Earth Greetings | Heide Hackworth
Welcome to Heidie Hackworth of Earth Greetings, a South Australian based stationery company who are dedicated to creating environmentally sustainable, eco friendly paper goodness out of 100% recycled paper and boards. Heide has taken time for her hectic schedule to answer our questions and also gives us a sneak peek of some new designs!
What is the essence and vision of your business that you strive to bring to your customers?
At the heart of my business is the desire to educate people about the environmental impact of paper & provide beautiful, sustainable 100% recycled alternatives.
What brings customers to purchase a product by Earth Greetings?
I think people who buy Earth Greetings are thoughtful andintelligent and believe that all of the small choices they make everyday add up to make a difference to our world. They want to give lovely cards & stationery without having to worry about the environmental impact.
What is the best thing about owning your own business?
There is a real satisfaction in having combined all my skills & interests into creating the perfect job for me! That, and the freedom of being able to duck out for coffee with friends on occasion!
How much of your style flows into how you live, how you dress, what you read?
Spending time with nature is definitely a cross-over area from life to my design style. Most of my clothes are op-shop finds so I guess you could say my dress sense is recycled ecclectic! Admittedly I mostly only have time to read fashion mags & blogs these days which influence me to try new directions, colour & texture in my illustrations.
We know what we love about Earth Greetings but what do you love about Paper Runway?
Paper Runway is the only magazine I’ve ever come across that lusts so enthusiastically over paper! I also love that the mag gives exposure to so many inspiring and unique paper artisans.
What enlivens your creativity day in, day out?
Probably music, everything from jazz to dub and minimalelectronica. It’s on and keeps me motivated pretty much all day, every day!
What makes you happy?
The sound of the local kookaburras laughing in the morning. They make me start the day off with good humour.
Which blogs do you read daily? Your best blog find?
Oh, so many. I love Design*Sponge, Coolhunter & Notes.
What is your favourite paper product?
Lately I’m really liking the simplicity & effectiveness of garlands. A beautiful, inexpensive & simple way to decorate, and you can make them from scraps of paper.
What is your relationship to paper?
Paper is the medium by which I create and earn a living so I have a respectful appreciation and gratitude to paper. All paper starts off it’s original life as a tree or some other natural substance so I try not lose sight of that. It’s a precious resource and so incredibly versatile, fun and useful.
How different is working on paper to working with any other medium?
The only other medium I work with to create would be the internet, so compared to the internet paper definitely provides more excitement for the senses. You can’t really recreate the feel, texture or smell of paper online. Not that I’m aware of anyway!
What freedoms does it allow and what are its limitations?
Paper allows one the freedom to cut, print, mould into so many useful things. The limitations are its temporal nature. Paper and the outdoor elements, such as water, sun and wind don’t always mix too well!
What is next for Earth Greetings?
I’ve just launched our 2012 Christmas range ‘Peace On Earth’. I’m happy that Earth Greetings are supporting Trees For Life again this year, through our donation for every pack of Christmas cards we sell. Every pack plants a tree! I’m also rather excited to be working with super cool Australian design duo Inaluxe on expanding their gorgeous card range which showcases their amazing art on luxuriously thick, 100% post-consumer waste board.