Earlier this year, C-Line’s new biodegradable letter size expanding files were nominated in the North American Office Products Awards (NAOPA). Because of their biodegradability, the products received finalist honors in the “Environmentally Friendly Product of the Year” category.

C-Line was selected as a finalist in this category, along with four other products. Unfortunately, C-Line did not take top honors during the awards ceremony, which was organized by OPI and held last month during SP Richards’ annual Advantage Business Conference. Although C-Line did not win the category, it is still an honor to be recognized out of the over 270 products submitted across the eight categories.

The Gimme 5 recycling program is an initiative that helps consumers to recycle their rigid plastic, number 5 containers, such as yogurt cups and hummus tubs. Because many residential recycling programs don’t accept this type of plastic, they have designated certain retail locations for you to drop off your containers.  These locations include Whole Foods markets and select community co-op programs. If you don’t live near a participating location, the program also offers a mail return option.  Through the program, old containers are turned in such things as toothbrushes and razors.

Currently, the storage box is the only product we carry that is rigid enough for this program. When you have used your storage box for the last time, either consider donating it to a local Goodwill store or other local donation center, or turning it in to the Gimme 5 program. And hopefully, the program will be extended to include softer versions of polypropylene so you won’t have troubles recycling your sheet protectors, project folders, etc.

Again, happy Earth Day!

Check out just a few of the ways this common office product can help you to help the planet’s ecosystem:

Biodegradable Sheet Protectors

With the addition of an additive during the manufacture of the plastic used for the sheet protector, the holder becomes biodegradable, when tested according to the American Society for Testing and Materials’ (ASTM) D5511. The ASTM testing indicates that when buried in a microbial landfill, the polypropylene in this product will biodegrade in two to five years. Because of the wide variation in landfill systems, actual timing may vary. For more information on the biodegradable process, check out our Biodegradable Products FAQ section.

Recycled Sheet Protectors

Some people don’t understand what we mean when we say “recycled”. For this product, it means that the plastic sheet protectors contain at least 70% pre-consumer material. Still aren’t clear?  The plastic used to make this sheet protector was diverted from the solid waste stream before being used by a consumer. While it does meet the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) definition of recycled, it may not meet your state’s definition of recycled because of variances in state legislature.

Recycling the Plastic

Yes, even if the sheet protectors you use aren’t either of the above, you can still help out the environment. All of our sheet protectors are made from either polypropylene or vinyl, both of which are recyclable materials. For our polypropylene sheet protectors, make sure that you are able to recycle number 5 (PP) items. For the vinyl protectors, your recycling facility must be able to accept number 3 (Vinyl or PVC) items.

Recycling programs for all materials may not exist in your area. If you aren’t sure, check with your recycling company or your municipality. In my village, this information is included in our monthly resident newsletter. I am lucky enough to live in a community that accepts all numbers (1 – 7) in their residential recycling program.

Happy Earth Day (one day early)!

1. Create a place to store and organize tax related papers. Whether you use folders, envelopes, or an expanding file, designate some sort of storage holder for all papers that will be needed come tax time.  A terrific storage option is the biodegradable legal size expanding file, which can easily accommodate oversize and legal size papers. If you don’t have a lot of tax-related documents, think about using a letter size expanding file.  The pockets allow you to still separate your different papers, without the entire file taking up too much space in your bag, file drawer or office. Or, if you are one of the lucky ones and need very little paperwork to file, then consider using a reusable poly envelope.
2. Commit to being organized. It does you no good to have these files set up, but then not use them. For example, throughout the year, my husband and I routinely donate to the local Goodwill store.  Every time we drop off some items, we are given a receipt, I fill it out with a list of the donated items and place it in a folder marked “Donations”. And when I donated to a radio-a-thon last year and received a thank you letter to be used for my tax return, it went in the “Donations” folder as well.
3. Don’t delay. Unless you want to put off filing your return for financial reasons (like, if you owe money) or are still waiting for required forms required, file as soon as possible. This ensures you won’t have last-minute rushing around to do if your return isn’t accepted, or if some other problem occurs. Plus, if you are expecting a refund, why put off getting back your money?!
4. Store your old papers and prepare for next year. Once your return is filed and accepted, archive your documents and a printout of the return in what you were storing the papers in, whether it was an expanding file or poly envelope. Designate a new holder for next year and begin again.

Do you have a tax time organization tip that you follow every year? Comment below.

The bio name badge holder features three hanging options and an additional additive in the poly that causes it to biodegrade in landfills.

The biodegradable name badges look like the other plastic name badge holders. There is one main different though – the poly used to make this holder has an additional additive that causes the plastic to breakdown in landfills and leaves no toxic residue. One more thing about this name tag – it is also recyclable and compostable – BONUS!

