The Rite in the Rain story began nearly a century ago in the forests of the Great Northwest. Entrepreneur, Jerry Darling, recognized the logging industry’s need for a durable material that could be written on and survive in poor weather conditions. Jerry developed a special coating that created a unique moisture shield on the hand-dipped sheets of paper that he and his wife, Mary, processed at their home. From humble beginnings, the first all-weather paper was born! Over the many years, the company has perfected and patented an environmentally responsible coating process. Still located in Tacoma, their continued mission is to provide innovative products for professionals and enthusiasts who brave the outdoors.
In spite of Rite in the Rain's durability, it’s as recyclable as standard office paper, which is untrue of synthetic, or poly coated papers. Simply recycle Rite in the Rain as you do other office paper. Furthermore, all the cover materials used on Rite in the Rain products (Polydura, Field-Flex, and Fabrikoid) are all recyclable using standard curbside recycling programs. For recycling Wire-O products, it’s recommended to separate the metal wire from the book prior to putting it all in the receptacle.
Rite in the Rain All-Weather Writing Paper is a patented substrate created for use in outdoor writing situations. Since this paper is designed for use in extreme conditions it is manufactured with the most durable yet recyclable components available. Recycled content pulp, as a result of the repulping & reprocessing involved in recycling, produces a “weaker” substrate due to the shortened fibers. This inherent weakness reduces the field-durability of paper and as such is not used in the manufacture of Rite in the Rain paper. It is one of the rare instances where virgin fiber adds significantly to the end-product function. Papers designed for “office or indoor” uses do not require this strength and as such can contain recycled fiber. This all being said, the wood fibers they utilize for Rite in the Rain are purchased from FSC Certified sources. By doing this it ensures our product is manufactured with high environmental and social standards and practices.
The process involved in the manufacture of Rite in the Rain paper was designed to have an ultra-low impact on the environment. The water-based coating process emits only steam and all mill off-cuts are recycled back into the paper-manufacturing stream. All printing plates and processing liquids are recycled. 100% of printing inks are soy-based. The modern facility and equipment are designed to be energy efficient.
