Rachel joined my team in January 2021 and has now had a year of Flamingo Paperie. She wanted to compliment her existing healthcare business (which is mainly Neal’s Yard Remedies) with cards and gift wrap. She felt she needed to make her business different. To make it more special and offer a complete gift package to customers.
Rachel’s first year of Flamingo Paperie
So I caught up with Rachel to find out how it all started and how Flamingo has benefitted her over the past year. Have a watch and listen and let Rachel inspire you to earn more when you add Flamingo Paperie to your life.
What Rachel really brought out to me was how relaxed she is about it all. I know Rachel has worked hard to get her Flamingo business off the ground. She is very focussed and has been very successful. She’s grown her customer base and seen her team grow with new team members too. Yet she’s really quite chilled! As she says herself it’s about sharing what’s already a fabulous, beautiful bundle of quality, affordable cards, gift wrap and stationery.
How will you make Flamingo Paperie work for you?
However you decide to fit Flamingo in to your life, I’m here with the rest of my team to support you to do your business, your way.
If like Rachel you already run a home biz then Flamingo Paperie could help you grow your business. Maybe you have a skincare, health, beauty, mindfulness or therapy biz? Or perhaps you supply gifts and homeware?
What makes your biz more special than everyone else who’s selling the same thing?
I am finding more and more people joining my Flamingo team to enhance their existing business. They are now offering the ‘full package’ by adding cards and gift wrap.
🎁 The complete gift experience 🎁
If you’d like to find out more about Rachel’s business you can visit her at rainbowsandremedies.com
You’ve watched Blue Planet, you love turtles and you want to do your bit to be eco friendly. But you are a bit confused by mixed messages about whether you should be using gift wrap, brown paper, newspaper or even wrapping presents at all. Whether it’s for Christmas, a birthday or for any occasion you can gift wrap in style without costing the earth. I’ve put this little post together to help you answer the question; Is gift wrapping paper recyclable?
A really quick test is the Scrunch Test but it’s not quite as simple as that.
So which gift wrapping is recyclable?
Supermarket ‘cheap as chips’ wrapping paper
Probably not recyclable. Even if it doesn’t contain any glitter, foil or added extras, the thin wrapping paper that is often found at the checkout is unlikely to be accepted by paper mills for recycling as it contains few good quality fibres for recycling.
Gift wrap with foil or glitter effects
The paper might be recyclable but the glitter and foil effects make it difficult and too expensive (if it is even possible) to recycle. At least the paper will biodegrade if put in general household waste but the foil and glitter additives might not.
Recycled wrapping paper
Yes, most probably recyclable, providing no glitter, foil etc is added. You can get recycled wrapping paper. However, there is a debate as to whether it is better to produce recycled paper or use virgin pulp from FSC certified sources as the recycling process itself is expensive and energy consuming. Another alternative could be using paper from easily replenishable sources such as bamboo that grows quickly.
Brown paper
This shouldn’t be recycled but should go in the compostable bin along with brown cardboard but that’s ok. Good environmental option! Not so good if you want a pretty design as you’ll have to do one yourself and make sure any design you apply is also compostable! Check out my Pinterest board for some ideas. Use vegetable based inks to stamp the paper and add natural embellishments like twigs, flowers and berries that can also be composted.
Or you can buy coloured kraft wrap that is 100% recyclable.
Printed, quality wrapping paper
Yes, this wrapping paper is recyclable. One thing you might like to check is what inks are used in the print. Some companies use eco friendly vegetable based inks that do not harm the environment. Also check if the paper used is from FSC sources.
All of the gift wrap in my Flamingo shop is 100% recyclable, uses vegetable based inks and is from FSC sources.
