What To Do With Old Business Cards

It’s easy to end up with a pile of old business cards – leftovers from rebranding, job changes, or a phone number update. They tend to gather dust in drawers because throwing them out feels wasteful. Instead of simply chucking them in the bin (and adding to the huge number of cards that get discarded – about 88% are tossed within a week?, why not find a better use?

In this guide we’ll explore smart, sustainable ways to reuse, recycle or repurpose old business cards. You’ll pick up practical tips, stay eco-friendly, and keep your professional image tidy all at once.

Why Do You Have So Many Old Business Cards?

If you’ve got heaps of old business cards lying around, you’re not alone. Common reasons include:

Job changes or promotions: When you change roles or companies, your old contact details become obsolete.
Rebranding or redesign: A new logo, colour scheme or business name means the previous batch of cards no longer matches your identity.
Over-ordering: It’s easy to print far more cards than you end up using – leaving a box of spares gathering dust.
Contact detail updates: Changing phone numbers, emails, or office addresses renders older cards inaccurate.

Whatever the reason, it’s crucial to keep your business card information up to date. Handing out a card with outdated details (or scribbled corrections) sends the wrong message and looks unprofessional?.

Once your details change, it’s time to retire those old cards – but retiring doesn’t have to mean wasting.

Practical Ways to Reuse Old Business Cards

Before you toss those cards, consider these practical (and fun) ways to give them a second life:

Turn Them into Scratch Notes or Bookmarks

One of the simplest uses for old business cards is as scratch paper. Keep a stack by your phone or on your desk for jotting down quick notes, to-do lists or phone messages – the blank back of a card is perfect for this. You can even clip a few cards together to make a tiny notepad. Old cards also double nicely as bookmarks: slip one between your book’s pages instead of dog-earing. For a clever twist, cut a small triangular flap in a card so it hooks onto a page? – this creates a bookmark that won’t fall out.

Craft & DIY Projects

If you’re feeling creative, those little rectangles can be transformed into all sorts of crafty items:

Gift tags: Turn old cards into personalised tags for presents. Cover any outdated info, punch a hole, add a ribbon? – and voilà, a charming gift tag!
Labels for organisation: Use cards as labels for your home or office. Write on the blank side and tape them to folders, boxes or shelves? to keep things organised.
Kids’ crafts and art: Hand old cards to children for drawing, colouring and cutting. The sturdy card is great for making flashcards or collage pieces – a free supply for creative play.

Emergency Backup (Short-Term!)

Outdated cards aren’t ideal to give out, but they can serve as an emergency backup in a pinch. Keep a few in your wallet or laptop bag for those moments when you meet someone and don’t have a fresh card handy. You can write your new number or email on the old card (after crossing out the old info) and still pass along your details. It’s not ideal, so use this only as a temporary stopgap – but it’s better than missing a networking opportunity.

Eco-Friendly Disposal Options

After reusing and repurposing what you can, you might still have a stack left over. The next step is to dispose of old business cards in an environmentally friendly way. Tossing them straight into the rubbish is wasteful – instead, try these eco-conscious options:

Recycle If Possible

Most paper business cards can go in the recycling – if they’re plain cardstock without special coatings. Glossy or plastic-coated cards, on the other hand, often aren’t recyclable?, so check your local guidelines. Remember to remove any staples, foil decals or other non-paper bits before recycling. And if you’re printing new ones, consider choosing eco-friendly business cards next time so your networking is kinder to the planet.

Shred for Compost or Packing Material

For cards you can’t recycle (or prefer not to), shredding is a useful option. Shred or cut up the cards to protect any personal info, then reuse the scraps. Plain paper card shreds can be added to your compost bin as carbon-rich material, or used as packing filler to cushion parcels. (Avoid composting cards with plastic or heavy inks.) Privacy tip: Even if you lack a shredder, tear the cards up before binning them so your contact details aren’t readable.

Just note that shredding paper can make recycling harder (small fibres are less useful) – so only do this if recycling isn’t viable?. If by chance your old cards are printed on special biodegradable stock (like seed paper), you could even plant them in the garden and watch some wildflowers sprout?!

When to Upgrade Your Business Cards

How do you know when it’s time to finally order new cards? Here are a few signs that scream “order a new batch!”:

Your details have changed: If your phone number, email, job title or address is different, you should never keep handing out the old cards. No one wants a card with pen scribbles on it. Order new cards as soon as any contact info changes.
Brand makeover: If you’ve updated your company name, logo or brand colours, the old cards won’t match anymore. Consistency is key for branding, so print new ones that reflect your current identity.
Worn-out or dated design: Cards that are creased, scuffed or sporting a decades-old design can undermine your image. A shabby-looking card might send the wrong signal about your business. Better to refresh the design and have crisp, clean cards that show you pay attention to quality.
Running low before a big event: If you’re down to your last few cards (and have conferences or meetings coming up), don’t wait until you’re completely out. Reorder in advance so you’re fully stocked. This is also a chance to update anything on the card you’ve been meaning to change.

In short, if any of the above apply, it’s time to get new business cards.

Creative Alternatives: Preserve or Display Them

Not every old business card has to be used or thrown away – a few can be kept for nostalgia. If you’re sentimental (or proud of your past branding), consider:

Memory box or scrapbook: Save one card from each phase of your career in a memory box or glue them into a scrapbook. It creates a timeline of your professional journey – from your first ever card to the latest and greatest.
Cork board collage: Pin old cards on a cork board in your office as a collage. It becomes wall art that tells a story. Plus, it’s a fun conversation starter when clients spot an old logo or design of yours on display.
Business card album: Slip a few of your retired cards into a business card album (the kind meant for storing contacts’ cards). It’s like collecting trading cards of your own career – a quirky archive of your brand evolution.

Ready for a Refresh?

After all these ideas for dealing with old cards, nothing beats the excitement of having brand-new business cards that truly represent you. When you’re ready to create new ones, Space Print can help.

Explore Space Print’s business card range and create a card you’ll be proud to share.