Sunday, September 26, 2010

Naturally Fun, Naturally Exciting, Naturally Cream City Ribbon.

                The past couple of months, we have been working on extending our products to the consumer market. Since then, we have gotten to know more people in the crafting world. Most are willing to lend a hand, and everybody shares ideas and provides suggestions. It’s all slowly but surely coming around for us at Cream City Ribbon.

                Soon, we will be posting contests, sending out exciting giveaways and coming up with new projects. The great thing about this is that we are sure that each person we reach out to will not be disappointed with our natural ribbon. We, at Cream City Ribbon, are confident about the beauty and uniqueness of our product. Our big challenge right now is getting the ribbons to you.
We are bursting with enthusiasm over planning the next projects, promos, and ideas that we just can’t help but write about it here. We know that “to see is to believe” still applies here, and our photos don’t do our colorful and vibrant ribbons any justice. We want you to be able to see and touch our ribbons so you can better understand and explore the many ways to manipulate and use them in your various projects.
Very soon, friends, you will see. That is a promise we are giving you now, and at Cream City Ribbon, we make sure that our integrity is as strong as the tensile strength of our ribbons.
                Keep posted, and follow us through:

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Cream City Ribbon – Biodegradable. Compostable. Eco-friendly.


By: Kimmy Maclang

Most of the ribbons on the market today are made of petroleum and polypropylene – materials that are harmful to the environment. Consumers today rarely care about where their products come from, and what they are made of. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has continually made efforts to encourage consumers to practice the three Rs of waste management – reduce, reuse, and recycle. In addition to this, consumers are urged to buy environment-friendly products in an effort to lessen non-biodegradable waste in landfills, contributing less to environmental degradation.

This campaign by the EPA is known as “Source Reduction”, an effort through which trash toxicity that is thrown into landfills is lessened. This may be accomplished by reducing the design, production, and consumption of materials and items that are toxic to the environment. This keeps these products out of the landfills and the environment, thereby reducing the source of toxic waste. There are a lot of eco-friendly products in the market today, and supporting these products encourages Source Reduction.

Cream City Ribbon is the only company in America that manufactures natural ribbons made from non-woven cotton yarns that are grown and responsibly dyed in the US. We make our ribbons as natural as we can, using non-toxic water based adhesive. This makes Cream City Ribbon biodegradable and eco-friendly.

Imagine that the beautiful, decorative ribbon that you use for various projects right now will pile up in a landfill for centuries. Because they are made of plastic, it is not degradable, and does not decompose after a certain period of time. What kind of use would there be after your ribbons are used? None. Instead of your decorative ribbon being useful, they will end up turning into harmful and toxic decorations to the environment.

Now, imagine your gorgeous Cream City Ribbon being reused in your garden to tie up your plants. After which, you can put them in your compost bin, where it can be put to better use. A bird can find it, and use it to build a nest for her young, or it can decompose and you can use it to fertilize your plants or garden. How wonderful is that?

Composting

There are many chemical factors and processes involved in composting. Wikipedia briefly discusses “compost” and “composting” in simpler terms for us to understand.

Compost is composed of organic materials derived from plant and animal matter that has been decomposed largely through aerobic decomposition. The process of composting is simple and practiced by individuals in their homes, farmers on their land, and industrially by industries and cities.


Compost can be rich in nutrients. It is used in gardens, landscaping, horticulture, and agriculture. The compost itself is beneficial for the land in many ways, including as a soil conditioner, a fertilizer, addition of vital humus or humic acids, and as a natural pesticide for soil. In ecosystems, compost is useful for erosion control, land and stream reclamation, wetland construction, and as landfill cover.

Making your own compost from wastes around your home is easy. However, you must primarily follow the three Rs of waste management, and separate your waste. Below are several tips and instructions on how to generate your own compost for your garden or plants.

There are a lot of wastes that may be used for compost. However, most organizations and experts recommend the combination of green and brown wastes. Avoiding perishables such as meat, cheese, milk, fish, and cooked food is also a must, as these promote the spread of disease-causing microbes and pathogens. In addition, they bring about a very putrid odor that you may not want around your home.

