Holstee is making a lot of changes these days: we’re rearranging our office space, shaking up our meeting structures, and rethinking our products. One of the biggest changes we’ve recently made is to rethink the process behind the production of one of our most-loved products: The Holstee Manifesto. Viewed over 80,000,000 times through all avenues of social media, the Manifesto has spread far and wide, a message we are proud to stand behind and live within as Holstee grows as a company and a brand.

Through careful research, we discovered that even though our original paper of choice, a 100% recycled post-consumer paper, made for a really fantastic poster, we could do better. Thanks to our production powerhouse Tylea Richard, as well as tons of awesome help and information from our paper guy Gary Wolin of McManus and Morgan, we settled on a new paper for all new renditions of the Manifesto: 100% cotton. 

This paper, deemed the highest quality paper for letterpress due to it’s uncomparable bite, is tree free and milled using hydroelectric energy. Our guy Gary gives us a little more information on the necessity of finding new ways to use energy:

“By the most optimistic estimates, the world’s petroleum reserve will be depleted in 100 years;  therefore, even with recycling, it is difficult to label synthetic fibers ‘sustainable.’ Unlike synthetic fibers, cotton is natural and renewable. In addition to producing fiber, cotton also produces seed. About 700 pounds of seed are produced for every bale of fiber (a bale is 480 pounds), and like other oil seeds, can be converted into biodiesel and animal feed co-products. For typical yields in the U.S., seed production can result in over 20 gallons of biodiesel per acre—more than meeting its direct fuel use in growing and ginning the crop. There are other indirect energy costs associated with the inputs used in cotton production, particularly fertilizers and materials used for crop protection; however, even when all energy inputs are accounted for, the total energy for cotton production is less than the gross energy content of the seed.”

This art quality paper is sourced using parts of the plant that remain after the extraction process: once cotton fibers are extracted for the production of textiles, these by-products are then salvaged for our posters, turning leftover materials into something inspiring. This paper is produced using chiefly hydroelectric energy, keeps our trees where they belong, and celebrates use of an annually renewable resource that both durable and beautiful. Gary explains a little on some positive changes in cotton production: 

“Modern technology has enabled increased efficiency in cotton production. Specifically, 50% more cotton is produced worldwide today on the same amount of land as compared to 40 some years ago. Integrated pest management strategies and other enhanced technologies have resulted in reduced insecticide applications in the U.S. and around the world. Specifically, the advent of insect-resistant strains of cotton and high-tech pest monitoring systems helps cotton growers reduce the volume of inputs needed to cultivate their crops. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), only about 0.8 pounds of insecticides and 2.1 pounds of herbicides are applied to each acre of cotton. Since the average acre in the U.S. produces about 800 pounds of cotton, that means only 0.09 ounces of total pesticides are applied per pound of cotton produced.”

Here at Holstee we are all about reducing waste as well as presenting our community with our best possible work. We believe that this new paper, for it’s positive impact on our planet and it’s unique, luxurious texture, is our very best. Already available on our latest renditions, both the Black Manifesto and the Terra Manifesto, please look forward to our latest product launches in this new, highest quality paper. Special thanks to Gary Wolin for all of his help, as well as our friends at Aardvark Letterpress. Couldn’t have done any of this without you!