Research by Sunbeam Hospitality and Andis Corporation shows that about 45% of hotel guests leave the bathroom light on as a night light while they sleep. Indeed night lights are so important to travelers that since 2003 the American Automobile Association TourBook includes the availability of night lights in their reviews of hotels.

Why? Perhaps because the National Safety Council reports that most accidents occur in the bathroom, and that poor lighting is the 6th leading cause pf accidents in the home and a major contributor to hotel room accidents. It seems that people just feel better sleeping with a light on.

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October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and as I wrote before, from a marketing standpoint, the month of October will be filled with awareness raising events in which companies and organizations are often asked to show their support through donations of time, resources, and yes promotional items.

Here are a few more eco-friendly ideas for Ecopreneurists looking to support local Breast Cancer Awareness events and organizations with branded promotional items.

One item that groups always seem to need are gift bags, and the pre-printed non-woven Breast Cancer Awareness bags from Leeds give the Ecopreneurist a chance to donate a stylish “pink” bag at a low cost.

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Logomark is known in the promotional products industry for their detail towards design. In fact they do not have showrooms at Logomark, they have design centers. This attention to design is carrying over into new eco-friendly items which Logomark has started to release for the 2009/2010 season.

The new eco-friendly Ambrose Pen & Pencil set from Logomark is a great example of this combination of green promo and simple, clean design.

The set includes 2 ballpoint pens, 2 pencils and a wood sharpener in a recycled paper tube. All items in the set are made from 100% recycled paper or wood. When I look at the clean lines of this item as well as the practicality of use I think about architects and other design-based businesses that are working in green planning and construction.

At an EQP of just $1.65 with single color imprint, I think the Ambrose Pen and Pencil set is a great marketing tool for any ecopreneurist working in the field of green consultancy or as a small thank you gift for the employees of those same organizations.

If you would like to learn more about the move into eco-friendly promotional items that Logomark is making contact Dustin Smith. If you are interested in these items to promote your own business contact your local promotional items vendor or email info@proformagreen.com for information and pricing.

Check out this clip from the TV show THE LAZY ENVIRONMENTALIST. In the program - which airs on the Sundance Channel Tuesdays at 9 p.m. - host Josh Dorfman is talking to the Lovin’ Cup in New York about an eco-friendly overhaul to their operations.

From the website  “In the Sundance Channel original series THE LAZY ENVIRONMENTALIST, entrepreneur and author Josh Dorfman meets with environmental skeptics — experts in fields as diverse as food, architecture and business — to prove that there are innovative, cost-effective, ecologically sound alternatives that also meet high professional standards”. I encourage all Ecopreneurists to try and catch this program if they can.

In this clip Tonia Guffey is talking to the owners of the Lovin’ Cup in New York about ways to incorporate local fresh flavors into their drinks menu. Actually it is very interesting. At the very end of this clip Josh has a surprise gift for the bar - Flat Tire™ Recycled Rubber Coasters from Americanna.

Here is a link to the clip (sorry I could not figure out how to embed the clip).

For more information on the green credentials of the Flat Tire™ Recycled Rubber Coasters from Americanna contact Michelle Stiles. If you are interested in these items to promote your own business contact your local promotional items vendor or email info@proformagreen.com for information and pricing.

Pacesetter Awards caught our attention at the Proforma 2009 Convention in Denver with their range of award plaques made from eco-friendly materials. Not only is Pacesetter Awards working with some new materials; the actual finishes, plus the multiple sizes and shapes of their products seem to place them ahead of their peers. Unfortunately none of the new line is yet on view at the Pacesetter Awards website or virtual catalog.

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I don’t golf. However selling promotional products, like caps, shirts, golf bags, golf towels and water bottles to those that do is a huge part of the promotional products industry.

Regarding eco-friendly promotional items the industry quickly moved to take care of this space with items like e.c.o apparel, organic cotton golf caps, BPA free water bottles, and even golf bags made from recycled materials.

But I don’t golf. So when I was recently asked which is the better “green” solution regarding golf tees, natural wood (from sustainable sources I would suggest) or biodegradable corn plastic, I simply did not have an answer. It was not something I had thought about and as a non-golfer I don’t know if wood or plastic is better to play off of.

So what are some of the options out there? I took a look at two basic tees.

