This is a guest post by John Simonetta, owner of Proforma Green Marketing, an eco-friendly promotional items consultancy (see proformagreen.com). John’s blogs are designed to keep us up to date on the “greening” of his industry.
Recycled paper seems to be the latest eco-friendly material being used by flashdrive manufactures in the promotional products industry. The new USB 2.0 Recycled Paper Drive GP from All-In-One is a sample of these new bodies, and I have seen similar ideas from other manufacturers, including a tube style Papel Recycled Paper USB Flash Drive from Hirsch Gift.
The green case from flashdrives, regardless of their outter casing, goes like this: you can load a drive with a lot of data that would otherwise need to be printed out. It is cheaper and uses less resources to mail a 2 gram drive, than a 60 pound binder. And as a consumer electronic product, all drives sold by our industry are ROHS certified which means they are free of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants.
That the cases are made from recycled paper, bamboo or recycled plastic, is simply a plus. Lastly as a promotional product, flashdrives are great. People might erase their content, but most people will never throw away a flashdrive.
The USB 2.0 Recycled Paper Drive GP is available in memory sizes from 512MB – 8GB, with an imprint area on the drive body of 1 1/2”w x 1”h and on the cap of 1/2”w x 1”h. Having printing available in both locations is allows a smart artist to design images that utilize the full imprint area. Maybe an image with a person’s body on body of drive and face on the cap, maybe a design with a box that seems to “open” when the cap is removed. I don’t know, I am not a really smart designer, but others might use the space with more flourish.
Pricing on these drives changes nearly weekly, as flashdrive pricing is tied to the fluctuating cost of computer memory. Excepting your best price to memory ratio on 1GB and 2GB drives as those seem to be the most produced memory sizes. Currently the 1GB Papel Recycled Paper USB Flash Drive from Hirsch is running $11.85, 2GB for $12.45. All-in-One does not post pricing, I assume because of the constant fluctuations.
If you are in the business and have questions, Karen Cohen at All-in-One is the contact to talk to. At Hirsch Gift ask for Robert De Veau. If you are interested in flash drives to promote your own business contact your local promotional items vendor or email info@proformagreen.com for information and pricing.
Adventures in Green Marketing 
Those USB drives should be in the $8 – $10 price range for 100 pieces with printed logo.