Staples Sustainable Earth Copy Paper

[fiberdrunk]

The case of Staples Sustainable Earth Copy Paper arrived today, so I thought I'd do a brief review. (Shipment took 3 days, over a weekend.)

 

Weight: 20 lbs.
Brightness: 92
Sheet size: 8.5"x11"
Fiber: 95% sugarcane -- acid-free (the Staples online product Q&A says the other 5% is FTC certified pine)
Package size: 500 sheets
Case: contains 10 reams (or 5000 sheets)
Origin: Argentina
Where to buy: Staples Web-Only (only available by the case. Retails @ $59.99/case; currently on sale @ $36.99 per case)

 

 

For unlined sugarcane (bagasse) papers, I also have OfficeMax's Sugarmade and CVS's Caliber 100% Tree-Free Multipurpose Paper to compare it to. I find they all behave similarly with fountain pen inks (i.e. excellent) and inkjet cartridges (also excellent), with no feathering or bleed-through. The differences between these papers are tone and texture. The Staples' one is the brightest cool-tone white and is the smoothest of the three. The Sugarmade one has a warm white tone and more tooth to it. The Caliber has a grayish white tone and is the roughest. These differences are only noticable when the three papers are placed side by side. My preference leans towards the Staples paper for its brightness, though I'm apt to go with which ever one is on sale.

 

The Staples paper is produced in Argentina, while the Sugarmade and Caliber papers are made in China.

 

Now, if Staples (and OfficeMax with its Sugarmade) would just make these papers available by the ream in-store! The Caliber one is available by the ream, but seems to only appear during back-to-school sales.

 

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7433/9404100966_6fc81c35bb_b.jpg

 

 

Back Side of Package:

 

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3822/9401339475_8da2cbae70_b.jpg

 

 

Writing Samples with Mostly Homemade Iron Gall Inks:

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7301/9401187671_e364cee2fd_b.jpg

Edited July 30, 2013 by fiberdrunk

[Titanic9990]

Reading your wonderful review prompted me to go check and see what type of paper I had just recently picked up from Staples.

 

Unfortunately it was just the 100% recycled copy paper, not sugar cane. I'll have to keep an eye out if it ever gets in stores.

[wallylynn]

nice to hear it's the smoothest of your samples. That means I don't have to go get the other ones to compare.

[PJohnP]

Great review, Fiberdrunk ! It's well balanced, provides excellent tests with inks, and appropriate cross-comparison of other papers. Well done.

 

In fact, as a result, I ordered two cases yesterday of this paper. I had a $25 coupon for purchases over $60 online or by 'phone with Staples*, which amount was appropriately deducted, and free delivery. That delivery was today, actually a fair bit less then twenty-four hours after the 'phone order. As it turns out, I needed some copy paper for the office, so this gave me an excellent opportunity to try the paper at a reasonable price. If it turns out splendidly, I'll have a more than adequate supply, and if not, it goes through the printer-copier at a decent price.

 

So far in some initial tests with several inks, I like it well, but I'm unsure if it's superior to the Double-A copy paper that I've been so pleased with for FP use, and as the "base" for the Arc notebook pages that I make with a header and dot-grid for my work. The initial tests showed little to no feathering, which I consider a deal breaker for FP paper, and little to no see through with often paper penetrating inks. I've run off twenty-five double-sided pages - just about to punch them - and I'll report back on how well it fares.

 

It's promising, but the real test will come in the next couple of weeks of work, where I'll be making notes, drawing diagrams, annotating the notes and diagrams in several colours, all allowing me to see how well it dries with my inks, hopefully without smudging or suchlike behaviours. We'll see...

 

 

 

John P.

 

 

* I believe that I get these coupons because I have signed up with Staples through my business, and the amount levels may be related to the degree/amount of purchases I've made. The coupons come by mail as postcard sized items.

[fiberdrunk]

Thanks!

 

That's a sweet coupon! It is a good idea to sign up for Staples coupons, though expect to get emails pretty much daily from them if you do (I've got the non-business one) Also, get their free Rewards card-- I believe shipping is free if you have a Rewards card (my order had free shipping anyway at the time as part of the sale at the time). Staples has free shipping if you pick up your order in-store, too.

 

Let us know how the paper performs for you! I've been testing various Noodler's bulletproof inks on it, and so far so good. Even gusher inks like Noodler's Bad Green Gator and Baystate Blue are doing well.

Edited August 1, 2013 by fiberdrunk

[PatientType]

I use Staples bagasse pads almost exclusively having purchased a large supply when there were good sales. Some of it is, as you described, excellent. Some is more absorbant and so, writing with a fountain pen is less crisp. Its just not consistent in quality. For that reason I'll be shopping for paper that IS more reliable and consistent next time I replenish.

[PJohnP]

Some of it is, as you described, excellent. Some is more absorbant and so, writing with a fountain pen is less crisp. Its just not consistent in quality.

 

This is the reason that I ordered two cases of the paper now, similarly to when I picked up two half-cases of Double-A copy paper many months back. The paper companies change their formulations on the paper coating, the pulp used to make the paper, their bleaching agents, etc. and the paper that one buys six months from now isn't the paper one gets today. Copy paper in a given carton tends to be more consistent than individually bound or padded paper sets, in my experience, but the change over time occurs with both copy and the other packaged paper, alas, somewhat unpredictably. This is why so many people "hoard paper", not so much "hoarding", as knowing that the paper will not be the same the next time that they go to the store to purchase it, so assuring a supply for the short to medium term (I except those folks who have devoted entire rooms of their house to storing paper - that's a bit more to the "hoarding" end of the acquisition spectrum ). Of course, the higher end papers like Rhodia tend to stay more consistent, but we should recall that those makers do indeed make changes as well, as well as charging a higher price per page.

