Let’s take a closer look at these alternative fibers:

Sugar Cane Bagasse

Sugar cane bagasse is a waste product created from sugar processing. This paper has a nice smooth surface appropriate for commercial printing.

More than 10 years ago I printed a series of environmentally-focused projects on a paper made from 50% sugar cane bagasse and 50% recycled content. At the time, the paper was not widely used, and within a year it was discontinued. Although saddened, I realized the paper was way before it’s time, but now the time is here. Once again you can choose a commercial printing paper with sugar cane bagasse content.

Bamboo

Bamboo is a perennial evergreen in the grass family and another alternative fiber used to make paper. It grows like a weed and has nice long fibers for making paper. Conservative estimates place its growth rate around 24 inches a day, with maturity reached in 3-5 years compared to decades for most tree species. This fiber is often combined with recycled content to make commercial printing papers.

Elephant dung

Seriously? Paper made from elephant dung? I first discovered this paper at the San Diego Zoo’s gift shop. We all got quite a laugh out of it and purchased several journals made from this paper for family gifts. Since then I’ve seen it at other stores and found it online. The paper samples I’ve seen have had a heavy texture, more suited to craft uses than for commercial printing.

Finding alternative fiber papers:

• Neenah Paper has a product line called Environment. Some of the papers in this line use a combination of post consumer and alternative fiber, either sugar cane bagasse or bamboo. Look for: Balanced White, Mesa White and Tortilla.
• Sugarmade, Inc. is an environmentally friendly paper company, producing paper made from 100% sugar cane bagasse. Products include printing, writing and copy paper.

Companies interested in conservation, and considering tree-free paper sources, now have more options as paper companies have responded to fill that need. Your graphic designer or printer can help you determine the best paper for your project.

Problem

If you just choose plain old black when designing for print, you will end up with something that looks like a dark grey. If you really want a dark black you must use a color mix that designers call “rich black”. To understand this concept, we first have to understand how printers use the color information we give them.

Background

In the printing world, colors are defined using CMYK. This is because with standard 4-color printing, there are actually 4 plates that each lay down one color of ink. The standard four colors that define CMYK are: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. In the olden days, black was referred to as “Key” in the printing press world, hence the “K”. To get any printable color, you specify the percentage of each of those four ink colors. At first glance, it would seem obvious that to get black, you would just use C=0 M=0 Y=0 K=100. That would get you 100% on the black plate, but as you would find upon printing it, it will look like a dark grey.

Solution

To get a dark, satisfying black, you must add some of the other colors as well. This technique is known as “rich black”. There is no one correct mix, but there are several standards that designers usually choose from.

*Many designers just add some Cyan and find that works just fine for most applications. But it is safer to add a tiny bit of Magenta and Yellow in case the printer’s RIP process tries to overprint instead of knock out those layers.

You should not use 100% for all four plates. This will produce too much ink and will not print well on most presses. If in doubt which rich black to use, contact your printer. They will often have recommendations for what works best on their presses.

Exceptions

DO NOT use rich black for small type. The registration of the other colors may cause a slight ghosting effect which will keep your type from looking crisp and sharp. If you are in the borderline type size where you want to use rich black, but are worried about the registration, you can put a .5 – 1.0 pt outline on your text with a K=100 black, while using one of the rich blacks for the fill. The outline should be on the inside and replace the original area so the 100% black hides any possible stray dots from the other colors in the fill.

Summary

Choosing the wrong black could lead to an unsatisfying end product when your piece is printed. Your designer should work closely with the printer to choose a rich black that will yield the desired results.

My task management process changed dramatically with a fabulous productivity tool called “Toodledo,” an online task management program. Best of all, it’s free, at least for the basic usage, which works fine for me. I use the web interface when at my computer and the iPhone app when I’m away from my desk. I can’t tell you how great it is to have all of my tasks in sync. I can enter, review and check off tasks wherever I am. Admittedly, I still need a note pad once in a while for quick notes when it’s more convenient. However, those instances are becoming few and far between, and when I do need to take paper notes, I make sure to enter them in Toodledo as soon as I can.

When you add a new task, it gives you options for assigning a priority, due date, due time, and a reminder time. You can enter notes in a text field and set it as a ‘‘repeat’’ task if you wish. You can also ‘‘star’’ a task that is your highest priority and create ‘‘folders’’ to organize all of your tasks. Toodledo also has a surprising selection of options for how to view your tasks.

In our busy world, we have so much to keep track of. But don’t worry about forgetting something; let Toodledo help you. It may be just the productivity tool you’ve been looking for to keep track of tasks efficiently, so you can have improved focus on what’s most important. When I said “Lovin’ Toodledo,” I wasn’t joking.

Creative talent gives us a head start. Most designers are naturally creative and may have other outlets for their talent as well. For example, I paint acrylic, abstract art. At a young age I was interested in drawing, lettering and painting. Now, years later, I recognize that those creative activities nurtured my existing talent.

