Eco greeting card business 1 Tree Cards, has reached a 250,000 milestone with its tree-planting, bee-feeding cards.
Created by wife-duo Bec and Michiko Kijima, and their friend Sylvain Rolando, each 1 Tree Card plants one tree.
They began three years ago with the aim of using greeting cards as a vehicle for positive change. Cards are already sent with feelings of goodwill and the team wanted to amplify those to help the planet and communities around the world.
Having studied marine biology and worked in recycling awareness, Bec knows just how much our choices affect our planet. She said: “We believe in a circular economy, which is why our cards are 100% recycled – so that our waste has somewhere useful (and beautiful) to go. Our cards are foil, glitter and plastic free so won’t remain on our planet for thousands of years. Instead, they can be popped into the recycling bin to be recycled again.’’
The eco benefits don’t end there – each 1 Tree Card also comes with a small token inside letting the receiver know that ‘1 tree has been planted’ for them. Made from flower seeds and recycled cotton, these can be planted to grow flowers and help feed declining bee populations.
Having picked up multiple awards for their festive card packs, including a Gift of the Year Award, the team went on to launch another world’s first… tree planting wrapping paper. Each 100% recycled sheet comes with a flower seed gift tag and, like each card, plants one tree.
Festive and everyday ranges can be found on the company website and in more than 250 independent stockists across the UK. Rose Pearson, owner of Thoughtful Living in Leek, Staffordshire said: “1 Tree Cards quickly became our best seller over Christmas, our customers loved the whole concept and we couldn’t get them in fast enough, particularly the festive boxes. We get many people coming back to tell us how much the recipient loved them too.”