QuickPoint - the folks with the corn plastic drinkware - also do a nice corn plastic golf tee.  Built from biodegradable corn plastic and made in the USA, these branded corn plastic golf tees run about $85 per 1000 units with a one color imprint.

QuickPoint also does a nice LINKS PAC in their Nature/ad™ line with one imprinted ballmarker and five 2 3/4″ tees for EQP $0.64. Biodegradable corn plastic comes in a number of bright colors as well as the “natural wood” finish (as shown above).

The QuickPoint LINKS PAC is actually $0.18 less per unit than the wooden FAIRWAY PAK product from Norwood that runs EQP $0.82, however the comparison is unfair in that the wooden FAIRWAY PAK is more with a total of six imprinted 2-1/8″ tees, plus two imprinted quarter marks.

Again you have the options for the assorted colors, in this case Black (as shown), Blue, Dark Blue, Natural, Red, White, and Yellow.

For Ecopreneurists working the golf scene or indeed golf events or clubs wishing to be as eco-friendly as possible I am still in the dark as to which item - corn plastic or wood - is the best way to go.

I think the real lesson here is that even at this level, from the promotional products industry, there are green options available. And that is likely a good sign for things to come.

For more on Norwood’s golf line contact Mark Goldring. If you wish to learn more on QuickPoint and their corn plastic products contact Tina VanHoogstraat.

If you are interested in these items to promote your own business contact your local promotional items vendor or email info@proformagreen.com for information and pricing.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into planning for the Fall festival season, Aakron Line has expanded their Mood line of Stadium Cups, Coffee Mugs, Sport Bottles and Beer Steins made from the SAFE Plastic® .

As mentioned before Aakron’s SAFE Plastic® contains an additive that makes their manufactured plastic products biodegradable. For example while petrochemical plastics would normally take from 100 to over 500 years to “biodegrade”, Aarkon SAFE Plastic® can break down in as little as 9 months, with rates of degrading varying based on conditions, thickness of plastic, etc. For more information look to Aakron’s website.

Ok, to start with let me explain what a mood cup is. Think mood ring, think the Mod Squad, think the amazing Isaac Hayes.

The Mood line from Aakron is a number of great products perfect for the party scene. They change colors when introduced to cold or hot liquids, for example changing from basic orange to a fiery tropical red, or from plain frosted to calming blue. I wish I had video of these product as pictures really do not do the transformation justice.

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I get a lot of questions on how old water bottles, etc., make their way into new bags and other items from manufacturers like Leeds.

Well here is a short video from the Leeds website that explains the basic process of turning old water bottles into bags, totes, padfolios and other items in their Owl Line.

Enjoy.

If you are ASI and wish to learn more about the recycled bottle (PET) items from Leeds email Frank Weissert. If you are interested in these items to promote your own business contact your local promotional items vendor or email info@proformagreen.com for information and pricing.

I have been telling folks for months that I want someone to develop an eco-friendly version of the can coolie. What I wanted was a coolie that was made from sustainable materials and also biodegradable.

Well I am still looking for that, but Numo Manufacturing of Dallas has produced an EcoCoolie line made from at least 15% post-consumer recycled material. So at least that is a start.

The basic EcoCoolie has an EQP of $1.09. That is certainly a premium over the cost of Numo’s standard Pocket Coolie which has an EQP of $0.69, and I hope as more post-consumer recycled material coolies are sold this price will drop.

Aside from the post-consumer material it is a basic coolie with all colors  represented: Pink, Lime, Yellow, Teal, Maroon, Red, Black, Orange, Royal Blue, Navy, Green, and Purple.

The cool thing - is that a pun ? - is that Numo did not stop at just the basic model but offers 15% post-consumer recycled material units in an EcoCoolie Bottle Jersey (shown at left) and EcoCoolie Zippered Bottle Coolie as well. In addition all models are available with full four color imprinting.

Why have I been lusting after an eco-friendly coolie? In the promotional products industry coolies are big sellers, right up there with caps and t-shirts. They work well because like a favorite t-shirt people very rarely throw them away.

Coolies are practical and useful. They also have a large print area to cost ratio, so you can say a lot on them for a little money. Coolies are an inexpensive way for ecopreneurists to get their message into the hands of their audience and keep it there. Simple.

If you are an ASI member with questions for Numo Manufacturing Tonya Luby is the woman to talk to. If you are interested in these items to promote your own business contact your local promotional items vendor or email info@proformagreen.com for information and pricing.

