"LOVE the binder! You have no idea how long I looked, both online and in stores, for a binder of this quality and size! I am SO happy that this worked out as it did! "

Carol
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July 2010

July 29, 2010
Written By: Ken

A few blogs ago we discussed binder economics for large companies.  It got crazy fast where trying to recycle a vinyl binder could add huge ammounts to the cost of using a binder.

recycled eco friendly 3-ring binders

For smaller offices this equation is somewhat different. Lets start with a few assumptions: You office is small and not doing as well it was a few years ago.  The urge among the people who work there is to be as eco friendly as possible without blowing the bottom line.

First off, as an office working to be greener, congratulations for being small.  Small can be incredibly nimble and is a much easier office to move toward better practices.  This may be the largest roadblock on the way to sustainable working.

Money is an issue.  To pretend that it is not is basically denying the 900 gorilla in the room.

So, how can using more sustainable 3-ring binders help?

Durability means using less. 

A Naked Binder lasts much longer. We have gotten notes from parents who said this is the first binder their high schooler didn't break. We tested them to 250,000 flexes without failure. If you can cut back on purchasing, you are buying less.

This is great if the cost is the same.  Well, Naked Binders are priced competatively with vinyl - not the really cheap ones, but the binders you might might not be embarrased to show a client. In many cases, our binders are cheaper.

On top of this you have a binder that is 100% recyclable, cutting your waste stream, looks better which makes you hapier when using the binder, impresses clients and does good for the planet.

Win win win.  Sustainable and saving money.

 


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July 28, 2010
Written By: Ken

Back to School Supplies can be green, strong and good looking!

Green Back to School Supplies

What you want and what your kids want isn't always the same.

Naked Binder has worked to make products that are safe for your kids to use, safe for the environment, are strong and long lasting and we toss in a big piece of awesome for the kids.  We have Back to School kits that can help save you a few dollars also.

We can tell you our binders were tested to 250,000 flexes and that the hinge is guarenteed. We can even tell you about the ones we put through a dishwasher (we still use them). We can tell you all the environmental benefits.  But in the end you need to know how they work in the hands of the worlds most vicious testers of 3-ring binders - the teenager.

"My son used it all year and it is the first binder EVER to last a full year!...I have been buying him all sorts of big binders, zippered binders, etc for at least four years and nothing has every lasted more than a semester--even the big brand names. I found your site last year by searching the internet for durable binders, to see if there was a better answer. The rolled side, rings, and closing mechanism on his binder are still going strong! The corners are getting worn from being jammed into a backpack, and there is a slight groove on top where his hand must grab it all the time. He thinks it is like a comfy pair of jeans and just getting broken in! But I think it is nice to start a new school year with new supplies--especially at your great prices! And the fact that they came from recycled materials is icing on the cake!

I will place my order today!"

Beth

Our binders not only live, they thrive in the hands of teenagers. Imagine of you only had to buy one binder for the year!  It is true.  There are products out there that are well made, reasonably priced and environmentally friendly!

Check out Naked Binders and our Back to School kits!


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July 27, 2010
Written By: Ken

A case study in sustainable purchasing.

Large corporations buy a lot of binders.  Between binder bins, internal projects, marketing materials and proposals the numbers add up. To supply a company with, say 30-165 branches could take up to 200,000 3-ring binders.  For ease of numbers, we will say 100,000.  Round, easy to work with and reasonable for many big corporations.

The purchasing department gets a call to order 100,000 3-ring binders for next year and go to the Big Box catalog and spec out an order.  These stores specialize vinyl binders varying from exceedingly cheap (in all respects) to expensive. 

Initial issues:

The real need 85,000 binders, but they fall apart, so they order 15,000 extra

The binders are purchased, delivered and used.  They break.

Issue #2

What to do this 100,000 broken vinyl binders.  This is not an academic question. We have heard of exactly this case (100,000 vinyl binders) and another company with 30,000 binders in a "binder graveyard" warehouse.

No matter what you hear from the vinyl industry, while vinyl IS recyclable, there is no process in place to do that.  You could send 100,000 vinyl binders to landfill. Or can you? In many places, no.  Vinyl is incredibly toxic and many landfills don't want large shipments of it. So how do you get rid of these?

