Little Difference (greetings cards on recycled paper)

Little Difference is a fantastic company that produces greetings cards on recycled card (the company is co-founded by an artist from Isle of Wight). Although now based in New Zealand, the cards for UK shipping addresses are printed in Kent, to save on air miles.

Instead, this company uses profits to help fund tree-planting projects in deforestation-risk countries like Madagascar, home to more unique species than anywhere else on earth.

Although FSC-certified card is from ‘sustainable forests’, this still means old growth trees are cut down to make way for fast-growing plantations that use pesticides and don’t give food or shelter to birds and wildlife.

Only send plantable cards to pet-free homes, as many contain toxic herbs and wildflowers. Also most companies use non-native seeds, which are not good for local birds and wildlife. 

Use with zero waste gift wrap. Also read up on keeping pets safe at Christmas (many plants including holly, mistletoe and poinsetta are unsafe).

You can shop by occasion (including Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, any occasion (!), sympathy, new baby, new home, children, father’s day, weddings and thank you cards. Multi-packs are also sold, to stock up!

All are designed by our Isle of Wight native, and all the ‘boring stuff’ is done her husband (accounts etc). Another couple have also come on board, so this is a real ambitious project, to change the plastic-wrapped, tree-chopping-down, not-doing-much-but-make-profits greetings card industry (which often includes glitter that can’t be recycled and contains microplastics).

Wholesale orders are also available, so cards printed in Kent can be sold in independent shops. It can also offer custom designs and wedding stationery on request.

Little Difference also offers lovely calendars and fun art prints for children’s walls (both printed on recycled card and sent in compostable packaging).

Plus there are standard recycled cards (not reusable) but still use up waste paper.