Plants treated with pesticides and herbicides should not be added to your compost bin as the pesticide’s chemicals will affect the decomposition process.

Below is a list of the recommended brown and green materials according to Go Organic Gardening.com (How to Compost).

Brown materials:

· Cream City Ribbon (belongs under the “Brown” category)

· Old, brown grass, leaves and twigs

· Pet rabbit and hamster bedding (any vegetarian pet bedding)

· Some Sawdust and wood ash

· Very little pure charcoal ash (not too much, as it contains high levels of iron and sulfur)

· Straw

· Dryer lint

· Shredded pine cones and pine needles

· Shredded, non-glossy newspaper and cardboard

Green materials:

· Grass clippings

· Fruit and vegetable kitchen scraps

· Coffee grounds and filters

· Manure from vegetarian animals (cow, horse, sheep and rabbit)

· Hair

· Tea bags

· Egg shells

Top 10 Composting Tips the Cream City Ribbon Way

Tip #1. Get a compost bin. You can use old crates, or better yet, a sturdy plastic bin that has a secure lid to avoid organisms and microbes from spreading around your home environment. Of course, your bin must be placed outside, away from your children or pet’s reach.

Tip #2. Keep your compost pile in a black or dark-colored plastic bin. Put it in direct sunlight to further the composting process when it's cold. Hay bales can be used to add insulation to the pile.

Tip #3. Grass clippings add much needed nitrogen to your compost pile, however, mixing it with "brown" materials that add carbon is better, and optimizes composting. Both green and brown materials are necessary for quick decomposition, making for richer compost. Piles made up of just grass will compress, slowing down the decomposition process.

Tip #4. Newspaper or plain white copy paper is great for composting. Shred it to small pieces to speed up the process (shredding them is a great way to let air and oxygen in). As such, cut your Cream City Ribbon into shorter pieces before putting them in your compost pile.

Tip #5. Keep your compost moist, but not soaked. The idea is to keep it wet (just like a wrung-out sponge or towel) to help the decomposition process. When your compost dries out, the decomposition will stop. Make sure to check once in a while, and add water when you think it’s starting to dry up.

Tip #6. Sift through it using a pitch fork or a long branch. This allows more oxygen to circulate through your pile, as the microbes that are eating away at your pile also need oxygen to survive. The more oxygen these microbes have, the stronger they become, and the faster the decomposition.

Tip #7. Keep your pile warm. A higher temperature is more conducive for microbes, and a cold climate can stop the decomposition process. If it gets colder, make sure to sift and aerate your pile.

Tip #8. Put some red wriggler worms in your pile. These worms will reside in the top six inches of your pile, and would gladly eat away at your organic compost. Ask your local gardening shops about red wrigglers.

Tip #9. Your worms love coffee ground. You can get these from your local café. They may be given out for free. Add coffee ground to your pile, and you get healthier, richer compost.

Tip #10. Finished compost is usually less than half the amount of materials you started with, but is much denser. It should look, feel and smell like rich, dark soil, and you should not be able to recognize any of the materials you put in there.

Now, you can place the finished compost to your garden soil about 2 to 4 weeks before planting. This allows the nutrients of your compost time to seep into the soil and fertilize it. This makes your soil healthier and optimal for all your garden plants.

Cream City Ribbon: Great for Your Projects, Excellent for Your Garden, Terrific for the Environment

At Cream City Ribbon, eco-friendly and cost effective ways of living are encouraged. Using Cream City Ribbon, which is made from natural cotton and with renewable energy resources, is an excellent way of starting your eco-friendly routine. Our custom ribbons are bound with non-toxic adhesive and printed with water based dyes, making it safe for your children and pets. You can’t lose with Cream City Ribbon.

Make a gorgeous handcrafted project.

Create an amazingly beautiful scrapbook.

Wrap your gifts prettily.

Make elegant handmade accessories.

Hang photos, frames, and home decorations.

Use as a gardening material to tie up your plants.

Put in your compost bin to help aerate and neutralize your compost.

With your Cream City Ribbon, you get boundless possibilities. Be bold. Explore.

At Cream City Ribbon, our mission is to be an environmentally responsible company that creates a quality natural product, provides excellent service and value to our customers and dignified work for our employees. As such, we purchase electricity from renewable energy resources such as wind, solar, hydro and biomass. Our packaging and spools are made with biodegradable and post consumer content materials wherever possible.

Remember that without each individual’s effort, we cannot achieve the goal of having a greener and safer place for our children, and our children’s children.

Your daily efforts in practicing proper waste management and disposal are vital to nature. Encourage your family members, friends, and neighbors to do the same, and you get a cleaner, greener, and safer environment.

Create your projects using biodegradable ribbons.

Be proud of how you helped the environment by using natural ribbons.

Choose Cream City Ribbon.

Make “THE NATURAL CHOICE”.

E-mail us at ccr@creamcityribbon.com for more information, or go to our main website at www.creamcityribbon.com for orders and inquiries.

Cream City Ribbon Supports the Three Rs of Waste Hierarchy


By: Kimmy Maclang

Cream City Ribbon is the only company in America that manufactures natural ribbons made from non-woven cotton yarns that are grown and responsibly dyed in the US. We make our ribbons as natural as we can, using non-toxic water based adhesive. This makes Cream City Ribbon biodegradable and eco-friendly. We encourage the practice of the three Rs – reduce, reuse, and recycle. It is a great help to the environment, and is easy on the pocket.

According to Wikipedia, the waste hierarchy pertains to waste management strategies according to their desirability – (1) reduce, (2) reuse, and (3) recycle. These three are the cornerstone of environmental waste management efforts to lessen the amount of waste in our landfills and environment, and encourage citizens to be more responsible with their consumption and waste disposal.

“Reduce”

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stresses that reduction in consumption and production is the most important step in the three Rs of the waste hierarchy. With less consumption, there are also fewer products to reuse and recycle, and less products that are disposed, which contributes less to environmental degradation.

In addition to this, the EPA further emphasizes the reduction of trash toxicity that is thrown into landfills through “Source Reduction”. This may be accomplished by reducing the design, production, and consumption of materials and items that are toxic to the environment. This keeps these products out of the landfills and the environment, thereby reducing the source of toxic waste. There are a lot of eco-friendly products in the market today, and supporting these products encourages Source Reduction.

Tip #1. Make a list of the things you NEED versus the things that you WANT. Then, make another list of the things that you ALREADY HAVE. Compare these lists, then make a final list of what you actually need to get. Buy what’s in your final list, and do not buy in excess. Control your urge to “panic buy”.

Tip #2. Get eco-friendly products versus environment-harmful ones. Make sure that your items are non-toxic. If you have plastic items, make sure to make an effort to reuse and recycle.

Tip #3. Conserve energy and resources. Do not be wasteful. Make sure that you consume what is exactly needed. There are many ways to conserve your resources and your available items. For instance: when making craft projects, make sure to measure your materials properly so that you don’t have too many scraps.

Tip #4. Remember to always “REDUCE”. Reduction is the cornerstone of environmental protection and waste management. Be mindful of your daily product and energy consumption.

“Reuse”

Reuse may be defined as the act of using materials and items in its original form over and over again, without having to process it biologically and chemically. This also helps lessen waste disposal and lessen the amount of waste and garbage in our landfills. As such, reusing items also helps you save money and conserve resources, contributing to the Source Reduction efforts of the EPA.

Tip #1. For your scrapbooking projects, make sure to reuse whatever materials you have around the home. So many art projects can be accomplished by just using whatever is available. Check out Cream City Ribbon projects that encourage reusing items around the home.

Tip #2. Dig in your closet. Check the back of your closet and drawers, and for sure, you will be able to find old stuff that you don’t use anymore. Remember that not everyone is as fortunate as you are, and that what you are not using right now may be very helpful to someone else.

Give old clothes, shoes, and toys to the less fortunate children and families. Ask your local community center about any drive or fundraiser you can participate in.

Tip #3. Sell what you can’t give away. Put up a rummage sale of all your excess clothes, shoes, toys, home décor, appliances, or furniture. Most people just throw this stuff away. DON’T. You used your hard-earned money to purchase these, and you don’t want that to just be put to waste. You can sell your used items, so another person can put it to good use. Turn your trash into cash!

