You may or may not know that paper waste represents about 25% or ¼ of the total volume in landfills. Millions of trees are cut down every year to produce paper products. The solution is reducing consumption and waste and recycling. Want to know how you can contribute to reducing paper waste in a fun, creative and attractive way? Let us give you a hint – seed paper.
Let's start with what seed paper is.
These are sheets or rolls of paper in which are embedded various seeds of any crop – alone or mixed. It is made from 100% plant waste from agriculture and is completely biodegradable – it breaks down to cellulose in the soil after the seeds germinate. Seed paper can be cut into any shape, it has a craft or “kraft” look to it as it is rough because of the seeds in it. In this article, we want to offer you some creative ways to use this eco-friendly product.
Practical way to sow flowers, herbs, vegetables
The main purpose of paper seeds is to facilitate the planting of different types of plants – flowers, herbs, spices, vegetables and even ryegrass – by breaking down the substrate in the soil as the seeds germinate and grow. The seeds are machine-incorporated into the paper strips or sheets, allowing for precise dosing, mixing and distribution. Sowing is extremely easy – the paper is laid in the soil, covered with a small amount of soil, watered regularly and that’s it! Thanks to modern technology, all kinds of seed paper are available – discs for pots of flowers and herbs, strips for easy sowing of single vegetable beds, flower carpets with flower mixes and even whole rolls of grass carpet with which to green your yard.
Seeds in paper also allow for some more creative uses without compromising their core function.
A meaningful gift that keeps on giving
Seed papers are a very practical, attractive and idea alternative to loveaina bouquets. Sowing the seeds symbolizes new beginnings, progress, growth, fertility – all things we want to wish for those we love and respect. The very act of growing the seeds we sow brings satisfaction and joy, the flowers and spices we have grown ourselves adorn our homes or enrich our meals. By choosing a card or a paper seed packet instead of a bouquet, you give the ever-fresh mint for countless summer lemonades, overflowing flower boxes on the balcony or garden beds, hours of relaxing hobby gardening and fresh flowers for many bouquets all summer long.
Instead of a fleeting bouquet - a whole garden
To the teacher with love
There are two dates on which we show our appreciation for the children’s teachers and at the same time shudder in horror at the compulsory attendance at the flower markets. But here’s what we suggest – instead of a specially overpriced bouquet for the occasion, which will stay fresh for a few days, and the teacher will have received dozens of them, you can give the teachers a paper with seeds for sowing – a colorful carpet or a box of disks with seeds for pots. The price is similar, but it’s a much more meaningful gift, which shows a personal attitude and carries symbolism – the analogy between sowing seeds and sowing knowledge is eternal and timeless. And the overflowing of wilted bouquets of rubbish bins in the days after 15 September or 24 May are a very sad sight, don’t you think? What a waste!
If you are giving a gift on behalf of the whole class or group, you can add a handmade card with a message on seed paper. If it is on the occasion completion of kindergarten, you can let your little one write just one “Thank you!” or use a colorful rug and have all the children write something – a touching gesture that shows a personal touch and will make every lady feel appreciated. Once sown, the card will delight its recipient with colours and fragrances all summer long.
Here we will insert two hidden advantages of this choice with a wink:
- There’s a chance you could be the hero of the parents’ end-of-year Viber group when it comes to the traditional “What to take to the missus!? ” 🙂
- You can buy the seed paper and make cards out of it anytime and avoid the mad rush at the flower stands.
Wonderful cards with seeds can also delight graduates, symbolizing their growth and your wishes for success on the path they take.
Cards, martenitsi, seed paper packaging
Gift wrap to plant instead of throwing in the container. You can surprise your family or friends by giving them a gift wrapped in seed paper to sow later in their garden or on their balcony. This adds an entire garden of flowers and/or herbs to the gift to enjoy all season long. You can draw on the paper your personal messages or write your wishes. Anyone interested in an environmentally conscious lifestyle will appreciate such creativity.
A few more ideas for handmade seed paper accents:
- Invite
- Cover for scented candle
- Wedding accessories or gifts for guests
- Book Separator
Gift boxes or product kits – our friends at Candles Hot made a wonderful
spring box
with their products and a surprise planting gift, made using our Low Flower Mix.
Corporate gifts and marketing materials
If you want to demonstrate creativity and environmental responsibility, seed paper can give your corporate gifts or branding materials a unique touch and set you apart from your competitors. Original messages about a flourishing business or a fruitful year would fit the concept beautifully and show a personal attitude towards your customers and partners.
Activities for children in the garden
If you ask us, every child should experience gardening in some form. It teaches children patience, responsibility, gives them basic knowledge about nature and can even make them eat vegetables they have grown themselves. But children are impatient and hurried, so products with seeds in paper are especially suitable for them. They are easy to use, the seeds don’t scatter and sowing is quick before they lose patience, they can be cut into different shapes and arranged like a jigsaw puzzle. The nice thing about paper seed products is that they can fit into both small and large projects. Whether they sow a planter on their balcony or grow their own garden in the family yard or that of the kindergarten or playroom – the important thing is to experience the magic of sowing and growing plants and learn to take care of them.
Wonderful material for your creative ideas and personal messages
There are few occasions when you can’t give a card or a note from seeds in paper. If you really have to or insist on serving a bouquet as well, there’s no reason not to combine them.
To cut into the desired shape, you can use cookie cutters, which are available in almost every home. To decorate, you can use decorative stamps, thread, write or draw something according to the occasion and the recipient. You can decorate ready-made seed paper strip cards by inserting the name of the plant into the message. For example – “don’t forget me” written on a ribbon with seeds of forget-me-not. Seed paper allows you to unleash your imagination and creativity like any other paper – you just have to consider the presence of seeds in it, which make it embossed and can fall where you want to cut – provide a looser design so you can get around them. However, this embossing gives a gorgeous “kraft” finish to your products that will definitely make an impression and stand out.
Above we’ve jotted down just a few ideas on how you can use seed paper to create original and personal gifts, enhance your corporate presentation or add value to your products. We are sure that you will think of many more and even better suggestions. You can also search the internet plantable paper, seed paper cards for more ideas. Don’t forget to share them with us by sending us photos or posting on social media. Have a nice day!
And if our article has inspired you but you don’t have seed paper to hand, you can browse the wide variety of seed strips and discs we offer in our online shop.