Fact Sheet: Copy Paper
This fact sheet is designed to help you choose environmentally preferable copy paper.
There are a number of issues to consider when choosing paper including the source of virgin fibre,
recycled content, bleaching process, place of manufacture, as well as your specific operational
requirements. This fact sheet provides a quick overview to help locate and compare papers available
in NSW.
Issues to Consider
Recycled papers today are generally of a very high standard and suitable for use in most standard printers
and copiers.
Choosing recycled paper reduces the demand for virgin pulp and uses less water and energy in the
manufacturing process. Purchasing paper with a high post-consumer waste content helps close the loop on
waste by creating a market for paper collected through recycling programs. As a general rule, the higher the
post-consumer waste content, the greater the environmental benefit.
One of the most important current issues is environmental certification. Many manufacturers now offer
papers with a variety of environmental endorsements. While some, such as FSC (Forest Stewardship
Council) have environmental integrity, others often confuse the issue. Given that most papers are made
from a variety of fibre sources, environmental certification requires critical assessment. As a general rule,
look for paper with a high percentage of fibre endorses by an independent certifier with environmental
integrity.
It is also important to remember that environmental certification of virgin pulp, or of the manufacturing
process, is not a substitute for recycled content. Choosing Australian made papers may offer benefits over
imported products by providing local jobs and reducing the environmental impacts associated with long
distance transport. Notwithstanding this, woodchipping of native forests for paper production in Australia is a
contentious political issue.
The most environmentally preferable paper need not cost more. At the same time sustainability is about
identifying the best product for your circumstances, then shop around for the best price.
The most sustainable option is to avoid paper use in the first place. Explore how your organisation can
reduce overall paper use through initiatives such as electronic transfer and storage, double sided printing,
etc.
Making a Choice
In short, there is no one-size-fits-all ‘best’ paper. How your organisation priorities the issues discussed
above will determine which paper is best for your circumstances. You may choose the highest possible postconsumer content recycled paper made in Europe. Or you may decide that buying a locally made product,
despite a lower recycled content, is preferable. The choice is yours. This guide is designed to help inform
your decision making process.
Finally, new technology and consumer demand mean improved products often appear of the market. The
paper you choose today may be superseded with a superior product within a year or two. For this reason it
is important to review your paper choice every few years to ensure your organisation keeps up to date with
the best product to suit your needs.
Sustainable Choice is a partnership program between Local Government NSW and the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage
Environmentally preferable copy papers available in NSW
Paper
Country of Origin
Recycled Content
Virgin Fibre Source
Recycled Pure+ (Fuji Xerox)
Germany
100% post-consumer
N/A
Mondi NAUTILUS Classic and
Super White
Austria
100% post-consumer
FSC certified
Evolve Business Range
UK
100% recycled, pre and postconsumer not distinguished
FSC certified
J. Burrows
USA
100% recycled
FSC certified, carbon neutral
Australian 80%
Australia
Green Wrap (Fuji Xerox)
Australia
Reflex Recycled and
EXPGreen
Australian 10%
Canefields
Australia
Australia
India
80% recycled
50% post-consumer
30% pre-consumer
60% recycled
40% post-consumer
20% pre-consumer
50% recycled, pre and postconsumer not distinguished
10% recycled
75% recycled bagasse fibre
(by-product from sugar cane)
Plantation, New Zealand, part
FSC certified.
Part Forest, part FSC certified.
Part New Zealand plantation.
Mix of forest and plantation
fibres, FSC certified
Forest and plantation
Plantation
Coloured papers
Recycled Supreme tints
Sweden
100% post-consumer
N/A
Fuji Xerox (pastels)
Australia
50% recycled
10% cotton waste
Plantation
Ecocern (brown)
Australia
100% post-consumer
N/A
Paper Suppliers
OfficeMax http://www.officemax.com.au/
Fuji Xerox www.fujixerox.com.au
Officeworks www.officeworks.com.au
Staples http://www.staples.com.au/paper-notebooks-post-its/white-paper
Cane Fields http://www.canefields.com.au/
Useful Websites
Forest Stewardship Council Australia http://au.fsc.org/certified-paper-in-australia.243.htm
Shop Ethical! http://guide.ethical.org.au/guide/browse/guide/?type=319
The Wilderness Society https://www.wilderness.org.au/recycled-copy-paper
Disclaimer
Any company, product or brand name referred to in this case study is for the purposes of context and illustration only.
No endorsement of any company, product, brand or service should be implied.
Sustainable Choice is a partnership program between Local Government NSW and the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage