Why Our Decorative Tissue Paper is 100% Recycled

Posted on Sep 28th 2020

There is a handful of custom-branded or designed tissue paper options on the market. Most claim sustainability traits such as being made with FSC® certified virgin paper. Some even have a percentage of recycled content. Many say 100% recyclable (though this term, when used to describe tissue paper, is a bit misleading). But very few of them are 100% recycled.

This ambiguity in the market is why we are so proud to be offering a 100% recycled (20% post-consumer) tissue paper line that can be fully branded with your unique design. As a bonus, our tissue is FSC® certified and processed chlorine free.

Why is it so hard to find 100% recycled, custom tissue paper?

Unfortunately, it is hard to find 100% recycled anything!

You’re hard-pressed in the paper towel and toilet paper aisle to find more than one or two 100% recycled options. The same goes for wrapping paper or printer paper.

This lack of recycled options in the market is for a few reasons:

Paper fibers shorten and weaken with each round of recycling. Paper mills and converters find it more challenging to manufacture materials with these shorter, less consistent, and less perfect papers.
Adhesives don’t work as well on them, and printing isn’t always as successful.
Consumers of 100% recycled paper products sometimes balk at the quality of the paper, which is typically a bit lower in quality (not as soft, not as absorbent, not as strong).

Because of these reasons, we know that 100% recycled tissue paper, decorative or otherwise, isn’t suitable for every situation.

But we believe eCommerce is uniquely suited for 100% recycled, customized tissue paper. Ecommerce packaging does not require the printing sophistication of retail packaging. This packaging does not come into contact with food, medical supplies, or other sensitive items. And while strength is needed, manufacturers can typically achieve the required level with 100% recycled papers.

We are hard-pressed to think of a better use case within eCommerce packaging than the decorative tissue paper used in a brand’s unboxing strategy! Custom printed tissue paper gives your package a unique, upscale aesthetic. You considered every detail of the unboxing experience, and it shows. If it’s recycled, it also indicates that you and your prominently featured brand care about the environment.

Printed tissue paper is typically used for wrap, separation, and decorative purposes, not for performance and strength. Additionally, while custom tissue paper is an excellent investment for eCommerce brands, this type of printing is relatively simple and works well on a 100% recycled substrate (compared to full coverage, flood coat printing often required for retail packaging).

If tissue paper is a good candidate for recycled content, why are we so maniacal about ensuring we offer a 100% recycled option?

One foundational principle of our business is to create markets for recycled content. As our recycling rates for paper increase, manufacturers need to buy this material (otherwise, it will just get stockpiled and then sent to the landfill). Since the shorter fibers of recycled content aren’t a great fit for all use cases, we believe businesses and consumers must demand 100% recycled for the products that can adequately be made with recycled inputs. This demand drives reclaimers and manufacturers to buy your recycled paper, closing the loop on the recycling supply chain.

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Tissue Paper

FSC® certified 10# paper protects against scuffing and dust. Custom tissue paper is available. 100% recycled, 20% post-consumer waste.