Creative training from education and experience are what take raw talent and make it applicable to commercial graphic design. Although we learn many skills in school, working in the real world expands our knowledge and skills, and teaches us how to work with clients and businesses.

Creative inspiration is essential, since it opens our minds to new and different ideas. Exploring creative activities, experiencing other cultures, architecture and art, or being in nature can all be sources of inspiration. In some cases, just getting away from the project for a while is an important way to get to that breakthrough idea.

A good designer can make a huge impact on how information is received. The right design helps sell products and grab a customer’s attention. More than words tell the story – creative talent, training and inspiration make it happen.

What is decluttering?
Decluttering is taking action to get rid of anything unwanted, unfinished, or unused. One definition of clutter is “a collection of things lying around in an untidy mass.” Clutter multiplies without any effort. It’s amazing how one item on a desk can turn into a pile of items all looking for a home.

Where to start?
Sometimes when you look at the big picture it can be overwhelming, so choose a small area and go through it one step at a time. It’s as easy as picking a drawer to go through or cleaning off a portion of your desk. Once I get started, I find I’m even more motivated to continue. The process of decluttering builds momentum, so you want to do more.

Emails can be clutter too!
In 2005, the average number of emails received in a day was 56. Now 5 years later, I’d guess that number has significantly increased. Honestly, this is one area that has challenged me. On the priority list, “email maintenance” seldom makes it to the top. The great search feature of my email program has me spoiled. I can always find the emails I’m looking for, no mater how buried, so there is less incentive to keep them tidy. Nevertheless, at the beginning of the year, I set a goal to clean out my inbox at the end of the week. It’s been a great improvement to start each Monday morning with a clean inbox.

Whether you start with a small drawer or an old file cabinet, you’ll find that decluttering gives you renewed energy and space for new opportunities. Our minds are amazing at keeping track of where everything is, and by cleaning your space, you also clear your mind.

As we all know, the ultimate goal of being more efficient is to save time and money. When significant changes are made far along in the process, work needs to be redone, and it becomes more challenging to meet deadlines. Putting thought and planning into a design project in the beginning can reduce extensive revisions late in the process or head-off a change in direction later on that may increase the cost.

Here are 4 tips for a more efficient process :

1. Message – Determine the main message and goal of the project. This sounds so obvious, but sometimes it’s easier said than done. It helps to work internally to make sure all decision-makers are on the same page.
2. Text – Provide final text (or at least as final as possible) early in the project. If the amount of text changes significantly it may require changes to the design. Of course we will always have final edits and tweaks as the text is refined.
3. Project Proofs – Consider having one person in charge of the proofing process, so edits are only listed once and any conflicting changes are resolved before the proof is returned to the designer.
4. Photos – Communicate information about the target demographic, so your designer may select the appropriate photography either from your photo library or from a stock image source.

 
Like many things, there is always room for improvement, but even small adjustments in the process can save time and money.

Zuli Creative, Inc. has been certified by the Green Business Bureau as an environmentally responsible business. This business has reached the Green Gold tier by adopting principles and practices that demonstrate a superior commitment to conserving the environment.

The GBB is proud to recognize their contribution to making the environment a healthier place for their customers, employees, and community. We appreciate your continued support of Zuli Creative, Inc. and thank you for your commitment to sustainability.

For my identity package and marketing materials, I chose paper that is FSC-Certified, 100% recycled (50-100% post-consumer), process chlorine free and made using either green energy or electricity that is offset with renewable energy credits. I will continue to make these same choices whenever possible on future print projects, based on the green initiatives and environmental goals I have in place. But what do these different choices really mean?

• FSC-Certified – Forest Stewardship Council certified. The timber comes from sustainable forests that ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial, and economically viable way. All processing to make and use the paper must be part of the FSC chain-of-custody, meaning all printers, bindery and finishing is from an FSC-certified company.
• Post-consumer – waste paper from your home or office is recycled to make new paper, thereby preventing more waste being added to the landfill. When paper is labeled “recycled,” it could also include pre-consumer fiber. Pre-consumer is waste paper from manufacturers or processors that wasn’t used to make a consumer product. Rather than end up in the landfill, it is recycled to make new paper.
• Process Chlorine Free – paper is left unbleached or bleached without chlorine compounds.
• Green Energy – the energy used to produce the paper is from wind, solar or another renewable source.

 

Here’s an interesting comparison showing the difference between two types of recycled paper. Are you surprised that the savings are as high for one of the choices?

Both comparisons are based on 500 sheets, 80# cover, 8.5”x11”.
Stats provided by Neenah Paper Eco-Calculator for iPhone.

By simply choosing 100% post-consumer paper you can make a difference. Your graphic designer or commercial printer can help you choose the specific option that is best for you and your project. It’s a balance between being environmentally responsible and having your marketing project look its best. Many papers will fill both roles. Yes, being “green” is becoming the thing to do, but when it’s this easy why wouldn’t you make such a small choice for a big impact?