Sustainable Hospitals - Products and Resources for Category

Products and Resources for Category:
Office Supplies - PVC-Free

Category/Subcategory
Office Supplies - PVC-Free 3-Ring Binders Traditional 3-ring binders are made of a rigid cardboard sheet covered by vinyl. There are basically three alternatives to vinyl binders: 1) polypropylene binders, 2) pressboard binders and 3) aluminum binders. The most common alternative is made of polypropylene or "poly". These are comparable in cost to vinyl and can be recognized by their attractive tough, durable single layer construction. They come in a variety of colors and are also available with a translucent or frosted appearance. When choosing polypropylene binders, consider whether you desire a thinner somewhat floppy cover or a thicker more rigid cover (that will stand up more easily on a shelf). Because of their durability, polypropylene binders last indefinitely. Pressboard binders are stiff cardboard and are often made of recycled materials. They are suitable for less demanding use, such as storage of records or reports. The third alternative, brushed aluminum, is a very heavy weight construction that might be considered for special applications. Their cost is considerably higher than the other binders. The main considerations when selecting binders are durability, rigidity, and aesthetics.
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Avery Aluminum Binder Avery Dennison 800-462-8379 http://www.avery.com	Made of brushed aluminum Very heavy weight construction for special applications At the Avery website, search on "aluminum binder" to view this product
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Avery Poly and Clear Trends (TM) Binders Avery Dennison 800-462-8379 http://www.avery.com	Made of poly material Available at office supply stores At the Avery website, search on "poly binders" and "Clear Trends binder" to view these products
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Pressboard 3-Ring Binders	Made of pressboard To view online, http://www.staples.com - search on "pressboard binder" Avery Dennison, Mead and other manufacturers make pressboard binders. Binders are available at standard office supply stores
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Smead InnDura Polypropylene Binders Smead http://www.smead.com	Made of polypropylene Heavy-duty polypropylene binder is available in translucent colors. An inside pocket holds business cards and loose documents At the Smead website, search on "InnDura Binder" to view this product Available at office supply stores
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Storex Duratech Polypropylene 3-ring Binders Storex Industries Corporation 888-402-2345	Made of polypropylene Available at office supply stores
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Sustainable Group Recyclable 3 Ring Binder Sustainable Group 800-488-0966 http://www.sustainablegroup.net	Sustainable Group manufactures a recycled, reusable, recyclable 3 ring binder made of fiberboard.The metal rings can be removed and assembled into a new binder and the old one can be disposed of.
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Wilson Jones Poly Binders Wilson Jones http://www.wilsonjones.com	Made of poly material At the Wilson Jones website, search on "poly binders" to view this product Available at office supply stores

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Category/Subcategory
Office Supplies - PVC-Free Business Card Holders In addition to the familiar Rolodex-style business card holders, a book-style business card holder is popular with people who travel frequently. Two common styles are often made of vinyl: Bound business card books and refill sheets that fit into standard three-ring binders. The alternative to vinyl is a polypropylene refill sheet that fits into a three-ring binder. The polypropylene is nonstick, acid-free and archival-safe.
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Avery Business Card Holder Refill Sheets Avery Dennison 800-462-8379 http://www.avery.com	Polypropylene sheets hold 20 standard business cards and fit in a standard three-ring binder
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
C-Line Products, Inc. Business Card Holders C-Line Products, Inc. http://www.c-lineproducts.com	Polypropylene sheets hold 20 business cards and fit in a standard three-ring binder To view online, select "Specialty Holders" from the C-Line Products homepage

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Category/Subcategory
Office Supplies - PVC-Free Catalogs
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Better Office Products Catalog Better Office Products Entire product line is polypropylene 800-631-7673 http://www.betteroffice.com	Better Office Products offers exclusively polypropylene stationery products Their catalog lists hundreds of attractive, cost effective alternatives to vinyl stationery products

