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What are your Top 3 Pieces of Paper?

Imagine this. You have three minutes or less to pack. And there’s only one rule: Bring what you like, but only take 3 pieces of paper. In those few moments, what would you bring?

For some, the answer is clear. Pictures, homemade cards and autographs would fill the space. But for others, the practical essentials are a top priority. No matter your choice, the majority of Americans said these three pieces of paper were the most important.

What’s in the Bag?

Okay, so your bag might include a special photo, homemade card or art project. But what about other Americans, what three pieces of paper are they bringing, and how do you compare? A surveyed asked 1,000 U.S. adults about their favorite pieces of paper, and the results were interesting.

Responses ranged from medical records to important stock certificates. But there were a few common patterns.

Birth certificate
The majority of Americans wanted to bring their birth certificate. After all, this little piece of paper is required for the basics – like getting a driver’s license and securing a passport. The original purpose of birth certificates were tax related, and to determine the available military manpower. Rather than registering the certificates with the government, the documents were registered with churches until the 19^th century.

Marriage License
They also agreed that a marriage license is pretty important. Similar to the birth certificate, this document is sometimes needed for identification purposes, especially for females who elect to change their last name. The history of marriage licenses, however, wasn’t always so formal. For most of Western history, marriage was a private contract between two families. And until the 16^th century, many churches accepted a marriage based on two people saying they had exchanged vows – without any witnesses.

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Social security card
And finally, Americans said they aren’t leaving home without their social security card – which by the way didn’t even exist until 1936. The original purpose of the social security card was to track an individuals’ account within the Social Security program. But since its inception, social security numbers transitioned into a tax and identification role. Up until 1986, people didn’t even receive a social security number until age 14, since the numbers were used to track income.

What are your three most important pieces of paper? 
Are they official documents, like the ones listed above? Or would you take the less traveled road, and pack photos, diplomas or other keepsakes?
Please share by leaving a comment below. 

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Little Known Uses for Paper in Schools

The sun is still shining in most parts of the country. But for the 79 million U.S. students returning to school, those long summer days are quickly coming to an end. For parents, this means the lengthy and costly task of back to school shopping has arrived.

U.S. families spend nearly $7.4 billion on clothing and 2.2 billion on books during back to school shopping. In fact, a National Retail Federation report found that parents of K to 12 children shell out about $688.62 on back to school supplies, which is on the rise. Yet even with large technology advances in recent years, paper is still a staple on many back to school supply lists.

But how is this paper being used? And what are some paper items that you wouldn’t expect to find in the classroom? Read on to find out.

Writing abroad
Social studies classrooms across the nation are joining programs to connect students around the world. They develop friendships, learn about new cultures – and experience the daily life through the eyes of a child outside their everyday world, while using simple paper and envelopes.

Elementary mixology
 Water, glue and paper. These are the simple, yet powerful, ingredients that many children are experiencing for the very first time. Together, they allow children to create everything from dinosaur eggs, to hats – and even piggy banks.

Paper plate transformation
Paper plates have become a familiar canvas in many classrooms, carefully transforming a disposable household item into scary masks, animals and even holiday cards.

Paper cylinders, from the bathroom
 When purchasing toilet paper, the last thing you think about is that tiny cardboard roll ending up in the hands of students. But for many teachers, they’re a staple. These strong but basic items turn into butterflies, finger puppets and other unlikely crafts.

Are you prepared for back to school? 
What’s the strangest item on your shopping list this year? Please share by leaving a comment below.

 

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Stock up on APEC's Paper Sheet and Card Stock !

Who Invented Paper, and Why Did they Keep it a Secret for Years?

If you had a valuable secret, would you share it with others – or keep it to yourself? That’s the same question China faced many centuries ago when their leader invented paper, which was a highly coveted and precious item.

Today, you might not consider paper “precious” with Americans using an average of 675 pounds of paper annually. But in 105 A.D., it was the secret that everyone wanted.

The Hidden Origin of Paper

Paper was invented in 105 A.D. Records show that the Eastern Han Emperor Ts’ai Lun developed paper by harvesting bark and fibers from a mulberry tree, and pounding those materials into a sheet. Later the quality was improved by adding hemp and old fishing nets to the pulp before the pounding process.

Paper was used for writing within a few years, with the Chinese developing the first printed newspaper. But the country knew they had something special, and guarded the secret closely.

Why so Valuable?

Paper allowed China to develop their civilization faster. Other countries wanted to learn how to make paper, after viewing China’s new invention. But China refused, and continued to guard their valuable secret carefully. However, this all changed in 751 A.D.

The country’s army was defeated, and Chinese soldiers and paper makers were captured. The result? The Arabs were the new owner of powerful secrets of making paper. In fact, the Europeans didn’t learn how to make paper until several centuries later.

Today’s paper is a lot different than the old paper style. Centuries ago it was thick and bulky, and now it’s thin and produced by smaller fibers. But it continues to be a valuable item in our civilization, and is still used daily by most people across the world.

If you were the only person in the world who knew how to make paper, would you keep it a secret? 
Please share by leaving a comment below. 

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These Glo-tone Envelopes are so attractive you won't want to keep them a secret!

Will the Practice of Using Paper Disappear?

