Naked Binder: the story of a green binder

Misson

Create the highest quality and most sustainable products, constantly striving to do better and work to preserve wild and undomesticated nature.

Cleaner - We avoid using toxins in manufacturing, packaging and shipping, minimize waste and recycle nearly everything.

Closer - Naked Binders are made in the US. The recycled content comes from the state of Connecticut, is made into binders board in Chicago and is manufactured in Des Moines, IA.

Greener - Our board is 100% recycled - 97% post consumer waste. The entire binder is recyclable when you have managed to wear it out. It is also a blank slate for you to personalize - no need to run out and buy plastic binders - you can label or mark these binders directly.

Longer - tested to 50,000 flexes by an independent lab, these are one of the strongest binders on market. They will last. I've used mine for 11 years for all my bills and tax info. I still use it.

Every one of the Naked Binder products is crafted to meet the highest possible standard. If you are unsatisfied with our products, send them back for a refund.

Naked Binder Story

The Naked Binder was born over a glass of wine at a family holiday dinner. First,some background. Our family businesses started in 1868 and are involved today with book binding, archival products, presentation materials and binders. One of our companies, Corporate Image, was the first American company to offer a viable alternative to toxic vinyl binders. Our famous FlexHinge binders have a core of sturdy board made from 100% recycled fiber of which 97% is post-consumer waste. These binders are covered with printed and laminated paper or with fabric. Who could improve on that?

So, now you see that a Thanksgiving dinner discussion about binders makes a little more sense. Though we do try to limit business talk at family gatherings, ideas do get tossed around. My son mentioned that he had been using one of our binders that didn’t have any type of covering on it for more than eight years and that it was still in great shape. He convinced me that everyone is looking for sustainable products and that I had a great one right under my nose. The simple board binder could be a sustainable, elegant and responsible product that we had never considered. Perhaps we should?

Our challenge was to develop a line of binders that were not only eco-friendly, but also durable and attractive with good design function. And we wanted to manufacture them with a minimum of energy. First, we studied a binder with no cover on it and tried to determine just how strong it really was. We sent some of our bare board binders to an independent testing laboratory and asked them to flex and stress the binder hinge until it failed. Guess what? Our hinges flexed 50,000+ times with no visible change. We knew then we had a solid basis for the Naked Binder®.

We create binder hinges and spines by pressing the board in that area without removing any material. This actually strengthens the board in the hinge area by condensing it. At this point, I should mention that we also own a couple of other symbiotic businesses that create and sell products to bookbinders as well as museums and university and college libraries. (LBS and Archival Products). Our Archival Products division makes acid-free, lignin-free safe enclosures for pamphlets, music, rare books and valuable paper objects. So, we looked at papers, board, cotton bookbinding fabrics and reinforcing book end leaf. We borrowed several ideas from those businesses and really set to work developing the Naked Binder.

Through trial and error, we developed lots of binder concepts and had fun in the process. Some of our attempts will never make it to the market and others just might be future products. The design process and philosophy also spilled over into our Corporate Image presentation materials division, inspiring us to add many new products that are “green”, sustainable and take less energy to produce.

The Naked Binder is now a reality and we are excited and proud to offer great binders that are unique, elegant, strong, functional and best of all, completely recyclable. Dare to go bare!