Tip #4. Before throwing away items around the home, think first about what you can do with it. The back of copy paper can be used by your children as scratch paper, pages of old notebooks can be reused as a new notebook, buttons, beads, yarn, ribbons, can be used again for a new project. Be creative and explore possibilities, the Cream City Ribbon way!

“Recycle”

Recycling is the last step in the waste hierarchy, and we must remember that reduce and reuse is still best for the environment.

Tip #1. Separate your garbage. Contact your community’s recycling center or garbage collection company to determine whether they provide recycling bins. Learn about your local community’s regulations on garbage separation. You may use the following categories: wet, dry, biodegradable, non-biodegradable, and plastics. You may also have a separate bin for composting.

Tip #2. Support recycling and environment campaigns.

In practicing the three Rs of the waste hierarchy, you can help the world become a greener place. Remember that without each individual’s effort, we cannot achieve the goal of having a greener and safer place for our children, and our children’s children.

Your daily efforts to support the three Rs are vital to the success of waste management. Encourage your family members, friends, and neighbors to do the same, and you get a cleaner, greener, and safer environment.

At Cream City Ribbon, our mission is to be an environmentally responsible company that creates a quality natural product, and provides excellent service and value to our customers and dignified work for our employees. As such, we purchase electricity from renewable energy resources such as wind, solar, hydro and biomass. Our packaging and spools are made with biodegradable and post consumer content materials wherever possible.

At Cream City Ribbon, we believe that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Don’t throw away your Cream City Ribbon scraps. Use it for other craft projects to give as gifts.

Use biodegradable and earth-friendly materials. Cream City Ribbon is made from natural cotton and bound with non-toxic adhesive. Use it to make a fabulous package or a beautiful home decoration. Then, use it again to tie up your plants. Put it in the compost bin.

Cream City Ribbon encourages the practice of the three Rs of waste management.

Create your projects using biodegradable ribbons.

Be proud of how you helped the environment by using natural ribbons.

Choose Cream City Ribbon.

Make “THE NATURAL CHOICE”.

E-mail us at ccr@creamcityribbon.com for more information, or go to our main website at www.creamcityribbon.com for orders and inquiries.

Celebrate Friendship with Cream City Ribbon

August 1 is friendship day. Make friendship bands and bracelets for your dear friends. Let the whole month of August be all about friends and the special bond you have with them. Cream City Ribbon offers ribbons made of 100% natural cotton, responsibly grown and dyed in the US with water based dyes. This biodegradable ribbon is non-woven, and bound with non-toxic adhesive.

We also have custom ribbons that may be printed on using inks that are soy based and non-toxic. You can choose what you want us to print on your ribbons, or you may write on the ribbons yourself using gel pens and sharpies, or stamp pads and ink. You may even rub on letters and use your inkjet printer for your own personalized ribbons.

Because of the unique and natural properties of Cream City Ribbon, you can curl it, tie it, shred it, fold it, cut it, quill it, or do anything you want with them. These ribbons are very strong, and have been used in various industries to tie things together for a number of years. Go ahead. Grab either end and see if you can break it.

Cream City Ribbon, given these properties, is ideal for making friendship bracelets during the month of August. Show your friends that they are special. Give them a small token of appreciation by making hand made crafts, with your own design based on how much they mean to you, or how you know them. All you need is a few yards of your Cream City Ribbon, a couple hours of your time, and voila! You’ve made your friend a bracelet to show that their presence in your life is something you treasure.

Follow these simple instructions to make your friend a band using Cream City Ribbon.

Diagonal Floss Friendship Band

Step 1. Cut about 27 inches of your Cream City Ribbon. Shred the ribbons, and making each strand about less than 2mm each.

Step 2. Tie a knot at one end, leaving around 1 to 1 ½ inches. Arrange the colors or pattern according to how you want the diagonal parts to come together. You can combine various colors and prints as you deem attractive.

Step 3. Start with strand 1. Hold the strand straight, and loop it over your finger to keep it straight. Get strand 2, and loop it over and then under strand 1 to make a knot. Pull the knot snug to make it neat. Do this one more time to make a double knot for each strand.

