Why is paper the ideal sustainable packaging material?
Businesses love working with paper, and for good reason: it’s cost-efficient, easy to print and convert and best of all, it’s highly sustainable. Paper is one of the most eco-friendly options out there when it comes to packaging materials. Let’s find out why:
Paper is made out of wood, which is a natural and renewable material. When responsibly managed, forests and the forest products industry contribute to sustaining wildlife habitats and diversity. There are a number of certifications that enable businesses and converters to ensure that the paper they are working with comes from sustainable sources. These include the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).
What’s more, paper is a highly recyclable material. While other materials are technically recyclable, such as composite materials and plastics, many conventional recycling plants are unable to handle them, leading to a low overall recycling rate. Research has shown that the paper recycling rate was 68.2% in the US in 2018 and 72% in the European Union the following year. Paper recycling infrastructure is well implanted across the European continent, which is good news with regards to the EU’s 10-year goal of a 85% recyclability rate for paper and cardboard packaging.
AR Metallizing offers a range of packaging products based on metallized paper, a fully recyclable monomaterial. Get in touch to find out how we can help you make your packaging more sustainable.