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Category/Subcategory
Office Supplies - PVC-Free Media Storage Sleeves Media storage sleeves and pages are used to protect CDs and DVDs. They are often made of vinyl, however polypropylene alternatives are readily available for CDs and DVDs. They are available in storage pages and sleeves. Storage pages contain transparent sleeves for holding the CDs and DVDs and are 3-hole punched to fit into standard binders. Storage sleeves are plastic pockets into which the CD or DVD is placed. Sleeves sometimes come with a self adhesive strip for attachment to binders, file folders or the side of a computer.
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Avery CD/DVD Storage pages Avery Dennison 800-462-8379 http://www.avery.com	Made of polypropylene. Clear, acid-free and archival safe Each page holds two CDs or DVDs and two booklets and is three-hole punched for insertion into letter-size binders Available at office supply stores.
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
C-Line Deluxe CD Ring Binder Storage Pages C-Line Products, Inc. http://www.c-lineproducts.com	Made of polypropylene. Three-hole punched for insertion into standard binder Note: this is also available as a kit with a binder, but the binder is made of vinyl To view online, select "Media Storage" from the C-Line Products homepage
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
C-Line Self-Adhesive CD holder C-Line Products, Inc. http://www.c-lineproducts.com	Made of polypropylene Protects CDs from dust and scratches. Peel off backing can be applied to any clean surface, including books, binders, and file folders To view online, select "Media Storage" from the C-Line Products homepage
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
C-Line Space Saving Poly CD Holder C-Line Products, Inc. http://www.c-lineproducts.com	Made of polypropylene Fits in standard CD storage cases while taking up less space than jewel cases. Tuck-in flap keeps CDs in place. Made of clear polypropylene for easy viewing and to prevent CD from sticking To view online, select "Media Storage" from the C-Line Products homepage
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Tabbies CD Saver Protective Pockets	Made of polypropylene. Available in clear or translucent colors Available at office supply stores

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Category/Subcategory
Office Supplies - PVC-Free Out Guides for Files Out guides are used in filing systems to clearly mark where folders have been removed from the file. When a folder is taken from the shelf or drawer, an out guide is put in tis place. Vinyl appears in guides in 2 forms: 1) Sometimes the entire guide is made from vinyl. These are easily recognized because they are colored plastic and catalogs typically call out "Vinyl End Tab Out Guides". 2) Vinyl may also be found on the tabs of some manila out guides. This may be called out as a "fused vinyl tab", as opposed to the non-vinyl "self tab". The alternative to the vinyl guides are manila and pressboard.
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Smead Manila Out Guides Smead http://www.smead.com	Manila out guides are available with a tab on top or end of guide, for drawer or open-shelf files In catalogs, look for "Top Tab Out Guide" or "End Tab Out Guide" Available with pre-printed form on the guide to record which file has been taken, who is using it and the date it was taken
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Smead Pressboard Out Guides Smead http://www.smead.com	Pressboard out guides are available for open shelf files Available with blank horizontal metal tabs Made of 25 point pressboard recycled stock In catalobs, look for "End-tab Pressboard Guides"

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Category/Subcategory
Office Supplies - PVC-Free Pad Holders A pad holder (sometimes called a pad folio) is a protective folder that contains a pad of paper, with the cover commonly made of vinyl. One can recognize vinyl by the product descriptions, that often include: vinyl, leather-grain vinyl, leather-like, or simulated leather. Alternatives to vinyl include leather (the most common and more costly alternative) and inexpensive, very rugged polypropylene.
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Better Office Products(R) Poly Pad Holders Better Office Products Entire product line is polypropylene 800-631-7673 http://www.betteroffice.com	Polypropylene pad holders Available in a wide range of styles and sizes
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Smead InnDura Ultracolor Pad Folios Smead http://www.smead.com	Heavy duty polypropylene in translucent colors An interior back pocket holds a note pad and the inside cover pocket stores loose papers Available for letter size pad or 5"x8" pad Styling is contemporary with vibrant colors
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Sparco Pad holders Sparco	Polypropylene pad holders with left hand pocket for storage Available for letter size or 5"x8" pad Styling is traditional with dark colors (black, navy, burgandy) This product can be viewed online at http://www.iteminfo.com - Look under General Office Supplies/ Pads & Pad Holders

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Category/Subcategory
Office Supplies - PVC-Free Paper Clips Vinyl coated paper clips are common and can be recognized by their colorful plastic covering. They are often advertised as being useful for color coding and for preventing marks on papers. The familiar alternative is the metal paper clip. Another alternative is a plastic paper clip, made of a non-PVC plastic material.
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Baumgarten's Plastiklips Baumgartens http://www.baumgartens.com	This product is available at standard stationery supply houses
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Metal paper clips	Available at any stationery supply store

