventually, Heide found a couple of printers who use vegetable inks exclusively (avoiding mineral oil which releases volatile organic compounds and hazardous heavy metals into the atmosphere) and at the very least lent an ear to her environmental concerns. Thankfully, increased consumer concern about the environment is driving a change for the greener in many industries. There are now imported 100% post-consumer waste papers available in Australia. According to Heidi, there have been some small changes to production practices here to keep within Environmental Protection Authority limits, but the Australian paper industry has a long way to go to catch up with European practices. "Every day, the major Australian greeting card manufacturers produce around 100,000 greeting cards. Unfortunately price still remains a barrier to commercial use of recycled stocks, which are often more than twice the price of a virgin fibre or mixed source stock. Presumably this is why most commercial greeting cards are still not printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper." She notes that there is still a distinct lack of 'alternative' fibre papers such as hemp or kenaf available in Australia that are suitable for offset print (along with questions to be raised over forest-clearing land to grow the alternative crops in the first place). Heide has concluded that 100% post-consumer recycled paper currently remains the best environmental choice. She references many studies revealing recycling paper uses much less energy and waste than that from virgin forest fibre (you can see her summary of insightful information here on paper, printing and the environment). Find Earth Greetings cards throughout our greeting cards section at Biome. "Despite the growing accessibility of electronic media, giving a greeting card is still valued today as a simple and thoughtful gesture to connect with another. I want to make this choice easy for people who care about reducing their environmental footprint. I also hope to inspire others to appreciate nature more and therefore endeavour to protect it." Heide Hackworth
Discover Eco Friendly Solutions. Love to Use and Gift. Protect Your Health and Planet.
Easy Returns
45 day returns in-store and online
Recycle with us
Return eligible products for recycling
Eco friendly packaging
Plus we offset shipping emissions
Loyalty Club
Join the Be. Club and save
Biome acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation (Burwood), Bundjalung, Yugambeh and Koombumerrii people (Southport), and Yuggera and Turrbul people (Meanjin / Brisbane) as the traditional owners and custodians of the land that we work on. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
MEET OUR BIOME AMBASSADORS ~ sharing ideas and inspiration to help us all live more sustainably on our precious planet home ~
Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
Above: Earth Greetings range in 1. cuckoo 2. monsoon forest 3. gang gangs cockatoo 4. of botany and birds (wrap) 5. sugar gliders 6. desert spring 7. argyle cockatoo Heidi shares her research on paper, printing and the environment for the benefit of everyone through her website (see link below). As a resource for other businesses, she lists the printers she feels have made sustainability a real priority across the whole of their business. Heide's genuine, long-standing passion for the environment is one of the reasons we stock the Earth Greetings range. Earth Greetings was established in Adelaide in 2003. When Heide embarked on her idea for nature-inspired greeting cards she wanted to use environmentally friendly paper and non-toxic printing. She thought it would be simple to find some 100% recycled or alternative fibre paper and a printer who could answer all of her questions (as she'd had experience within the publishing industry). Her simple request very quickly turned into an epic quest. Heide asked the hard questions and the deeper she got in her search the more shocked she was about the scale of environmental destruction that can be caused by the paper making and printing process. "Dense, diverse forest which took years to establish is destroyed, wildlife loses its home or is confined to smaller areas, to the carbon-emitting transportation of the wood, the pulping process using vast amounts of water, and pollution created in paper bleaching and printers ink ending up in our air, water and food." Heide Hackworth She found that 100% recycled or alternative fibre for offset print was not even available in Australia (in 2003, the highest recycled content card stock she could locate here was just 50% recycled, 50% plantation forest fibre). The printer and paper supplier were full of reassurance, telling her that this is "the most environmentally friendly stock available", after all it was produced at a mill with numerous environmental accreditations. Eventually, Heide found a couple of printers who use vegetable inks exclusively (avoiding mineral oil which releases volatile organic compounds and hazardous heavy metals into the atmosphere) and at the very least lent an ear to her environmental concerns. Thankfully, increased consumer concern about the environment is driving a change for the greener in many industries. There are now imported 100% post-consumer waste papers available in Australia. According to Heidi, there have been some small changes to production practices here to keep within Environmental Protection Authority limits, but the Australian paper industry has a long way to go to catch up with European practices. "Every day, the major Australian greeting card manufacturers produce around 100,000 greeting cards. Unfortunately price still remains a barrier to commercial use of recycled stocks, which are often more than twice the price of a virgin fibre or mixed source stock. Presumably this is why most commercial greeting cards are still not printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper." She notes that there is still a distinct lack of 'alternative' fibre papers such as hemp or kenaf available in Australia that are suitable for offset print (along with questions to be raised over forest-clearing land to grow the alternative crops in the first place). Heide has concluded that 100% post-consumer recycled paper currently remains the best environmental choice. She references many studies revealing recycling paper uses much less energy and waste than that from virgin forest fibre (you can see her summary of insightful information here on paper, printing and the environment). Find Earth Greetings cards throughout our greeting cards section at Biome. 
"Despite the growing accessibility of electronic media, giving a greeting card is still valued today as a simple and thoughtful gesture to connect with another. I want to make this choice easy for people who care about reducing their environmental footprint. I also hope to inspire others to appreciate nature more and therefore endeavour to protect it." Heide Hackworth