Technology has evolved quickly. And with this evolution, some people wonder about the practice of using paper – will it disappear? A few decades ago, this question would have seemed crazy. The word “email” wasn’t in our vocabulary, “tweet” was a sound that birds make - and the idea of connecting to family and friends through social media would have seemed impossible. But this has all changed.

With our ability to market and send messages online, you can’t help but wonder about paper: Will it face the same fate as records and VHS tapes?

The Marketing Impact

Marketers have more tools than ever to reach prospects. They have traditional channels, like direct mail, print, billboards and commercials – plus everything the Internet has to offer. But with the new options, will companies stop printing marketing materials and direct mail? Probably not.

In fact, using paper along with other types of media can increase the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. That’s why, even despite technology advances, businesses still rely on paper products for over 35 percent of their marketing budgets. The majority of this is spent on printing direct mail pieces, which 81% of consumers read daily, according to the Printing Industries of America and the Direct Marketing Association.  

Paper Preferences

Even better for paper, most Americans still favor reading on it. According to the Manufacturers Association, 66% of Americans prefer reading materials on paper. So, even with the evolution of the Internet, social media and other platforms, the practice of paper is here to stay.

Do you think paper will disappear in the future? 
If so, please share by leaving a comment below.

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Business Envelopes are great for direct mailings!

The Upside of Paper

Have you ever wondered what it would be like, if instead of using paper – you were paper? It’s a crazy thought. Would you end up in the landfills, or continue getting used and recycled for many years to come? The answer may surprise you.

Since paper is one of the few truly sustainable  products on earth, and requires little to no fossil fuels  for production, you would likely have a very long life. And that process would start with a tree.  

Living among the Trees

Your life, as a piece of paper, would start with the trees. In the forest, you would grow and wait to be harvested. But don’t worry, you wouldn’t be alone. The United States grows more trees than they harvest, with the U.S. forestland remaining about the same over the past 100 years – even though the American population has tripled.

After years of growth, and watching landowners manage the forest responsibility, you’d likely move away from the forest. The transformation from tree to paper would begin.

APEC has 100% Recycled Envelopes

The Next Stage

Eventually, you’d end up in a pulp mill, which would transform you from a tree into paper products. From there, you’d travel to a store, and then someone’s home or office. But don’t despair, your story doesn’t end here. About 57.4 percent of all paper products consumed in the U.S. are recovered for recycling, which is nearly 340 pounds for each man, woman and child.

So, more than likely, your journey would continue.  

And that continuation would begin at a recycled paper processing mill, where you would be converted into new paper products, made from the recovered fiber. Fiber can be used 5-7 times before it becomes too short, so you’d continue this process for quite a while.

Forest Responsibility

Ok, so you like being paper. But not all of your friends back in the forest want the same career choice. Some want to house bird nests, and homes for wild animals. Rest assured, that forest responsibility, which makes forestlands subject to government regulations – is keeping many of those trees healthy and rooted in the ground. In fact, the industry has taken these regulations a step further to promote responsible forest management.

For example, Forest Management Certification, is a non-regularity alterative that promotes the responsible stewardship of forests. The program provides a private incentive to encourage land owners to use responsible forest management practices that benefit the environment and society.

To qualify, the forest manager must undergo a rigorous process to ensure the forestland conforms to regulations, which includes a detailed review of the forest management systems and their results on the ground. Every five years, this process is repeated.

So overall, the life of paper is long, made from renewable resources, and usually produced responsibly. This gives paper many advantages over nonrenewable alternative materials.

What do you think about paper and the environment? 
Please share by leaving a comment below.

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What Emotion is your Color Choice Triggering? You Might be Surprised…

Color is a powerful tool for ads, direct mail and other types of marketing and advertising materials. For every color, there’s an emotional response  – which allows people to feel something, without reading a single word.

That’s probably why research has found a connection between color and purchasing decisions. So, you might be wondering: Are my color choices making the right impact? Read on to find out.

Unlocking the Secrets of Color
Understanding the vocabulary and psychological associations  of specific colors is powerful knowledge. KISSmetrics, a research company that organizes person-centric data, decoded the feelings associated with commonly used colors, including:

Yellow: This color is perceived as optimistic and youthful. It’s often used to secure the attention of people window shopping.

Red: The emotion most associated with red is energy. This color choice tends to increase the heart rate and create a sense of urgency. That’s why many companies use red to promote clearance sales.

Blue: Trust and security are the feelings most associated with blue. Banks and other businesses often select this color in their marketing materials and branding.

Green: This color is often associated with wealth, and it’s the easiest color for eyes to process. If you want to make consumers relaxed, green is usually a smart choice.

Orange: Consumers interpret the color orange as aggressive. Many businesses use it to create a call to action, to subscribe and buy or sell something.

Pink: Pink is often interpreted as romantic and feminine, and commonly used to capture the attention of women and young girls.

Black: This color is perceived as powerful and sleek. Black is used to market luxury products.

Purple: Purple is a soothing and calming color, often used to sell beauty or anti-aging products.

The Gender Color Connection
The KISSmetrics study also uncovered a connection between color and gender. For example, studies show that women commonly respond well to blue, purple and green. However, they don’t like orange, brown and gray.

Color also plays an important role with men. For example, men love the colors blue, green and black. But they don’t like brown, orange and purple.


What do you think about color and the emotional impact?
Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

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