Step 4. Do this with the rest of the ribbons to complete a row. Note that the thickness of the bracelet depends on the number of strands you have.

Step 5. Once you have completed the row, begin the next row following step 3 and 4. Make sure that you begin the row using the first strand to the left, making double knots as you go along, from left to right. Continue doing this until your friendship band is as long as you like.

Cream City Ribbon suggests making the bracelet a third shorter than the actual length you like, as after washing the bracelet, it expands.

Step 6. Once you have achieved the length you desire, tie the end with a knot, leaving 1 to 1 ½ inches. It is even up to you if you want to braid the ends, or put a bead to hold it together.

Make sure that your knots are neat and snug, so that if your friend washes them with her while taking a bath, and the strands stretch out, the knots are still neat. The great thing about making this friendship bracelet with your Cream City Ribbon is that your friend doesn’t have to take them off.

Cream City Ribbon may get wet, or may even be washed with mild soap, but the colors won’t fade and the colors won’t rub off other fabrics. The print will not come off the ribbon once it is dry. With Cream City Ribbon, you can explore your possibilities.

This friendship bracelet was made using a printed ribbon that was left over from another project. Cream City Ribbon encourages recycling and using materials that are earth friendly. Recycling materials is a great help to the environment, and is easy on the pocket. As we celebrate friendship this month of August, let us also celebrate our friendship with nature.

This month of August, let us make friendship bracelets and bands using natural ribbons.

Show your friends you care about them and the environment.

Make your gift more meaningful with naturally beautiful ribbons.

Choose Cream City Ribbon.

Make “THE NATURAL CHOICE”.

Visit our main website at www.creamcityribbon.com for more design ideas and techniques. Order your custom ribbons online today! E-mail us at ccr@creamcityribbon.com for more information.



The Cream City Ribbon Hair Accessories

If you find yourself looking for hair accessories, and you just can’t seem to find one you like, Cream City Ribbon recommends making your own. Many things can be recycled and used for something else. You can come up with fabulous creations just by diving inside your closet or storage boxes.
Simple buttons, ribbons, or beads from old bracelets and accessories can be turned into a whole new fashion accessory. It’s all about exploring your possibilities with the Cream City Ribbon. Here is a simple project you can do, to make a hair accessory. Glam it up further!
Materials:
· Cream City Ribbon (1 ½ yards)
· Button, bead, or anything to decorate the center of your bow
· Hair tie or hair pin/clip
· Needle and thread
· Glue stick
Step 1. Gather all materials. You can use buttons from old clothes, or beads from old accessories you don’t use anymore. This button was taken from an old skirt.
Step 2. Make a ribbon bow or ribbon flower using your Cream City Ribbon. Get one end of your Cream City Ribbon (about 8 to 10 inches), and make a loop, making sure that there is a little bit more hanging from the loose end. At the center (where the loop ends), twist the ribbon once, and make another loop. Do this until you run out of ribbon, or until you feel that you have enough bows or petals. To make a fuller bow, start with bigger loops, and end with a small one.
Note: The purpose of twisting the ribbon is to secure it in the middle, so you can make another loop at a different angle, and to be able to turn the ribbons around, so that the printed side is the one seen (for printed Cream City Ribbon). If you prefer to use both sides, you can opt to not twist the ribbon at the center when going from loop to loop.
Step 3. When finished, fold the last bit of ribbon left in the middle. You can use a push pin to hold it down, and look at your finished bow so you can make adjustments before you sew on the button.
Step 4. Sew on the button using your needle and thread. Make sure that it’s tight and secure.
Voila! You’ve got a pretty bow.
Step 5. Using your glue stick or glue gun, stick the hair tie to the back of your bow.
Step 6. Embellish it further! You can shred another color of your Cream City Ribbon, tie it on the base of your hair tie, and curl it. You can be as bold with your designs as you want to be.
With your Cream City Ribbon, you can make simple knots and bows, to use with your hair pins and clips.
Go ahead; explore your possibilities with Cream City Ribbon.
Cream City Ribbon – Naturally beautiful. naturally fabulous, naturally American, naturally Green.
Choose Cream City Ribbon.
Make “THE NATURAL CHOICE”.
Visit our main website at www.creamcityribbon.com for more design ideas and techniques. You can also order our decorative ribbon online.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Bows and Flower Ribbons: The Cream City Ribbon Way




