Sustainability Tips

Scope 3 emissions

Important data for carbon reduction and net zero targets for printers, convertors, publishers – and end users can be obtained from your paper and board products. The emission figures relating to two Scope 3 emissions, product manufacture and upstream transportation, can be provided for all grades we supply.

Carbon Balanced Paper

The Carbon Balancing process reduces the environmental impacts of printed media and communications as well as converted packaging products. Carbon Balanced paper and board products deliver a powerful sustainability message, acknowledging a direct investment into the regeneration and conservation activities of the World Land Trust. Atmospheric carbon emissions are reduced, endangered biodiversity and wildlife is protected, and forestry carbon stocks are increased.

A WLT logo for artwork and an official certificate to endorse your Carbon Balanced Paper/Board investment are supplied.

Forest Management Certification

Use products certified by third party audited Forest Management organisations such as Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) schemes. Supported by the chain of custody process, an FSC or PEFC paper/board product can be traced back to its tree species and country of harvest origins. Recognisable logos can be used on artwork if chain of custody process is followed.

Recycled Paper

Consider using recycled paper and board products to ease the demand for virgin paper fibre and to encourage the use a highly recyclable product as we move towards a circular economy.

Bulky Papers

Sometimes referred to as hybrid grades, with a little compromise, they can allow you to switch to a comparatively lower paper weight and yet still retain the same thickness as a conventional graphical paper grade. It's conceivable that you could achieve a double-digit percentage reduction in paper weight by adapting to a slightly reduced whiteness level and a different surface finish. Your carbon impacts will be reduced and it's likely you could benefit from reduced production and transportation costs, and possibly cheaper postal costs.

Make use of our Paper Health Check and samples and dummies service should you wish to investigate bulky paper option as an alternative to your current printing stock.

Bespoke Paper Sizes

Conventional sheet stock sizes are designed to suit A and B sized formats, allowing for grip and trim margins. If it's possible to make use of a shorter width or a shorter length, then you could reduce you price per 1000 sheets and certainly reduce you overall carbon impact.

Ask us about mill makings or, if needed sooner, the availability of cutter reel stock at our Reel Fast conversion plant in the West Midlands.

Pinched widths

If printing web offset, a reduced publication width could mean a reduced reel size and therefore reduced weight, carbon impacts and costs.

For example: where an 870mm reel would print a standard A4 publication, if the publication was 297 x 205 then an 850mm reel would be required. So, if 20 tonnes of 870mm was required initially then the reduced width would now require 19.5 tonnes of 850mm reels. Similarly, this could work as a reduced sheet size width.

Managed Paper Supply

For publishers, a managed paper supply service will manage your usage, costs and carbon implications. Ask us for a demonstration of about our free, cradle to grave paper management service.

Promote Recyclability

Paper is a highly recyclable product. Paper fibre can be reused up to 10 times and thereafter it has a use in agriculture and horticulture as a soil improvement agent. So, promote the circular economy and encourage the recyclability of your printed paper with a statement or a logo.

Know Your Paper's Origins

If your paper board contains virgin fibre, then regulations requiring documented due diligence will support claims that your product does not originate from deforestation or forest degradation sources, and that it comes through supply chains that aren't connected with modern slavery activity.

Ask us about our compliance to the UK Timber Regulations, the EU Deforestation Regulations and Modern Slavery Act.