I have not met Hatcher in person, but I can attest that her Georgia intonations convey a worldview that is deliberate, thoughtful and composed. Her tone says that not only has she considered how sustainability and concern fit into her life, but that she has also decided what to do about it. And moreover — she is doing it.
Hatcher’s work at Habitat for Humanity is a reflection of her values — she and her husband have volunteered building homes for years — and so is her venture in Blue Green Planet, a line of children’s cards and related products built around birthdays and growth. “The idea behind Blue Green Planet is to create teaching moments with your kids,” she says. The concept, she notes, goes beyond getting a child into the habit of exercising good manners in the form of written invitations and thank-you cards. “It’s also about educating the next generation on how to be good stewards of the Earth. I want to give parents an opportunity to talk about how life isn’t all about having birthdays for yourself. You have to give back.”
The visual themes displayed on her charming cards are of course natural: gardens, tigers, bugs, koalas. And she carries the notion forward in her choice of paper: 100% PCW, FSC-certified Mohawk Options. “I love the vellum stock, and I loved the fact that I was able to get envelopes made specifically for me in Options.”
Also on Options, growth charts give kids a way to consider their own changing lives. Even the T-shirts she offers reflect her message: They’re 100% organic cotton, screen printed with PVC- and phthalate-free inks. And the idea of creating teaching moments with children is embodied in her Blue Green Planet website, where families can explore kid-sized facts about sustainability and how they can get involved.
Each of Hatcher’s choices is deliberate, from returning to her earlier love of illustration, to making sustainable choices in stock and printing method, to making sure the appearance of the line was precisely what she wanted. “I spent a year and a half getting the look and palette just right,” she says. “I wanted the whole concept to be unified and clear to the parents who will be purchasing the cards for their kids.”
Hatcher’s children are now grown, but her interest in strengthening parent/child relationships persists. Blue Green Planet, she says, “reflects my worldview in terms of working for the greater good. It’s like what I always tried to teach my own kids: Be a citizen, not just a consumer.”
Human interest! People with passion! Right on Felt and Wire. I love folks like Ms. Hatcher — they are the kinds of people who are part of the solution. And every step on the sustainable road is positive and leads to the next. Nice look at a nice lady.
Awesome– I love these cards. I love the color palette and clean lines and, also, you can’t say enough about people wanting to help our environment!
These designs are fantastic!! I’ve worked in print for over 30 years and know how rare it is to find artists who can carry their commitment to do good all the way through a job. The obstacles are usually too great. Sounds like Carol Hatcher has done the homework (with Mohawk) to make it happen.
Ditto. Double ditto. Echo! I am posting this forward to a handful of friends with whose kids I have “paper playdates.” A toast to Bluer, Greener … for a future that’s rosier!
One can never start to early to have an appreciation for ink on great paper.These are wonderful pieces… as someone who love clean design, color, type and illustration I am excited to learn about find Carol Hatcher’s stationery. Good job and nice story…Thanks for sharing it with us.
Carol’s card show that when it comes to helping the environment all it takes to help make a difference is providing consumers with an alternative that is more environmentally friendly and sustainable. Plus it helps that the cards are nicely themed that children will enjoy.
Carol’s card are a refreshing change from the standard Hallmark store. I do like the social responsibility aspect of the cards,
We have ordered birthday party invitations and matching thank-you notes twice from Carol, and have been thrilled with them! Both my children (ages 7 and 3) love the products, and I do too. Carol has great products AND great customer service, not to mention a great vision for eco-friendly stewardship.
They say simple ideas are sometimes the best and Carol is onto something with the combination of fun and good works. Everybody—and especially kids—likes to have fun, and when that is linked to good works—like helping save our natural habitat, it’s a win/win situation. My little cousins love the brightly colored invitations and so do their friends.
We are familiar with Carol’s work and have
always found it to be creative and original.
The new designs she has done for children are
fantastic. They will really love the colors
and the cute animals.