If  you have not seen the New York Museum of Modern Art you should.

And if you have seen the New York Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) then maybe you took a peak in their gift shop and saw the “I Am Not A Paper Cup” porcelain cup.

Well that cup is now available with your company’s logo on it from IMC, a high brow promotional item catalog that also carries brands like Driin and Waterford.

Yes the “I Am Not A Paper Cup” porcelain cup has entered the promotional items market.

There is nothing super green about I Am Not A Paper Cup. For the basics it is a double-walled porcelain cup with silicone top. As an eco-friendly alternative to disposable cups, this double-walled porcelain version with a pliable silicone lid keeps beverages hot and doesn’t burn your hand. So the green pull is from the fact it is environmentally responsible, i.e. it is a reusable cup. The I Am Not A Paper Cup is also dishwasher safe and comes with the MoMA logo printed on the back of the unit.

And of course they are cool. The cups where designed in 2007 by James Burgess and they are really rather hip, with a great feel and weight. The I Am Not A Paper Cup comes packaged in black MoMA gift box and is available with an imprint size of W 3″ x H 2″. Cup dimensions are W 3 7/8″ x H 6″ x D 3 7/8″.

With an EQP of $18.08 you quickly realize that yes, this is not a paper cup. (Even for a nice cup they are pricey as budget mugs normally run under EQP $1.25.) However for the Ecopreneurist looking for a special gift or giveaway, or looking to associated their cafe or organic coffee product with class, then you are certainly getting what you pay for with the I Am Not A Paper Cup.

If you are an ASI member contact Lynn Holt at IMC. If you are interested in the I Am Not A Paper Cup to promote your own business contact your local promotional items vendor or email info@proformagreen.com for information and pricing.

SanMar is likely one of the the largest manufacturers of apparel for the promotional products market and their Port Authority brand is nearly ubiquitous. Really if you are wearing a company polo right now, look at the label. Good chance it will read Port Authority.

SanMar is now adding some color to their line of bamboo and organic cotton polos with the introduction of their Port Authority Bamboo Charcoal Birdseye Jacquard Sport Shirts and Port Authority 100% Organic Cotton Sport Shirts.

The Port Authority® 100% Organic Cotton Sport Shirt comes in men’s and women’s adult sizes XS-4XL and the colors Blueberry, Lemon, Navy, Spring Green and White.

From the SanMar website; “Crafted from certified organic cotton, this sport shirt is soft, comfortable and gentle on the environment. Unlike standard cotton, our certified organic cotton has been grown without harsh chemicals for an uncompromising distinction you can feel.” Like the Organic Cotton Pique Polos from Vantage Apparel these shirts are generally a step up in quality from standard cotton polos. EQP on the Port Authority® 100% Organic Cotton Sport Shirt is $25.98.

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The Raining Rose line of 66% organic lip balms, shimmers and glosses, made from materials like soy and extra virgin olive oil, are quickly becoming the default lip care items for the promotional products industry. In addition their USDA organic certified lip balm is setting a new industry standard. As always these are great products for any Ecopreneurist looking for a different spin on giveaway items.

So spring is here -  or at least on the way - and that means Raining Rose is introducing a few more flavors to their lineup as well as some wrap templates.

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As we have written before, the Retread™ Recycled Rubber Jar Openers from Americanna are a great promotional item for any Ecopreneurist. They are light, cheap, practical, and have a large print area for your message. Best of all they are made from 100% recycled tires. Truly a presidential idea.

In 2009 Americanna has improved on the Retread™ Recycled Rubber Jar Openers by adding new shapes to the line and two new imprint colors, blue and gold, to the white and green already on offer.

In addition Americanna has expended the 100% recycled Retread™ line to include the Flat Tire™ Car Coaster, the Flat Tire™ Coaster, and the Tire Tag™ Key Fob. All great giveaways for any Ecopreneurist focusing on the auto industry, recycling or waste management solutions.

The Flat Tire™ Coasters, like the jar openers, come in a large variety of shapes - bag pictured -  well over 100. They also come in two general sizes 4″ x 4″ and 5″ x 5″. EQP starts at $0.54 for a 4″ model.

Made from 100% post-consumer recycled tires, the coaster weight in a whooping 1/8″ thick - sure to protect any surface - and are available with a 2nd side imprint. Rugged, inexpensive and indestructible, what more do you want in a great non-skid coaster.

