SowSweet Greetings: Their Cards Are Really Growing... Literally!

SowSweet Greetings is a Toronto-based seed paper greeting card business that offers something a little bit different - the option for the recipient to plant the finished product, as the recycled paper used is embedded with wildflower seeds.

In March 2020, as COVID-19 cases began to rise in Canada, kindergarten teacher Nicole Teschl started SowSweet Greetings with the aim to put smiles on faces while also being kind to the environment. She decided on Winnipeg-based Botanical PaperWorks for the seed paper she uses for her cards, which is eco-friendly and implanted with seeds that grow wildflowers and leaves behind zero waste (though other seed paper they provide can grow vegetables or herbs).

For Teschl's range of greeting cards, six types of wildflower seeds are used, including sweet alyssum, catchfly, clarkia, bird’s eye, snapdragon and black-eyed Susan. You can choose from various cards for different occasions from designer and founder Nicole Teschl and once it's been read and put up on the mantel for a while, the card can then be ripped up, planted in soil and watered. It's like receiving a card and flowers at the same time, except the latter appear some time later.

Teschl recently spoke to CTV News Toronto, saying, "It started as a bit of a passion project. I've always loved to draw and I am obsessed with wordplay, I love puns and I decided I want to do something with it. I'm a very big fan of the zero waste movement. I love the idea of obviously protecting our planet, and doing everything we can as consumers to make smart choices that enable us to make the most out of the resources that we have available."

The website showcases many kinds of cards, from birthdays to Christmas and much more, and there are plenty of puns and uplifting choices available - ideal for these challenging times. The fact that they're made from 100% recycled materials, all sourced in Canada, and give you the ability to grow something beautiful from them makes them all the more appealing.

You can check out SowSweet Greetings' large range of cards here and read the instructions for how to plant the used card here.