Ottawa’s green stationery story: how greenre is colouring outside the lines
When Ottawa-based company greenre began making stationery, craft and back-to-school supplies, the goal was simple yet ambitious: replace wasteful single-use plastic and toxic products with materials that are safe for kids and kinder to the planet.
🌱 From waste-aware manufacturing to eco-conscious products
The company was born from the experience of its founder, who had spent years in manufacturing and saw firsthand how much waste—even in everyday items—ends up in landfills.
With greenre, that inspired a pivot: all products and packaging are made from recycled materials, bio-fibers or “new-age” biopolymers — and wherever possible, printed with soy-based ink rather than conventional, chemical-heavy printing.
For greenre, “eco-design” is not a niche add-on but the core. Their philosophy: “for every tree we save, we plant three more.”
📚 Bringing sustainable stationery to store shelves (and kids’ desks)
greenre didn’t stay small. After years of R&D and perfecting its materials and supply chains, the company launched broadly in Canada in 2021.
Their products — including colouring books, notebooks, art supplies and back-to-school sets — began to appear at major retailers across the country, bringing eco-conscious choices to families at mass-market pricing.
As per CBC’s coverage, this marks a fundamental shift — proving that sustainable stationery doesn’t have to be expensive or niche, but can be part of standard everyday shopping.
🌍 More than stationery: a larger environmental commitment
What makes greenre stand out isn’t just the materials — it’s also their impact mindset. By partnering with a major reforestation non-profit, they commit to planting trees for the environmental cost saved via recycling.
Moreover, through “eco-design, waste-stream utilisation, and circular-economy thinking,” the company aims to reduce carbon footprint and set a new benchmark for sustainable retail.
👨👩👧👦 Why this matters — especially for kids & parents
The majority of stationery and kids’ products globally are still made with plastics, toxic inks, or unsustainable paper. As greenre’s founder noted in the CBC interview, it’s “unbelievable” how much waste originates from children’s products.
By offering eco-friendly alternatives — without sacrificing design, fun, or affordability — greenre doesn’t just help reduce waste: it educates the next generation about environmental responsibility.
✨ The bigger picture: changing an industry one pencil at a time
greenre’s story shows how a small, conscious brand can disrupt conventional consumer habits. Their journey — from realizing manufacturing waste to building partnerships with big retail chains and entertainment brands — is a blueprint for how sustainability can scale.
In shining a spotlight on greenre, CBC Ottawa helps amplify the message that going green doesn’t just belong to “specialty hipsters,” but to everyday families, students, and communities.
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