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Ok, the title is a little extreme, but in the run up to Earth Day it is amazing the lengths some of the manufacturers are reaching to get our attention regarding eco-friendly items. It is nice to see that so many manufacturers are now providing green solutions. It really looks like 2009 is a tipping point for the industry.

How do I know? Because the eco-friendly mouse pads have arrived.

What this article’s title was meant to imply is that in 2009 a lot of manufacturers have started to sell eco-friendly computer mouse pads. Really, they seem to be everywhere.

And since tech companies - and tech ecopreneurists - seem to always be at the cutting edge of green, these make really good promo items. Think about it, your client will see them every day. Good for employee gifts as well. Everyone needs a mouse pad right?

Some of our favorites:

The new Eco–Soft™ Mouse Mat® (Patents Pending) from HandStands Promotional likely leads the pack. This pad looks really good and also happens to be made of post-consumer and post-industrial, non-skid, recycled rubber.  The HandStands website claims the material is so luxuriously soft it is often mistaken for suede leather in look and feel.  As a bonus these pads - sorry mats -  also have a antimicrobial surface keeping germs from growing and spreading, so HandStands calls them “CLEAN and GREEN”.  The units measure 8 3/4″ X 7 7/8″ and are 3mm thick with a imprint Area of 4″ X 1 1/2″. Colors are sand, camel, blue and black. EQP is $5.25

The Cork Mouse Pad from Debco uses a very old material - cork - to make a modern day tool. These pads measure 8.75″ W x 7.25″ H x 0.25″D and are from 100% natural, recyclable, renewable and biodegradable cork. No trees are harmed in the harvesting of cork. The pads themselves are both lightweight and durable. Imprint area is 8” W x 6.75” H. EQP is $3.17

The Recycled Cardboard Mousepad from Leeds (not shown) is another basic model - really you would have thought someone would have thought of this before -  made simply from 100% recycled cardboard. The Recycled Cardboard Mousepad features a deboss of the universal recycle symbol on every pad, plus your logo, and it is also easily mailable based on weight and size. EQP is $2.00.

If you are looking for a eco-friendly mouse pad that looks more like a traditional mouse pad, then the RECYCLED Soft Surface Mouse Pad from World Wide Line is likely more to your tastes. This 7” x 8” x 1/8” pad has a soft surface top which allows for full color printing with a full bleed. World Wide actually has three sizes of these pads, all at 1/8” thick. The pads can be turned for both 2 and 3 day rush orders. World Wide says that the ” eco friendly mouse pads consist of 50% post industrial waste combined with 50% materials from sustainable resources”.

For more on these items visit the websites or email us at info@proformagreen.com.

Vantage Apparel is one of the leaders in our industry for eco-friendly apparel, with a special focus on organic cotton t-shirts and eco printing.

Vantage knows a lot of organizations want to make a big splash this year around Earth Day but also that some of those organizations may not have a budget for a big time design when it comes to organic cotton t-shirts and other apparel items.  So they are making it easy for you.

In a move I can only say is very ecopreneurial, Vantage is teaming up with distributors like Proforma to offer a full line of 20 plus Earth Day designs ready to be placed onto all nine of their organic cotton t-shirts and totes.

Schools, clubs, city departments, charities, businesses, etc., for any and all this is a great way for an Ecopreneurist to make a big splash without having to fill the entire swimming pool out of their own pocket.

If you are interested in viewing all the Earth Day pre-graphics in this program you can download the .pdf here. For more information on Vantage visit their website at vantageapparel.com or see the Vantage online catalog  located here.

Please note that the Earth Day pre-graphics program is not mentioned on the website or the online catalog, so if you want more information on the program, including pricing, please email info@proformagreen.com.

Or if you are in the promotional items business you can contact Gina Barreca, Director of Marketing for Vantage Apparel at ginab@vantageapparel.com.

Earth Day - April 22 this year - is the one time of year that Ecopreneurists can be sure that mainstream media and the communities which you serve will be open to hearing about new ideas to go green. So as an Ecopreneurist what are you doing to get your name out there in the run up to Earth Day?

Co-branding and partnerships during this time of year often go a very long way, and with the economy slowing your participation in a co-branding event/program might actually be a better use of your time and budget than traditional advertising.

Co-branding gives you a chance to be associated with established events already happening in your area or with companies or organizations already known to a wider audience. It is just a matter of figuring out what your company does well and then matching that with a business or organization that needs those services.

