Categories: Recycle

Where Can I (Wednesday): 11 Innovative Ideas to Reuse Old Business Cards

Our reader Heidi asked on our Facebook page: GPB ladies! I recently had to order new busines cards and am so sad to waste the old ones. Creative ideas for using up otherwise useless business cards?

We did a little research, Heidi, and came up with a 11 innovative ideas to recycle your old stack of business cards:

  1. Use them for public speaking & cue cards
  2. Bookmarks
  3. DIY – Paint them completely and make ‘new’ business cardson the back side (or make them for a friend/sell on Etsy)
  4. Takes notes for flash cards/studying
  5. Gift the gifts: Christmas “To/From” Cards
  6. Make a business card (or small) box
  7. Place them as photo holders in scrapbooks
  8. Use them for name/place cards (ie at a wedding) – you can put something on the ‘printed’ side as a disguise
  9. Labels while canning, on spices, in your library, etc
  10. Get creative for an Arts & Craft project. Try having kids (or hipsters) paint each card different colors and make a piece of art
  11. Use them for “Post Its” or to leave notes in the house
Although it’s important to reuse and recycle when you can, you can always decline your company business cards in favor of being green. More services like ‘LinkedIn’ and iPhone apps like My Facecard are making them less necessary.

Image: Recycle This UK

Julie Hancher

Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake.

Recent Posts

SEPTA real-time arrivals, FDR Park lawsuit, & more

Catch up on the latest sustainability news:  SEPTA to debut digital bus stop displays. SEPTA…

5 days ago

New research shows widespread “ghost forests” in New Jersey

Scientists mapped millions of dead trees along the Atlantic coastline that show the impact of…

6 days ago

Why are Philly recycling rates so low? A mix of contamination, culture and systems still make it complicated in 2026.

City leaders, educators, and community advocates agreed on one thing at our recent recycling panel:…

2 weeks ago

Climate storytelling, nuclear production, & more

Catch up on the latest sustainability news:  Chinatown Stitch design moves forward. The Chinatown Stitch…

2 weeks ago

Open Streets helps businesses, Transit in the City Budget & more

Catch up on the latest sustainability news:  Center City car-free streets increased sales for local…

3 weeks ago

d’griot Cafe Brings Sustainable Food and Community Space to Germantown

The Black-owned cafe in Maplewood Mall centers sustainable food, local vendors and community programming, all…

3 weeks ago