Spotlight On....Rebinder.com

GP: How green is your business - what green business practices do you embrace?

RB: I’d preface to say that we aren’t a “green business” but rather a company that has chosen to make great products by taking accountability beginning to end.  Starting with local material sourcing, through manufacturing and to our product’s end of life.

Outside of just recycling, all of our organic food waste is separated and composted.  We reuse boxes, packing material whenever we can.  We are virtually a paperless office, with the exception of a printed packing list that goes out with orders.

GP: How green are your products - what green products/components do you offer?

RB: All of the products that we make contain the highest percentage of recycled fiber in content (70-100%).  Our chipboard and corrugated materials are sourced locally (Seattle, WA) using recycled content sourced from our state’s waste stream. Our flagship product – the ReBinder, has a removable and recyclable cover.  Should your ReBinder cover ever need replacing, it’s as simple as removing two screws that secure the ring metals and your old cover can be recycled.  We sell easy to install replacement covers at a fraction of the cost of purchasing a new binder; plus you can reused the old set of rings.  Many of our other products compliment the ReBinder ; including tab dividers, pocket folders, notebooks and mailing envelopes also made from 100% recycled chipboard.

Our ReSleeve and RePlay products are great for packaging CD or DVDs.  These two products have been a hit for Photographers.  Nothing does a better job at getting your message across to your client when your CD is stored in a ReSleeve or RePlay.

ReBinder’s products are available off the shelf or can be custom screen printed with non-toxic, water-based inks.

GP: Why did you choose to offer green products and implement green business practices?

RB: Making recycled office supplies out of recycled materials was the whole premise of starting our business.  The idea was inspired over 5 years ago while running another company.  Each year we would receive a new sales guide from every vendor we did business with.  Each sales guide came in a vinyl three ring binder.  Over the course of 12 years, we saved almost every plastic binder that was sent to us.  The shear guilt of knowing that these binders would ultimately end up in a landfill one day just didn’t sit right with me.  There had to be a better mousetrap.  We experimented with several materials and finally came up with a binder with a removable cover that could be recycled.  Recycled corrugated and chipboard were the two materials we chose because they were readily available and could be easily recyclable end of life - regardless of what part of the country you lived in.  The same product development followed suite with the other products we added to our line.  The challenge has always been to create products that are better than buying the alternative (namely plastic) that would ultimately end up in a landfill.

GP: How has offering green products and implementing green business practices affected your company?

RB: From the viewpoint of the products we make, I think being part of the solution always feels better than being part of the problem.  I can say that as a consumer, I am a far different shopper than I used to be.  We really look at products, packaging and waste differently. Countless positive feedback about our products from customers always helps to solidify what we’re doing.  Seeing and hearing about small changes our employees make in their personal lives and the people around them is also inspiring.

GP: What are your hopes for a greener photographic industry?

RB: We’re flattered that the photography industry has embraced our line of products.  We hope our company can evolve to meet more of the industry’s requirements for better recycled products.

GP: What is your favorite eco website or eco-product that we may not have heard of?

RB:  Greenware Products manufactures some great biodegradable/compostable cutlery made from FSC Certified wood.  Their products are about the same price as the disposable plastic alternative.  While companies have created similar products made of biobased plastics (corn, wheat and potato) those products aren’t widely accepted through commercial composting programs and they end up being sent to a landfill.  Because Greenware’s products are made of wood, they can be put in with your curbside green waste container or even tossed into a bon fire on a camping trip.
Thanks so much to Brad Hole of Rebinder.com for taking the time to answer our questions!  Brad has been kind enough to extend an exclusive offer: Greener Photographer Members can save 20% off of any of ReBinder's products by entering GRNRPHOTO at time of checkout.

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