There are many various uses for ribbons where you can make different designs and styles. You can use ribbons to make decorations, such as bows and flowers. Use them to adorn gifts, scrapbooks, clothes, accessories, and anything else you can think.
To make the most use of ribbons, learn the basic skill of making a flower bow out of ribbon. Your Cream City Ribbon is a non-woven ribbon made from 100% natural cotton and responsibly grown and dyed in the US, and is easy to play around with. Youcan tie it, curl it, shred it, fold it, and quill it, allowing you create multiple bows out of it.
Instead of just making a simple shoelace bow, you can make a flower ribbon. First, learn the basics of making your Cream City Ribbon bow. With your Cream City Ribbon, you don’t have to use wires, or rulers to make your bow. All you need is your Cream City Ribbon.
Instructions:
Step 1. Get your Cream City Ribbon of choice. Any color, design, or print would do, as long as you feel that it goes well with your gift box, scrapbook design, or project. Really, it’s all up to your own creativity!
Step 2. Cut your Cream City Ribbon according to the size of bow you want. The bigger the bow, the longer the length of the ribbon you need. Three to five yards is advisable especially since you’re still practicing perfecting your bow.
Step 3. Get one end of your Cream City Ribbon (about 8 to 10 inches), and make a loop, making sure that there is a little bit more hanging from the loose end. At the center (where the loop ends), twist the ribbon once, and make another loop.
Step 4. It is important to twist the ribbon, not pinch it, so that you have a nice, tight center. This prevents the ribbon from splitting and insures that the printed side will always face the top. Repeat step 3 until you run out of ribbon. You can make smaller loops as you go.

Step 5. Secure with a twistie or a narrower strip of Cream City Ribbon. Fan out your loops to make one bow. (You can “floof” and arrange your loops, so they stand up and hold their shape, a little like a wired ribbon).
Note:
To make multiple bows, simply repeat the process using another variation of your Cream City Ribbon.




Voila! You now have multiple bows. Making a fabulous bow such as this cannot be achieved with just ordinary ribbons. With Cream City Ribbon, you can achieve extraordinary designs.
Explore your possibilities with the ribbons that are naturally beautiful.
Cream City Ribbon – Naturally American.
Naturally Fabulous.
Naturally Green.

Ribbons: The Universal Banner


How It Began

Ribbons have been used in a number of different ways, such as ties, hair bows, decorations, fashion accessories, or craft materials. However, ribbons have also been used for various campaigns and symbolisms worldwide.

The widespread use of symbolic campaign ribbons can be traced back into the early 1990s. The New York Times declared 1992 as “The Year of the Ribbon”, when people started wearing bright red ribbons pinned on their chests to support the fight against AIDS.

“Tie a yellow ribbon 'round the old oak tree
It's been three long years
Do you still want me?”

Many people are probably familiar with the song “Tie a Yellow Ribbon” by Tony Orlando. This song was popularized in the 1970s, and some have cited that this was the origin of the Ribbon tradition. However, the display of ribbons dates further back to a folk tale, as told in a book by Pennsylvania jurist Curtis Bok in 1959.

The story was about two men on a railroad train. One of them was a convict, who was released from a five year prison sentence. This convict wrote to the people of his town and asked them to give him a sign of whether or not they wanted him back when he came home. He instructed them to place a white ribbon around the big apple tree by the railroad track if they wanted him, but do nothing if they did not want him back. The convict told them that if he did not see a white ribbon, he would not get off the train and move on to another place to start a new life.

As they neared his hometown, the man asked his companion to look for the white ribbon, as he was too nervous to look himself. After a little while, the convict felt his companion’s hand on his arm, and heard him exclaim, "There it is!" The man cried, "It’s all right! The whole tree is white with ribbons."