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Category/Subcategory
Office Supplies - PVC-Free Report Covers Reports and presentations are often placed in protective report covers or folders made of vinyl, polypropylene, or pressboard. Polypropylene and pressboard covers are widely available and aesthetically pleasing alternatives to vinyl. These alternatives have the added advantage of not lifting the print off photocopies, which can be a problem with vinyl.
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Acco Pressboard Reinforced Report Covers Acco	Cover is made of moisture resistant 20 point pressboard with recycled content Reinforced hinge Available at office supply stores
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
C-Line Products Polypropylene Report Cover with Binding Bar C-Line Products, Inc. http://www.c-lineproducts.com	Polypropylene report covers, project folders, and presentation portfolios can be viewed on the C-Line website by selecting "Report Covers and Project Folders" from the homepage
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Esselte Gate-Lock Poly Report Cover and Poly Clamp Binders Esselte	Esselte poly products are available at office supply stores
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Itoya Custom Report Cover Itoya http://www.itoya.com	Poly report holder features a bordered display cover,with a slide holder to clamp documents Holds up to 30 pages with no punching required Acid-free, PVC-free, archival quality
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Smead InnDura Report Covers Smead http://www.smead.com	InnDura polypropylene cover Clear front shows cover page of report Accommodates up to 25 pages, which are stapled into place
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Smead Recycled Pressboard Report Covers Smead http://www.smead.com	Recycled pressboard covers with no punching required Available at office supply stores
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Storex Polypropylene Report Covers Storex Industries Corporation 888-402-2345	Frosted polypropylene clip bind report cover Available at office supply stores

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Category/Subcategory
Office Supplies - PVC-Free Sheet Protectors A sheet protector is a transparent sleeve that fits into a 3-ring binder and is used to protect enclosed pages. Many sheet protectors are made of vinyl, although polypropylene alternatives are readily available and are often less expensive. Polypropylene has the added advanatage of being "non-stick" and won't lift the print off photocopies as vinyl sometimes does. Sheet protectors are available in various weights and finishes and can be purchased at any office supply store.
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Avery Polypropylene Sheet Protectors Avery Dennison 800-462-8379 http://www.avery.com	Made of polypropylene At the Avery website, search on "polypropylene sheet protector" to view this product
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
C-Line Products Polypropylene Sheet Protectors C-Line Products, Inc. http://www.c-lineproducts.com	Made of polypropylene At the C-Line Products website, search on "sheet protectors" to view online
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Polypropylene Sheet Protectors	Polypropylene sheet protectors are available from many other manufacturers including JM, Samsill, Sparco, and Universal. Large office supply companies may also sell their own generic polypropylene sheet protectors

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Category/Subcategory
Office Supplies - PVC-Free Shop Ticket Holders Shop ticket holders are clear plastic sleeves or pockets for storing and protecting patient records, work records, work orders, charts, schedules and inventory cards. They often travel with a patient or products. most shop ticket holders are made of clear vinyl, somtimes with a pressboard back. They often have a metal eyelet at the top for hanging. There are several alternatives for vinyl shopt ticket holders. Polypropylene pockets are available in a variety of sizes and are equivalent to traditional vinyl shop ticket holders. In some cases, polyethylene zip-lock storage bags are a low-cost, suitable substitute. Depending on the application, consider the following alternatives (listed in order of increasing durability): 1) Zip-lock polyethylene storage bags (like food baggies), 2) lightweight polypropylene pockets, including standard polypropylene sheet protectors, and 3) heavyweight polypropylene envelope or folders (these are the most durable, but may not be as easy to read through)
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Heavy Weight Polyproplyene Pockets C-Line Cleer Pockets C-Line Products, Inc. http://www.c-lineproducts.com	Polypropylene pockets are available in a variety of sizes Very rugged, durable construction
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Light Weight Polyethylene Zip Lock Storage Bags	In many cases, these light weight protective bags are a suitable substitute for vinyl shop ticket holders Vendors and manufacturers may be found online by searching on they keywords "polyethylene zip lock bags" Sample products can be viewed online at: http://www.clineproducts.com - search on "zip" http://www.staples.com - search on "zip top shop ticket holder" http://www.ziploc.com - this is the website for ziploc(R) food storage bags
Product & Manufacturer	Comments
Sheet Protectors	In many cases polypropylene sheet protectors are a suitable substitute for vinyl shop ticket holders They are more durable than polyethylene zip lock storage bags and easier to read through than heavyweight polypropylene envelopes View the alternatives at sheet protectors

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Resource type
Web site
Green Seal's Choose Green Report: Office Products This report suggests environmentally preferable products and practices for the office http://www.greenseal.org/cgrs/OfficeSupplies_finalCE.pdf

Note: Information has been provided by the named vendors. The Sustainable Hospitals Project does not endorse any products or take responsibility for the accuracy of the information or for product performance. Contact vendors directly to purchase a product or to obtain more information. This table is a work-in-progress, and feedback may be sent by email to shp@uml.edu or by phone to 978-934-3386.

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