Mindfully elegant stationery with a light touch...
…that’s the goal here. I’m passionate about protecting the environment, and just as passionate about delivering beautifully personal paper goods and sustainable wedding invitations that are the perfect fit for you and your wedding.
So, when I talk about sustainability or being eco-conscious in my work, it absolutely doesn’t mean that I’ll be lecturing you about any of your wedding or lifestyle choices, or forcing limited, unattractive materials on you in the name of being green. Quite the opposite!
You will have beautiful and meaningful sustainable wedding invitations that will never compromise on style or quality.
To me, sustainability is about challenging the norms and puzzling out new ways to create beautiful things. Without having a negative effect on the planet.
Having a sustainable wedding and invitations is not about denial or limitation, and absolutely not about hitting you over the head with scary messages! As with every aspect of my design process (and the way I live my life), it’s about being mindful and considered, to figure out how the detail, depth and elegance of every design that leaves my studio remains unchanged, while lessening its environmental impact.
I’m constantly learning, discovering new techniques, new materials and new suppliers to partner with to achieve this, and it’s something I’m committed to keep learning and challenging myself about for the rest of my life.
How is your wedding stationery sustainable?
Below are just a few of the ways in which your finished stationery will strive to be as eco-friendly and sustainable as it is stylish. Helping you achieve the sustainable wedding of your dreams.
The materials
- All the papers and cardstocks that I use are FSC certified. This means they’re forested sustainably.
- Wherever possible I use recycled or part recycled papers, which help to reduce landfill and use less water (and fewer lovely trees) for production.
- For bespoke stationery I can also use tree-free papers, or seeded papers, which can be planted to grow a colourful explosion of bee-friendly wildflowers. (I love that this is possible!).
- Your stationery will have a range of gorgeous additional details and finishing touches, but they will be a plastic-free zone and will either be fully reusable, recyclable or bio-degradable. Think hand-dyed silk ribbons, vegan silks, cotton tassels and metal clasps.
- The ways in which the paper itself is treated are also focused on being recyclable. No plastic, only foils that can be recycled, no laminations or tiny stick on gems.
The process
- The printers I use have been carefully researched and share my values. Many of these use exclusively vegetable inks or vegan approved inks.
- The suppliers I use for your finishings have all been selected for their environmental methods and shared ethos. All ribbons are hand-dyed in small batches, some even using natural dying methods. My twines are made from with natural jute or finely twisted papers.
- When posting your finished stationery to you (one of the most exciting bits, wrapping it up like a precious treasure to be uncovered!), I’m mindful of all the packaging materials used. Once again, it’s a big fat no to all plastics, and all the wrappings and packaging can either be recycled or composted.
The journey
- This is a big one. With every design, I look at its whole lifespan. My eco-friendly ethos doesn’t end with the delivery of your stationery into your excited hands. I want to make sure I’ve considered what happens after your wedding day too, and where these lovingly designed bits of paper and card will end up. Every last tiny element of your stationery will be either fully reusable, recyclable, biodegradable or, in some cases, plantable.
- And on the subject of plantable things, I pledge to plant a tree with the National Trust dedicated to you and your wedding if you order a full suite of stationery from Ellie & Liv. Find out more about the National Trust’s tree pledge over on my Giving Back page, which details more about the charities I support.