Maybe you are an Ecopreneurist tech company that removes old technology (computers, phones, etc). Locate a school or organization that is doing an Earth Day clean-up in your area and ask if you can participate. Maybe you are an Ecopreneurist health company, locate a better living event in your area connected to Earth Day and volunteer your services. Or simply offer your services at a discount to non-profits and others looking for some help in this slowing economy.

By co-branding with a large event or organization you get to piggy-back on the publicity they generate as well as instant access to their audience.

For Proforma Simonetta Freelance co-branding is simple as the products we sell are eco-friendly promotional items which most events and organizations already need. For example we are sending 600 coffee mugs and 600 Retread Jar Openers to Earth Share of Georgia’s Earth Day festivities. Proforma Simonetta Freelance will also participate in the Live Green Expo for the City of Plano Texas and the 2009 “Green Living” Family Festival at the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney Texas.

The goal of Proforma Simonetta Freelance at these events is not to sell promo items but to educate the public about the many print and promotional item solutions available for businesses and organizations wishing to go green - and get our name in front of the public. Participation at these three events will help expose our company to over 20,000 people, not including press coverage. That is not bad.

For good or bad this is the season when all thoughts turn to green.  I encourage all Ecopreneurists to use the momentum created at this time of year to get your message heard.

I have written about Norwood before, they are one of the lions in our industry in terms of size, product line and experience. In 2009 Norwood is continuing to expand their line of promotional items with green and eco-friendly credentials, including several new organic cotton totes.

Finding the right tote is always a bit of a hassle for marketing teams, and with convention season and indeed Earth Day right around the corner, many Ecopreneurists want to make sure their bags stand out in the crowds.

Well, Norwood’s new Organic Wide Handle Tote is a great example of a fashionable yet practical tote bag that does stand out, and that most Ecopreneurist would be proud to brand with their company or organization name.

Made from 7 oz. 100% certified organic cotton duck the bag boasts a modern, streamlined design, spacious main compartment and extra large imprint area. Norwood even offers a 24hr turn on this bag, so it is available for last minute projects.

According to Norwood, the majority of the organic cotton fabric they use comes from Indian growers with the fabric being produced by certified raw material suppliers in that country. The cotton is certified organic under the scheme of GOTS and the Organic Exchange by the Control Union (formerly known as SKAL) which is internationally accepted. All organic cotton used by Norwood is certified by the Control Union, regardless of the source of the material.

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Sometimes it is not the Ecopreneurists out there leading the way. Sometimes it is the established brands in our industry like AshCity or Gemline making the most advances. Well not to be out done in the area of writing instruments Shepenco is continuing to expand their line of eco-friendly products.

Here is Shepenco President Dan Townes with a brief overview of the 2009 line.

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Ok, so bamboo shirts, e.c.o fleece jackets made from recycled water bottles, soy flax polos and organic cotton t-shirts. We all have seen the great environmentally sustainable and sustaining apparel products that are now available to help promote your business. If you are an Ecopreneurist running a green business then eco-friendly apparel for your promotional items and uniforms is pretty much a given.

Last year the race was on to figure out the best, safest and most sustainable printing methods for t-shirts and caps. Is it water based inks or veg/soy based dyes, or another option? That debate is still out there.

Well Docufinish is one of the companies in the middle of figuring out how to make the “greenest” production shirts possible and today they sent our office a box of samples of shirts they ran for us with water based ink for the City of Plano which included the letter on the right.

What caught my eye in the letter however is the statement in the second paragraph, “Please also keep in mind that we just recently got the ability to produce green embroidered apparel with 100% Organic Rayon thread made from tree pulp.”

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Vitronic Promotional Group has likely got the nicest low cost organic cotton cap on the market. They rock because Vitronic prints them with an eco-friendly process as well, so they are super green. We wrote about these caps earlier in the article 100% Organic Caps with Eco-Friendly Screen Printing.

Well Vitronic was back at the 2009 Proforma regional meeting in Dallas talking about their caps - more colors for 2009 - their matching organic cotton totes and expanding of their V Natural line in general. Take a look.

For more information on these items please visit the Vitronic website or email info@proformagreen.com.

For more videos from the 2009 Proforma regional meeting - including a video on the Vitronic V Natural™ Jute Flat Tote see http://www.youtube.com/ProformaGreen.