Yearbooks capture the ongoing growth and change of a school’s students as well as the institution they learn within. This includes the values and beliefs held by the majority of the student body during the course of the year. When sustainability and environmental stewardship are part of those values, a yearbook made with tree-free paper is a wonderful way to honour that spirit.
Tree free paper not only supports sustainable consumerism and lowers deforestation rates, it’s also a superior paper product. We think tree free paper is simply amazing! And, we love it so much we’re dedicating this entire blog post to tree free paper and why it should be a part of your yearbook design plan.
Tree Free Paper is Sustainable
Tree free paper is a great way to incorporate sustainably produced products into daily life. What are sustainable products? They’re items made by using resources at a rate that doesn’t exceed the time required to replenish the raw materials.
For example, let’s consider traditional paper made with wood fiber. Tree-sourced paper is considered unsustainable. This is because the amount of time required to regrow a tree that’s been cut down for producing paper, is greater than the amount of time a paper product is eventually consumed and then disposed of.
This over-harvesting of trees for the production of wood and paper products in North America, and throughout the world, has led to global deforestation.
Fortunately, paper can be made sustainably and without the use of trees as the primary resource. Examples of alternative fibres for paper manufacturing include:
- Bamboo
- Agricultural residues such as straw, husks and sugarcane bagasse
- Fabric remnants and cotton rags
- Fibre crops
Tree Free Paper is Renewable
In addition to being sustainable, tree free paper is also a renewable resource.
Wait? Don’t sustainable and renewable mean the same thing?
No, while products with sustainable and renewable-resource merits are both beneficial to the health and well-being of our planet, they are not the same. These terms are not interchangeable.
It is possible for a product to be made from a renewable resource but to not be sustainable. A good example of a product created from a renewable resource but is not sustainable is paper without an FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) designation. While trees are a renewable resource, meaning they can be regenerated naturally, paper made with wood-based fibers is largely unsustainable.
What Tree Free Source Material for Paper Is Renewable?
Renewable sources of material for paper production include:
- Bamboo
- Hemp
- Flax
- Cotton
- Other fibre crops
Each of the above agricultural crops is an alternative fiber option and renewable resource that can be used for the production of tree free paper.
Tree Free Paper is of Good Quality!
Yearbook advisors and teams may feel hesitant to switch to a tree free paper option for their yearbook because they are concerned about its quality. At FutureBook Yearbooks, we can attest the paper made with tree free fibers we recommend to our clients is of exceptional quality.
We regularly print yearbooks using paper made from bamboo grasses and we love the results. Bamboo paper is equally as strong and durable as traditionally-sourced paper. Additionally, yearbook teams love knowing that bamboo paper can easily undergo the same laminations and embellishments as tree-based paper. And, it’s a wonderful way to support any eco-friendly yearbook theme.
Tree Free Paper is Affordable
When choosing tree free paper products, cost is typically slightly more than comparable products made from virgin wood sources. However, the increase in cost is usually minimal and still well within most consumer’s affordability range.
For yearbook teams, opting to publish a yearbook on bamboo paper with FutureBook Yearbooks will increase the overall paper cost by just 5% – 15% more than if traditional paper is selected. While rising costs of any yearbook project are largely unwelcome, when teams work together with the representatives at FutureBook Yearbooks, they end up finding a solution that incorporates bamboo paper while adhering to their budget.
Tree Free Paper is Perfect for Yearbooks
Tree free paper is ideal for use in yearbooks. It’s a beautiful way to preserve both the environment and a school’s legacy. With a yearbook printed on tree free paper, future generations will undoubtedly reflect on and enjoy the extraordinary book.
If your yearbook team is considering an eco-friendly and sustainable way to craft your project, contact us at FutureBook Yearbooks. We can help you with all your yearbook production needs, from the design and planning stage all the way to production and distribution.