We can confirm that all Flamingo Paperie gift wrap is recyclable. It is printed on Amber Graphic Material which is ECF (Elemental Chlorine Free). This is a technique which uses chlorine dioxide for the bleaching of wood pulp and does not use elemental chlorine gas during the bleaching process, so preventing the formation of dioxins, dioxin-like compounds and carcinogens. We also use vegetable inks with water rather than the alcohol damping process. Individual local authorities have their own rules on what they will and will not recycle, but we can confirm that our paper is fully recyclable. (statement from Flamingo HQ)
If you are a designer looking to print your own gift wrap then there are UK print companies that have a very high standard of eco friendly printing like Ashley House.
General tips on making gift wrapping paper recyclable
Before recycling or composting your gift wrap make sure you remove all sellotape, tags, ribbons, bows etc. Gift tags might be recyclable/compostable but the ribbon that they are attached often isn’t so make sure you remove it first. If in doubt, ask the company, they will know. Many gift wrap companies have an environmental policy like Flamingo Paperie. In fact all their gift tags, including the jute string, are 100% recyclable. Use washi tape or patterned kraft tape for a recyclable tape option.
Also wondering what Christmas cards to buy? You might be interested to know that all our Christmas cards are charity cards as well as being environmentally friendly.
Flamingo Paperie has now closed down but it’s fabulous range of cards, gift wrap, charity Christmas cards, traditional advent calendars and stationery were well known for their beautiful illustrations and great quality.
I was an Independent Executive Flamingo Partner. I still have much of the fabulous Flamingo range of cards, gift wrap and stationery and I also stock other non Flamingo items such as colour in tablecloths and other gift wrap on this website.
Be the first to know
If you want to receive exclusive special offers, sneak previews and information about new releases as they happen and/or the latest Flamingo brochure then click here.
If you really love Flamingo Paperie then you need to also join my Flamingo Customer Club and you’ll get a free gift with your first order in my Flamingo Shop.
What’s New?
The new Flamingo Paperie range is out now. We have an exciting Christmas range for 2022 including our traditional advent calendars and our well-known advent calendar cards.
New products come out about 5 times a year. If you’d like to be up to date with the latest just ask.
You can still get hold of a few Phoenix Trading products. Just ask me if there is something from the old range you want to get hold of. I may well have it in stock and if not I’ll do my best to find it!
If you have questions about becoming a Flamingo Partner then perhaps my FAQs will help. Get in touch and we can work out what’s best for you.
Sign up now to my Customer Club if you would like me to send you special offers, sneak previews. You can also be involved in the design of new products and more.
I am proud to make a donation each year from a proportion of all Christmas cards sold to Western Isles Cancer Care Initiative (WICCI). A minimum of 10% is donated each year. Throughout the year I also support WICCI supplying them with stickers, paper tape and stationery items for their fabulous rainbow care boxes.
I also attend local craft fairs in the run up to Christmas and there is usually a fee or percentage donation from these sale to local charities and organisations.
Past Christmas donations
Every year Flamingo Paperie donated 1p for each of its charity Christmas cards it produced via the Phoenix International Charity. This in turn supported Macmillan Cancer Support, Cancer Research, Together for Short Lives and lots of local charities that we Flamingo Paperie Partners got to nominate.
In 2016 my nominated charity Hebrides Alpha Project received £150 from the Phoenix International Charity. The Hebrides Alpha Houseing project provides supported accommodation for people recovering from alcohol, drug, mental health or crimal justice related issues.
Over the past few years Laxdale Cubs and Beavers invited me several times to help them raise money for their nominated charities. Because of this, I thought it was time to give them something in return. So I nominated them as my local charity for 2017. I’ve already donated £100 from your Christmas card orders this year.
I was also really privileged in early December 2017 to support a coffee afternoon in memory of a family friend. From Christmas card sales that afternoon I gave £50 towards Cancer Research UK.
Flamingo Paperie charity Christmas cards – look good, are good and do good!
Click here to buy your cards now and support some great causes.
The 1p donation by Flamingo Paperie was unusual for card publishers. This is not the same as the usual charity donation on Christmas cards that retailers give. Flamingo Paperie are effectively the wholesaler in this case. It’s unusual for a wholesaler to make a charity donation on cards.