If you want to recycle them, you need to start hiring people to cut them up, separate the vinyl from the paperboard and the rings.  There is an on-line video.  If your crew gets good at it (which they will), they can separate a binder in about 5 minutes. So figure 8,300 hours of time. OK, that even amazed me. The local recycling center will recycle the board and rings.  The vinyl will need to be shipped to a vinyl factory if they will take it. Estimated cost - 8300 hours x $7.50 = $62,250, shipping about 25,000 pounds of vinyl - lets just ballpark that at about $8,000 - so around $70,000 on top of what you paid for the binders.

If you can find a landfill that will take them, that would obviously be cheaper, though a bit environmentally dubious.

This just added a lot of headache and about $.62 per binder not including the overhead of a warehouse to house all the binders while your crew works on them. (costs go way up if individuals are doing this at their desks)

Healthier, Eco Friendly Alternative

Naked Binder offers an alternative that does not require shipping toxins, a crew for 8,300 hours and costs about the same up front (many times, Naked Binders are cheaper).

Positive #1

If you need 85,000 3-ring binders, order 85,000 binders.  Naked Binders have been tested to 250,000 flexes without failure. These are the strongest 3-ring  binders in the world. This alone can save you $45,000 +.

Positive #2

It takes about 9 seconds to recycle a Naked Binder.  Any Naked Binder. This can be done at a desk, or perhaps, with enough people in a building, a small work area. It takes a flathead screwdriver. No knives. Even if you hire your crew to do this, you expenditure is about 120 hours or $900.

Positive #3

No vinyl means no phthalates, no dioxins no vinyl out gassing into your office air.  Healthier workers get more done.

Positive #4

Your image.  People are attracted to eco friendly companies.  Just look at BP right now. Studies have shown that people will spend money, be more loyal and think more highly in companies that have strong environmental policies. Even internally, people feel good about a company that is doing good deeds beyond making a profit. This, too, translates into a stronger bottom line.


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July 23, 2010
Written By: Ken

As you or your child go back to school you need to stock up on school supplies.  The problem is most of them are toxic, ugly and not earth friendly.

To help with this problem, Naked Binder is introducing their Eco Friendly Back to School Kits. Made from beautiful 100% recycled, 97% post consumer waste, these binders, folders and binder pockets offer a way to go back to school with your head held high.

recycled green school supplies

Each kit holds

  • 2 1" d-ring 3-ring binders
  • 2 two pocket folders
  • 2 clip in binder pouches (with CD slits for your multimedia needs)
  • 2- sets of tab dividers

Environmental Features

  • 100% recycled, 97% post consumer waste board for the binders, folders and tab dividers
  • 100% recyclable
  • Long lasting - the binders were tested to 250,000 flexes without fail
  • Made in the USA, supporting local economy and cutting carbon footprint of travel

Go green with recycled, eco friendly, strong and beautiful naked binders!


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July 21, 2010
Written By: Ken

Sustainable Purchasing, whether for your office or home, doesn't have to be a mystery.  sustainable purchasing for home and office

So what is sustainability?

Sustainability is a way of looking at things that recognizes there are three equally important elements of a thriving, healthy world – a strong economy, a healthy environment and social well-being. It is about ensuring that our choices and actions are not only economical but also environmentally and socially responsible. Ensuring that we meet our needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs is the essence of sustainable development*.
* The Brundtland Commission definition of sustainable development, World Commission on Environment and Development (1987)

Sustainable purchasing addresses environmental and social factors, as well as the actual costs of a product.  To do this you need to look at the full life cycle of a product - how it was made, what it was made from, how you can dispose of the product and whether you really need it. Ideally, sustainable purchasing drives our purchasing power toward lessening the impact of doing business on the environment and society.

Here are a few questions to ask when looking for sustainable products:

1. Can we do without it?


2. Does it have less embodied energy (the energy required to manufacture and transport a product)? This can be tricky so here is an example:

Using Naked binder vs. vinyl binder as an example (we know a lot about this one) One is 100% recycled post consumer waste paper board. One is some form of at least partially recycled board encased in vinyl. Even assuming the energy needed to create the board is roughly similar (recycled paper uses less energy, water and generates less air pollution and also doesn't embody the energy from harvesting trees), creating vinyl, processing it and manufacturing a vinyl binder all have higher embodied energy than does a bare board binder. Also, most vinyl binders are made in China, so the shipping energy is included.  (Naked Binders are made in Iowa, in the USA)

3. Does it have less embodied pollution (the quantity of pollutants created in the manufacture and transportation)? 

According to the EPA, recycling paper uses less energy and generates less pollution than does converting virgin wood to paper. For these questions the trail can be long.  Is it oil based (vinyl, plastics), what did it take to get the ingredients, to process them, to dispose of them.  What by-products came from the process?


