Sustainable/Recyclable Resources and Materials for Packaging

Recycled Paper

In regard to paper packaging, recycled paper is the greenest option. It uses less energy, water, and produces lower carbon emissions than the manufacturing of non-recycled paper and at the same time reduces the amount of waste to landfill – as paper can be recycled 4 to 5 times. With advances in technology and processes, recycled paper can now be as white and has the same print performance as non recycled paper.

• Burying waste paper as landfill releases methane gas, which is 23 times higher and more harmful to the environment than CO2.
• On average, the production of virgin fibre paper, followed by incineration uses twice as much energy than it takes to produce recycled paper.
• Recycling reduces CO2 emissions by 20% in comparison with incinerating the paper.
• Paper fibres can be recycled 4 to 5 times.
• The process of creating recycled paper uses 31% less energy* than the creation of virgin fibre paper.
• Producing a tonne of recycled paper takes 35,000 fewer litres of water* than producing one tonne of virgin fibre paper.
• It takes around 1.2 tonnes of recycled fibres to produce 1 tonne of recycled paper, but it would take 2.5 tonnes of wood to make 1 tonne of virgin fibre paper.

Cardboard

Recycling cardboard, similarly to paper, is about saving water and energy. Cardboard is one of the easiest and most environmentally effective materials to recycle since the fibre in cardboard has already been processed. By recycling one kilogram of paper and cardboard, production of greenhouse gases can be reduced by up to one kilogram.


Natural Kraft Paper

Kraft paper is a 100% biodegradable natural product as just like the leaves from the trees, kraft paper decomposes naturally within a few weeks, returning to its initial form of cellulose fibres, which can be fully assimilated back into its original natural environment, with no adverse impact on nature or human health. The pulp is made from long virgin fibres of maritime pine and is not bleached, to ensure minimum chemical processing and to retain the wood's natural colour.

Long, virgin, unbleached fibres have another major benefit, being that they give the paper a high level of mechanical strength, allowing for the design of reusable packaging using lower grammages of paper while maintaining the same strength. Stronger paper allows manufacturers to design reusable packaging and/or to reduce the weight of packaging at source, also saving energy in the process.

Natural kraft paper is also a highly recyclable single-material product. Its long fibres can be recycled several times, making it ideal for the end-of-life management of packaging. It can also be incinerated to produce energy.

Cotton

Cotton can be recycled from both pre-consumer and post-consumer cotton waste. Pre-consumer waste comes from any excess material produced during the production of yarn, fabrics and textile products, e.g. selvage from weaving and fabric from factory cutting rooms whereas post-consumer waste comes from discarded textile products, e.g. used apparel and home textiles. The recycling process involves the cotton waste first being sorted by type and color and then processed through stripping machines that break the yarns and fabric into smaller pieces before pulling them apart into fiber. The mix is carded several times in order to clean and mix the fibers before they are spun into new yarns.

Cotton is an extremely resource-intense crop in terms of water, pesticides and insecticides, however using recycled cotton can lead to significant savings of natural resources and reduce pollution from agriculture. Recycling one tonne of cotton can save 765 cubic metres of water.

Recycled cotton is often combined with recycled plastic bottles to make clothing and textiles, creating very sustainable, earth-conscious products. Even though recycling cotton cuts down on the harsh process of creating brand new cotton products.

Cotton paper

Cotton paper, sometimes referred to as rag paper, is made using cotton linters or cotton from used cloth (rags) as the primary material. Cotton paper is superior in both strength and durability to wood pulp-based paper, which often contains higher concentrations of acids. Cotton paper also also absorbs ink and/or toner better. 100% cotton papers can also be recycled as it is a natural fibre and is biodegradable, with any fibres that cannot be recycled can be composted.