 

In the case of copy paper like Double-A or the SSECP, I can run it through the printer/copier if it's not as FP friendly as I would like, or "hold back" a number of reams of the paper for my FP use if it turns out to be very fine to excellent (I'll run it as copy paper if it's just acceptable or just very good). If I'm thoughtful about having store coupons at hand (or electronically available) when these sorts of things arise unexpectedly, I can pounce on the paper for my business without adding undue expense, or in the case of the Double-A that was being closed out at Office Depot, reduced expense compared with "normal copy paper".

 

That's the excuse that I make, anyway...

 

Back on the review side of the topic, I'm finding the SSECP very good to quite fine so far, but I've only used maybe ten or fifteen sheets (on both sides). The SSECP has less see-through tendencies for FP ink than the Double-A; however, my printed header on double-sided notebook SSECP pages has more see-through than Double-A paper. Puzzling, but it's likely a difference between liquid ink application from a fountain pen and laser printer toner applied with heat. More to come in the weeks ahead...

 

 

 

John P.

[Octo]

I use Staples bagasse pads almost exclusively having purchased a large supply when there were good sales. Some of it is, as you described, excellent. Some is more absorbant and so, writing with a fountain pen is less crisp. Its just not consistent in quality. For that reason I'll be shopping for paper that IS more reliable and consistent next time I replenish.

 

 

A while back, someone posted that one can check the brown lines on Staples bagasse paper. If lines are nice and sharp, FP lines will too, but if the brown lines are fuzzy, FP ink will feather.

[novarider]

Would anyone be willing to sell me a ream of this paper? I can't bring myself to spend $60 on paper.

[lovemy51]

Would anyone be willing to sell me a ream of this paper? I can't bring myself to spend $60 on paper.

problem solved:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/252639-staples-sustainable-earth-paper-available-by-the-ream/

 

 

... unless you don't have a Staples near you...

[fiberdrunk]

This is a heads up. Staples is having a "Daily Deal" today (11/19/13). This paper is $19.95 for a case for today only. Free shipping, too. This is the cheapest I've ever seen it. I don't know if you have to be signed up for their newsletter or rewards program to get this or not. This was an email that came to my inbox today.

 

eta: The email I got said free shipping, but when I called Staples to order, they said it was free shipping for orders over $40 or something like that. The rep gave me free shipping anyway because they messed up something with my Rewards card. Anyway, so I just wanted to clarify that I'm not sure if you'll actually get free shipping with this deal or not (the original email didn't state a minimum order requirement). If you can get it delivered in-store, then shipping is free, so that's another way to go.

Edited November 20, 2013 by fiberdrunk

[penhand]

A quick followup on show-thru of the 20lb. Sustainable Earth paper -- the question was whether you could write on both sides of the paper. I did a quick comparison of it to some HP 20lb. "general office" paper I have. The HP is unusable on the reverse side. The Sustainable Earth has barely any show-thru and both sides seem to take the ink equally well (the question was asked if both sides had the same texture/coating/feel).

 

Overall, very happy with my Deal of the Day at $1.50 a ream ($15 for a case). I'll be using this for my general FP writing for sure.

[wallylynn]

$15/case! Well done!

[fiberdrunk]

Just a heads up that Staples is currently offering all of its case paper on sale, including Sustainable Earth: buy 2 cases and get 1 free. Use coupon code 10956. Expires Nov. 22, 2014.

 

I just noticed they have a new paper made of wheat straw called Step Forward. I wonder how good it is with fountain pens?

Edited November 19, 2014 by fiberdrunk

[ac12]

3 cases of paper is WAY too much paper for me to use.

[Rinthe]

the grain of the paper runs on the long side. too bad because it doesn't fold as nice if you're trying to make a book out of these paper. unless you want a really long book haha

[megaptera]

My local Staples store only carried a notebook so I haven't tried the copy paper... is this still online only item?

 

I was actually quite surprised that Sustainable Early notebook (made in Egypt) didn't feather even if written with sharp pointed dip nibs like Nikko G and Brause 66EF. This was unexpected. Of course I can write with any dip pen I use for daily writing without any problem (those are smoother writer nibs than Nikko G). Some of the Noodler's waterproof color inks that are notorious for feathering looked much nicer on this paper, too.

[fiberdrunk]

My local Staples store only carried a notebook so I haven't tried the copy paper... is this still online only item?

 

I was actually quite surprised that Sustainable Early notebook (made in Egypt) didn't feather even if written with sharp pointed dip nibs like Nikko G and Brause 66EF. This was unexpected. Of course I can write with any dip pen I use for daily writing without any problem (those are smoother writer nibs than Nikko G). Some of the Noodler's waterproof color inks that are notorious for feathering looked much nicer on this paper, too.

 

It was available by the ream in my local store for awhile, but when I just checked the listing for the individual reams, it said it wasn't available in-store. You can check the listing for the individual ream, type in your zip code, and it will tell you if it's available at your local store. Staples does have free shipping for store-pickup. And Rewards customers always had free shipping to home (I bought such a large quantity of this paper when it first came out that I haven't had to buy anything in a long time to see if this is still true).

 

eta: if that link doesn't work, the single ream item # is 22198. The item # for a case is 22101. A single ream is quite expensive ($9 at the moment). Definitely keep an eye open for sales.

Edited March 29, 2016 by fiberdrunk

[megaptera]

Thanks ! I'll try to have it shipped to a local store.

[ac12]

This is GREAT paper. It handled almost everything I threw at it. The only ink that it could not handle was Noodler's Emerald City Green, it feathered and bled through BAD. But then no other paper that I had could handle that REALLY WET ink. I had to find a REALLY DRY pen to write with that ink and not feather/bleed through.

 

I like this paper for use with a dip pen.

Edited March 30, 2016 by ac12