4. Is it more energy efficient?


5. Is it locally manufactured (contributes to the local economy, and reduces embodied energy and pollution)?


6. Does it have a longer life cycle (longer lasting products reduce consumption)?


7. Can it be recycled, and / or does it contain recycled content?


8. Does it reduce the amount of waste destined for a landfill (through reuse)?

This is something that requires legwork also.  Taking a vinyl binder.  Vinyl is actually recyclable. The problem is you, personally, can't recycle your vinyl binder.  There is no infrastructure in the US to do so. Only 2-4% of the 8 billion pounds of vinyl made overy year in the US is recycled and that is usually production waste.


9. Is the product a naturally occurring, renewable, and sustainable resource?


10. Does it raise awareness of environmental issues?

So how to do you go about purchasing more sustianably?

Take stock of what you do, what you use and what you need.  Randomly making changes will still give positive results, but having a plan will help you prioritize and monitor your progress.  This process will have you looking at how your habitual ways of working, using materials and working to make it all more efficient.

Realize that people are resistant to change. Listen to people, work with them.  Some steps are harder than others.

As you make changes, celebrate them.  Those who are resistant to change will get on board more quickly if sustainability isn't presented as an austerity program, but rather as a positive that saves the company money, saves the environment and strengthens the company in image and morale.

 


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July 19, 2010
Written By: Savannah


“Ode to Naked Binders”

 

So bare, so guiltless you are

The most sustainable binder in the world

Your compressed binder board is sturdy

And pure in the sunshine or the rain

 

The 100% recycled material that makes you, you

Is not hidden beneath any toxic cover

You are proud to show your true skin

Every spec of fiber within

 

With four different ring sizes

You are so handy

Going back to school with students

Storing files in the office or organizing materials at home

 

Naked Binders, you are all so versatile

Dressing up, staying covered in your Classic Binder apparel

Sporting only a colorful spine wrap on your Project Binder

And a daringly sleek and sophisticated look for the Eames Binder

 

Oh, your eco friendly 3-ringed binder(ness) has tremendous potential

Green binders for a Greener world

You are great, you are strong, moving us in the right direction

Naked Binders you make Mother Earth happy

 

 

What a great day to do something good, not only for yourself but also for our planet and the generations to come. Try one or all of the following:

 

  1. When running errands after work today, think of riding your bike instead of driving. Get your exercise and give the environment a chance to breathe. 
  2. Compost. Learn what it means to compost and start one today. Or teach someone how simple it is to set up and the benefits that go with composting.
  3. Talk to your significant other, roommate, kids, or parents about turning off the lights when leaving a room. It is so simple but often times doesn’t happen. It saves money and energy.
  4. Invest in a Naked Binder. Rid your space of toxic vinyl binders and go for an eco friendly and sustainable 3-ring Naked Binder that is both beautifully made and strong. Be kind to your self and our Earth—buy a greener binder.

 

 

 

 

 


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July 13, 2010
Written By: Ken

sustainable green office and school suppliesSustainable Green Back to School and Office Supplies and Greener Living

When it comes to living sustainably we can all use a little help. Naked Binder is working to make it easier for you to find what you need for your green back to school supplies or for your sustainable office.  Along with our ever growing list of sustainable, green back to school and office supplies, we have lists of small steps you can take everyday to keep your life more sane and sustainable.

Sustainable, Green Back to School and Office Supplies

Our sustainable school and office supplies list covers everything from copier paper, pencils, note pads, binders, pocket folders, books, and clothes.  We are constantly adding to this list, so keep checking in.  If you know of something not on our list, please let us know!

Little Big Steps to Greener Living

Naked Binder encourages you to do one thing a day to help lower your impact on the planet. One thing. It is crazy to think that everyone can change to super green overnight, but we can all start down the path.

Using less is a huge win win situation.  Lets say you save 2 gallons a week in gasoline.  That isn't huge.  Now lets say, 150 million people do that. That is 300 million gallons of gas a week, 15.6 billion gallons a year. Consider the impact on the environment of not extracting, transporting, processing, transporting and then using 15 billion gallons of gas. Hmmm....


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July 9, 2010
Written By: Ken

Even if the environment is not foremost on your mind as you run your business, you can still save money and time using an eco friendly recycled 3-ring binder.

