Well, as many of you know, I have a PRECIOUS 4 year old daughter that will be turning 5 next month! That means we are about to hit K-5 head on! We are in a great school district, but I've been homeschooling her since she was 3 with a mixture of Montessori/Waldorf/Unschooling business... my own special blend that seems to have really been enjoyable for her! We decided that there was no way on this green earth that we were paying $900/month for private kindergarten at a local Montessori school, even though it is really well spoken of.
So, we applied for her to go to a Montessori magnet in our city that is a few years old. The scores look fine, but when we visited, I was super impressed! The teachers were absolutely delightful, they look like they're making great efforts to provide an environment that Dr. Maria Montessori would have been proud of, and Keelin felt at home. That was the big thing!
When we got Keelin's acceptance letter, I cried. Not only was she going to get to continue her education in an environment that we desperately wanted for her, but it all started to feel VERY real. My teeny little 7 pound 15 ounce mini-me was going to elementary school.
My next thought was- YES!!!! We get to buy school supplies!
Because, let's face it, I have a slight addiction to cool writing impliments and fresh paper in packages.
I'm an office supply junkie.
The only thing I am weirder about than office supplies is Mason jars.
We all have our things.
I started looking around online and was SO disappointed in what I found. Petroleum-based crayons are the norm, but we prefer soy. Trashy book-bags that I'd never let in my house, much less let my child carry to school. Pencils covered in bright yellow paint, loaded with who knows what.
Then...
I found Green Backpack!
I emailed them to tell them how much I appreciated the options they were making available to moms that wanted different for their kids than Big Oil provided crayons and bleached paper from virgin trees.
They responded warmly and through back and forth emails, it was decided that I would introduce them to you. I received absolutely nothing for doing this- I just want you all to be aware of a top notch company that is just starting out. I believe whole-heartedly in little companies that make a big impact through good customer service, eco-responsible actions, and a social conscience.
Their mission:
Our goal is to provide an option for people who care about how their purchases affect the world, by providing an affordable, eco-friendly choice when shopping for school supplies.
All the products at Green Backpack are made from recycled or sustainable material. For instance, our folders, notebooks and even our pencils are made from recycled paper. We have a binder made of recycled milk jugs. Wooden pencils come from managed, sustainable forests.
We know there are less expensive options at the big box stores. As a small business, we do our best to balance environmental impact, quality and affordability for our customers.
We hope that when you buy our eco-smart school supplies, it’s a choice you feel good about.
Here are a few of their products- all of which are made from recycled or sustainable materials.
It's their promise to us and our children.
The name-sake backpack!
It is made with 65% recycled materials!
A bright, happy binder made from recycled chipboard!
Fantastic colored pencils, the barrel of which is made from recycled paper!
Keelin has already ninja-ed into the pack I purchased for her and she says that they are really easy to sharpen compared to the wooden ones!
Fiskars brand scissors, made from 100% post-consumer recycled materials!
We got a pair of the light blue for Keelin and they are super cute!
Non-toxic, washable markers made from reused or recycled materials!
The packaging is made from 100% recycled material.
Pencils with barrels made from recycled paper, just like the colored pencils!
What I love? They come in packs of a dozen pencils.
Prang crayons!
24 pack made from soybean oil- totally sustainable!
NO petroleum in this product, which makes them smooth to color with and beautifully colored.
Such a cool product!
An individual pencil sharpener made from PLA, a renewable plastic made from sugarcane, not petroleum!
Only the blade is new, but the casing is biodegradable!
For Keelin's 4th birthday, we had PLA cups and bowls.
It might be biodegradable, but they sure hold up to regular use because we still have them!
So don't be afraid of the quality- it's a good product!
These black, ballpoint ink pens have barrels made from 30% recycled car tires!
Very cool!
Aside from the nifty products that I've mentioned above, we also snagged some of their big erasers and recycled paper! The quality of their product line is really on point and the cost is only slightly more, but not unreasonable, than standard school supplies at any local office supply store. We're really satisfied with Green Backpack and wanted to let you know that this company is here and available to you- with reasonable shipping costs, minimal packaging, and incredible customer service!
EDIT: My friend Dana reminded me- we also bought a tube of the glue. And yes, for those of you that are curious, it absolutely does smell like almonds! ;-)
And just because they're super awesome, Green Backpack will supply one lucky winner with a package of their amazing colored pencils and a pencil sharpener!
Mandatory entry:
1. Follow my blog publicly- comment WITH your email address and tell me!
(if I don't have your email, I can't message you when you win)
Extra entry:
2. Check out the Green Backpack website and tell me your favorite product!
You have two ways to enter to win the gift pack!
I will close the giveaway on Saturday, May 28th at 9pm EST.
Winner will be announced on the blog and sent an email!