During the 1960s, this story appeared in religious publications and was retold by word of mouth. Various versions of the story emerged, and in 1972, Irwin Levine and L. Russell Brown copyrighted the lyrics to the song “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree”. They claimed that the lyrics were derived from a story they heard while serving in the military. The following year, “Tie a Yellow Ribbon”, sang by Tony Orlando, sold 3 million copies.

Tie a yellow ribbon 'round the old oak tree

It's been three long years

Do you still want me?

If I don't see a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree

I'll stay on the bus

Forget about us

Put the blame on me

If I don't see a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree

In 1975, Gail Magruder tied yellow ribbons around her porch for her husband, Jeb Stuart Magruder. Jeb Stuart was released from jail, and his homecoming was broadcasted live on the evening news. At that moment, the Yellow Ribbon became a symbol of forgiveness.

Iranian revolutionaries seized the US embassy in Tehran and took Ambassador Bruce Laingen and his staff hostage in November 1979. His wife, Penne Laingen, tied a yellow ribbon around a tree in her front yard, and said in an interview for The Washington Post (Barbara Parker, 1979, “Penne Laingen’s Wait”) six weeks after the incident, "So I'm standing and waiting and praying . . . and one of these days Bruce is going to untie that yellow ribbon. It's going to be out there until he does." This same yellow ribbon was then used as a sign of the families’ determination to be reunited again.

The hostage families formed an organization that allied with other humanitarian associations, in order to bring strong moral support to the families of the hostages. They distributed 10,000 yellow ribbons to various unions, schools, TV stations, companies, and politicians.

Thus began the use of ribbons as symbols for campaigns and support organizations.

Ribbons for Awareness Campaigns

Awareness ribbons are short pieces of colored ribbons, folded once to make a loop or single bow. They are used in various countries like the US, Canada, Australia, UK, and many other parts of the world. These ribbons were designed to show a statement of support for various causes or issues.

In 1990, AIDS activists decided to use the ribbons as a way to support people who were fighting the disease. AIDS is represented by the Red Ribbon (because red is the color of passion), and people wear red ribbons to show support for AIDS patients. In the 1991 Tony Awards, Jeremy Irons wore the eye-catching red ribbon on his chest. The red AIDS ribbon became an overnight sensation, and people immediately followed suit.

Meanwhile, in 1996, the Pink Ribbon was launched for breast cancer awareness to support breast cancer patients and survivors, and to raise funds for breast cancer research. A Green Ribbon Campaign was launched by Canada in the same year as a symbol of hope for missing children. White ribbons are symbols for peace, innocence, and life, while dark blue ribbons are worn for child abuse campaigns. A jigsaw puzzle ribbon is used to display autism awareness.

Following the 9-11 attack in 2001, Americans fashioned a commemorative ribbon, known as the “9-11 ribbon” or “loyalty ribbon” to show solidarity and patriotism. The 9-11 Ribbon persisted well into the next year, as people continued to heal and move on with life. These loyalty ribbons are worn each year during commemoration of the 9-11 attacks.

Ribbons of different colors, indeed, have become the universal banner for various causes, health issues, and social concerns. Some become popular worldwide, while others are just locally known. Regardless of whether they are local or worldwide, these causes are just as important as the others.

Cream City Ribbon: Ribbons for a Cause

Cream City Ribbon is a Milwaukee based ribbon manufacturing company that produces natural and biodegradable ribbons. Cream City Ribbon is made from 100% cotton, responsibly grown and dyed in the US. American-made and environment friendly, Cream City Ribbon comes in 29 colors and has a wide variety of patterns and prints. Organic cotton Cream City Ribbon is also available by special order.

Cream City Ribbon supports the Milwaukee Urban Ecology Center, fighting for environmental causes using their natural ribbons that are non-woven.

Give your campaign a more meaningful cause with all-American ribbons.

Use natural ribbons.

Support patriotism with US made ribbons.

Protect the environment with biodegradable ribbons.

Buy Cream City Ribbon.

Cream City Ribbon is also great for crafts, scrapbooking, home decorations, and commercial purposes. For orders, inquiries, and more information, visit www.CreamCityRibbon.com.