Why you should use  recycled ring binders

They last.

Those $10 vinyl binders you are buying have one major weakness: the hinges.  Anyone who has ever used a binder knows that a vinyl binder will fall apart after minimal use. Naked Binders have no weak spots.  We press the hinge directly into our 110pt board, so there are no thin spots.  We have had them tested in a lab to 250,000 flexes and they were still working.  To put that in perspective, if you used a Naked Binder 20 times a day starting today, you could still be using that binder in the year 2044.  Even if you give the vinyl binder a year each, that is $340 in binders vs. $7.50.   Not bad.

 

Health.

PVC (vinyl) outgassing has been connected with everything from asthma to autism.  Assume the least of all the reports and that wall of 3-ring binders is still causing issues.  Worker health issues cost time and productivity.  Avoiding things that can cause them can save you a lot of headaches.

 

Image.

When you look good, others percieve you in a different light.  Naked Binder has 5 styles of binders that can help you step out in style. Perception is not everything, but it does make a difference. Stand out from the crowd with better design, workmanship and eco friendly recycled cache.


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July 7, 2010
Written By: Ken

At Naked Binder, we want it to be easy to find sustainble products for your business and everyday needs. To that end we are establishing a sustainable purchasing guide to help you locate the products you need from sustainable sources.

 Whether you are new to sustainable purchasing or not, the world of 'eco friendly' or 'green' products is hard to navigate.  While there is much really good information out there, there is a lot of "green washing", deliberate mis-information and partial information.  Naked Binder is putting together some pages that may help you navigate more easily to your goal.

So what is sustainability?


Sustainability is a way of looking at things that recognizes there are three equally important elements of a thriving, healthy world – a strong economy, a healthy environment and
social well-being. It is about ensuring that our choices and actions are not only economical but also environmentally and socially responsible. Ensuring that we meet our needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs is the essence of sustainable development*.
* The Brundtland Commission defi nition of sustainable development, World Commission on Environment and Development (1987)

Sustainable purchasing addresses environmental and social factors, as well as the actual costs of a product.  To do this you need to look at the full lifecycle of a product - how it was made, what it was made from, how you can dispose of the product and whether you really need it. Ideally, sustainable purchasing drives our purchasing power towards lessening the impact of doing business on the environment and society.

You may want to look at questions you can ask about products to determine if they are sustainable and keep checking in asa we make this better to cover all your needs.


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July 6, 2010
Written By: Ken

Naked Binder is offering a new series of recycled, FSC certified tab dividers!

• recycled with 100% post consumer fiber

• manufactured process chlorine free

• fully recyclable

• printable in either laser or inkjet printer

Recycled FSC certified Tab Dividers - Naked Binder

A set of five tab dividers and a cover page.  Each of the tabs are marked with a debossed Roman numeral.  The cover is printable in either laser or inkjet printer.  A handy template makes it easy to to add your text or images to your tabs.

Whether you call them binder dividers, tab dividers or index dividers, you should check out these fine eco friendly, recycled and recyclable dividers!


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July 2, 2010
Written By: Naked Binder Admin

Eco friendly recycled school and office supplies

are becoming more available, but can still be hard to locate. Understanding that ease of use is also key to raising eco friendly product use we are compiling a list of eco friendly office and school supplies.  It is an ever growing list, so please feel free to let us know if you have tips!

This list keeps getting longer so check out the constantly updating guide to eco friendly products here.

Paper:

The EPA recommends buying paper with a minimum of 30 percent postconsumer fiber. 

notebooks and journals

  • Eco Jot
  • Ecosystem journals
  • Envirotech 3-subject Notebook - available at Greener Office or Green Earth Office Supply 
  • Little Dana Lemon Paper Journal - banana paper, acid free drawing paper

Recycled and Recyclable 3-ring Binders: 

8.5 x 11 3- ring binders  _ We only recommend Naked Binders at this point because we have tested them for Phthalates and know there are none.  If other companies can show the same we will list them.

  • Naked Binder.  100% Recycled and recyclable 3-ring binder - FSC certified 97-100% post consumer waste board.
  • Project Binder  sustainable and strong 3-ring binder - FSC certified 97-100% post consumer waste board.
  • Classic Binder  recycled, eco friendly 3-ring binder - FSC certified 97-100% post consumer waste board.
  • Eames Wrapped Binder. Recycled Binder, 100% post consumerw waste board, 30% post consumer waste wrap
  • UrbanPosture - 100% recycled eco friendly binders with amazing silk screened designs.

