New Times / Strokes & Plugs

A serious passion for paper

Jen Ingan

In Christmas of 2006, Joyce Romero, president of Passionflower Paper, decided to stop buying gift wrap in an effort to help protect the environment. Instead, she used the comics portion of used newspapers to wrap presents she gave out. But when she ran out of comics, she used parts of the newspaper with headlines on them, which didn’t look good when spread across her gifts.

WRAP ARTIST Joyce Romero wanted to find gift-wrap paper that looked great but was easy on the environment. Passionflower Paper was born. PHOTO BY STEVE E. MILLER

So Romero went on a quest to find 100 percent recycled gift wrapping paper.

Inspired by a label from Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps—which read, “Label printed w/soy ink on Vanguard Recycled Plus from Living Tree Paper Co. Good paper choices help relieve stress on our working forests”—Romero created Passionflower Paper, a new company based in San Luis Obispo offering a line of stylish, affordable, and eco-friendly gift wrap, including their personally designed line called Gone Dotty, colorful gift bags, ribbons, cards, and tissue paper.

“Our products are made out of 100 percent recycled paper from Green Leaf Paper, and our gift bags are made from biodegradable and re-useable materials,” Romero said. “The ink is soy-based, an alternative to petroleum-based, which is printed by local company WS Packaging Group.”

According to the Pacific NW Pollution Prevention Center, petroleum-based ink requires larger quantities of ink than does soy-based.

Romero’s paper products can be purchased through her website at www.passionflowerpaper.com, or at the Hemp Shack in San Luis Obispo.

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Intern Jen Ingan compiled this week’s Strokes and Plugs. Send your business news to strokes@newtimesslo.com.