The badge doesn’t have a clip, pin or magnet attached to it, but does come with a hanging cord, plus a few handy holes that increase your hanging options.  The three round holes across the top, allow you to use the holder with a pin. But the other funky-looking cut-out at the top lets you slip the badge onto any shirt button. I’ve blogged about that neat feature before, while talking about meeting introductions.

In addition to the product being environmentally friendly, the packaging is, as well. The product is packed in SFI certified packaging. This means that the paper used on the packaging came from a forest with responsible forestry practices.

I like knowing that I can stay organized, whether in the office or at home, with these products. And when I am done using them, I also like knowing that these items won’t leave a footprint on the Earth. I could rattle off all the features and benefits of the bio product lineup, or you could read our Biodegradable Products FAQs section for more information (trust me, it is better at explaining the process then I am).

Here is my bio document case with portfolios and envelopes in it to keep my papers in order.

And what, you may ask, did I do with my old project folders, which were not biodegradable? Well, those are recyclable, where facilities are available, and I just so happen to live in a community that accepts all forms of plastic (#1-7) for recycling. Check with facilities in your area before throwing out that old report cover or expanding file; you may be able to recycle them.

The award was handed out earlier this month, during the BSA Annual Forum in Florida. Although C-Line did not take home the top prize, it is still an honor to be recognized for our innovative office products and support for the environment.

Because of the award deadline, the newest lineup of biodegradable products from C-Line were not in contention for the award. Maybe next year?!?

Office product printer templates let you easily and neatly customize many of your C-Line products, including binder labels (as shown above), name badges, media storage and more.

Many of C-Line’s current products are readily available for customization via printing templates – from name badges to binder label holders. You can personalize each badge, tab and label as you want; even add images or company logos. And if you are a teacher or know someone in the education field, have them check out the educational templates for dry erase pockets and dry erase sheets. And have them read all about how to use dry erase pockets in their classroom. In the printer template gallery, you can find printing templates for:

• Name Badges
• Name Tents
• Dry Erase Sheets
• Dry Erase Pockets
• Media Storage
• Index Tabbed Products
• Binder Label Holders
• HOL-DEX® Shelf/Bin Label Holders
• BIND-X® Data Binder Label Holders

Having trouble with the templates from the website? Be sure to read “How to download a template” and you’ll be walked through the process.

Or, if you already in your Microsoft® program, you can access one of our templates from there. Microsoft® has handy instructions on their website on how to find a printer template on your computer.

The first person up is Judi Krumwiede, Vice President of Employee and Customer Relations. Unfortunately, she could not pick just one product, so she divided her two favorite items into categories – at the office and at home.

C-Line At The Office

Assorted Colored Project Folders are versatile for every office. Use them to store projects, organize documents, or protect your frequently used papers.

For Judi’s everyday office organization, she likes all of the report covers and project folders, but it is the box of assorted colored projects folders that she favors above all other products. In her opinion, she likes all the colors, but smoke is her favorite for its “professional look and easy-to-read-through quality”. What’s sitting in her top desk drawer? Not extra pens, not a pad of sticky notes, but dozens of project folders. This way, “they are always within reach when I need them”.

C-Line At Home

The 13-Pocket Expanding File expands up to 9 inches wide to hold your important letters and documents. Adhesive labels, which are included, make customization a snap.

While at home, storage and organization are what’s important to Judi. So her favorite household item is the C-Line 13-pocket expanding file, in either purple or pink. She keeps her important household paperwork, such as bills, statements, travel documents, etc. filed in it. She thinks the product is so excellent because of its storage capacity, “each pocket expands wide, so that you can put a lot of stuff in it”. And because the expanding file features 13 pockets, your organizational options are open to meet your needs, from monthly to categorically. It is up to you. “I just love it!”, she declares when talking about this product.

Agree with Judi’s choices or have a different favorite C-Line product? Tell me about it below.

Amid the world’s growing concern for our planet’s preservation, C-Line has begun to develop office products that are eco-friendly.

For many years the company has included recycled sheet protectors and recycled project folders in their product line. Not only are these products made from recycled material, but are recyclable themselves.

Last year, C-Line became the first manufacturer to introduce biodegradable sheet protectors and biodegradable project folders to the industry. You may thinking, what exactly makes a plastic holder biodegradable? Well, biodegradable products must be “capable of decomposing under natural conditions”, according to the EPA. The products contain an additional additive that allows the item to breakdown when deposited in a landfill or the ground. Depending on environmental conditions, the sheet protectors and project folders fully degrade in two to five years.

The company has just introduced an eco-friendly name badge holder that is biodegradable, recyclable and compostable to complement the other C-Line environmentally-friendly office products. And as an added benefit, the biodegradable name badge holder does not require pins, string or lanyards. The top portion is notched in a special way, that allows the holder to slip over any shirt button and hang from there.  Now, how is that for environmentally-friendly?

Happy Earth Day!