11 x 17 3-ring binders

  • Archtitect Binder - FSC certified, 100% post consumer waste, tested to 250,000 flexes, 11 x 17 tabloid style binder

Eco Friendly Pocket Folders and Binder Pockets

 

More and varied things:

Clothes

  •  Thrift Stores.  We have found the most amazing things in thrift stores.
  • Swaps.  For adults or kids, people grow out of their clothes. 

Books

  • The Public Library. Now I love my books, but lets face it, I don't need  to own them all. Use the Library - Ben Franklin started it!
  • Used Bookstores. 
  • Library booksales - or any book sales.  Not everyone reads what you do, so you can always find a little treasure.
  • Yard sales - people get rid of some really fine books.

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July 1, 2010
Written By: Naked Binder Admin

In celebration of the 4th of July

Naked Binder is having a sale on all of our Green 3-Ring Binders through July 5th!

 green
binder - office supplies - Naked binder

proud facts about our recycled binders:

All of our D Ring Binders are crafted from 100% recycled post consumer waste

 

• Made in Iowa in the USA

 

• Our office and school supplies are non-toxic, low impact and super strong.  We tested our binders to 250,000 flexes - that is 20 uses a day for 34 years - and they still work fine.

 

Easily and completely recyclable.

 

• We make the best looking 3 ring binders on the planet!

 

Count toward continuing LEED credits

 

Using recycled 3-ring binders can save you money!

 


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Eco Friendly Recycled Tab Dividers
Eco Friendly 3-ring Binders for Architects
Strong, Good Looking and Recycled 11 x 17 3-ring Binders
Canadians classify bisphenol-A (BPA) as toxic
The Hidden Costs of VInyl Binders

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www.nakedbinder.com/designed-to-simplify_-naked-binder.cfmNaked Binder Products - Fine recycled and eco friendly binders and pocket folders

Naked Binder makes the highest quality recycled, recyclable eco friendly office and school supplies on the planet. Their 3-ring binders: the bare board Naked binder, colorful project binder, classy classic binder, elegant eames wrapped binder, and the 11 x 17 architect binder

Their recycled pocket folders, cd holders and binder pockets are 100% recycled and 97% post consumer waste. Eco Friendly pocket folders include the recyclable one pocket Naked Folder, the equally recyclable 2 pocket Naked Folder, the binder ready Binder pocket (with cd and business card cuts) and the recycled cd holder that clips into a binder.

If you need eco friendly tab dividers, Naked Binder has the elegant eames tab dividers, sustainable printable 100% pcw binder divders and the raw board Naked Tab dividers

All of these can be casily customized with our labeling system.

 

Naked Binder - Designed to Simplify

We believe the products you use should go out of their way to improve the environment. To that end, we donate a part of our profits to preserving wilderness and keeping wild spaces open. We designed our products to be safer and healthier to make, use and dispose of.

We believe the products you use should be better designed to last, inspire and do better in the world and the workplace.

Stand out in a crowd with truly sustainable products, 3-ring binders, pocket folders and tab divider sets from 100% post consumer waste paper.  Elegant, sturdy, unique and working for the environment.

We provide Information, or, How Our Recycled 3-Ring Binders Can Help You

Helping your business, Green Law Firms, LEED architectural firms, green building, teachers and schools, Design firms, college bookstores, how a recycled and recyclable binder can help you save money

our materials, our testing - strength, phthalates, sizing your 3-ring binder, how to recycle a 3-ring binder, labeling to customize a binder,

Reasons to switch from PVC and vinyl binders.

Naked Binder Story

The Naked Binder was born over a glass of wine at a family holiday dinner. First, some background. Our family businesses started in 1868 and are involved today with book binding, archival products, presentation materials and binders. One of our companies, Corporate Image, was the first American company to offer a viable alternative to toxic vinyl binders. Our famous FlexHinge binders have a core of sturdy board made from 100% recycled fiber of which 97% is post-consumer waste. These binders are covered with printed and laminated paper .or with fabric. Who could improve on that?

Naked Binder Around The Internet

Company Blog: Information on recycled binders, eco news, naked binder product information and specials

Facebook: Become a fan, share photos, hear about .news & events

Twitter: insights, recommended links, quick & informative

YouTube: Naked Binder videos, embed on your blog, get inspired