Cloth Envelopes were invented by entrepreneur Ray Weigel III in Northern Michigan. But the company really came to life when Ray, his wife Micki, and their partners Rose and Jim Scharmen brought Cloth Envelopes to the National Stationery Show in New York City, where the gift, invitation and stationery industries (as well as the press) noticed how unique and beautiful Cloth Envelopes really are.

The Cloth Envelope Store was created by Ray and Micki Weigel as a way to bring Cloth Envelopes to the general public. Before the Cloth Envelope Store came online, Cloth Envelopes were only available in bulk orders of 1000 envelopes or more, or available from custom invitation designers that only celebrities could afford. Now you can get individual Cloth Envelopes and Cloth Envelope Stationery Sets online, as well as bulk Cloth Envelopes.

Press Kit / Releases

• The ClothEnvelopeStore.Com Launches : May, 2008 [Word/Doc]
• The ClothEnvelopeStore.Com Launches : May, 2008 [PDF]

Special Note From Cloth Envelope Inventor, Ray Weigel: Why a Cloth Envelope vs. a Paper Envelope?

When setting up a dinner with important clients, would you choose to cover the table with paper?  Probably not.  You’d be more likely to pick out your best tablecloth, silver and dishes.  It’s hard to imagine walking into an elegant restaurant and looking out over a sea of paper tablecloths.

Restaurateurs and event planners know that for their businesses to be successful, the image they present to customers is as important as the food. Choosing cloth over paper is more than simply a choice of quality.  Choosing cloth denotes a certain respect for clients and lets them know you consider their business special.  A fine tablecloth becomes one of the first, silent salesmen the customer meets. 

From overly-exaggerated claims to over-the-top promotional chochkies, marketing professionals deploy a wide variety of techniques to get their mailings opened.  Most of these techniques have been proven effective, to a point.  This begs the question, what kind of message do these techniques send to clients? 

How does a refrigerator magnet or pen with a logo on it get more business?  Does it really start the relationship off on the right foot, or simply add another piece of junk to the piles of junk mail that already litter our desks?  

What your send is as important as what you send it in.  And what you send it in should denote respect for your clients and their business.   This is where the cloth envelope comes in. 

When someone receives a Cloth Envelope, they know that what’s inside is important.  But more than that, the elegance and exquisiteness of the envelope lets clients know that you think enough of their business to send the best.

Sure, it costs a little more to produce a cloth envelope, but comparing one to a paper envelope is like comparing the cloth tablecloth to the paper one.  There’s just no contest. 

When you use cloth envelopes not only will your return results improve dramatically, but you’ll also have set the atmosphere for a better relationship with the recipient.  Can you afford them?  Considering how many of marketing messages are tossed out before they’re even opened, you can’t afford not to.   Cloth Envelopes deliver more. 

Ray Weigel
Cloth Envelope Company