Is your packaging forest-friendly?
The FSC logo may be small, but it’s extremely powerful. Sadly, paper packaging can be a product of deforestation or poor forestry practices. But FSC-certified packaging benefits forests and the people and wildlife who depend on them.
FSC and packaging
As consumers and businesses seek to reduce their impact on the planet, there is growing demand for sustainable products and packaging. FSC can help you meet this demand.
This document is intended to be used as an introduction to FSC for organisations who are FSC certified and for those who are considering becoming FSC certified, specifying FSC packaging or working on behalf of an FSC-certified organisation.
Sainsbury's
Rolling out paper packaging
Sainsbury’s is the first UK retailer to announce a switch from plastic to FSC-certified paper packaging across its entire own-brand toilet paper and kitchen towel ranges.
Their own brand recycled toilet tissue and kitchen towel packaging transitioned from polyethylene to paper wrap back in 2021 and based on the response to and success of this initiative, paper wrap has now been rolled out across the rest of the own brand range.
Packaging in FSC-certified paper wrap builds on the environmental credentials of Sainsbury`s own brand ranges of toilet tissue, kitchen towel and facial tissues which have been FSC certified for many years.
Flexi-Hex
Conscious coastal sustainable packaging start-up co-founded by passionate surfers
Will and Sam Boex are the Co-Founders of sustainable packaging start-up, Flexi-Hex.
After receiving a new surfboard wrapped in layers of plastic bubble wrap, Sam felt frustrated not only on the quantity of unsustainable material used but also around the lack of thought around the unpacking experience for the consumer.
Today, Flexi-Hex provides sustainable, paper packaging solutions for industries including sports, drinks, cosmetics, electronics, homeware and other commercial uses, and is proud to offer a range of FSC-certified products.
B. Ealovega / WWF UK
Many suppliers will tell you, often in good faith, that their supplies are from ‘sustainable’ or ‘managed’ sources, or from plantations. But without credible certification there is often no way to know if products have been sourced responsibly.
FSC certification enables businesses and consumers to choose wood, paper and other forest products made with materials from well-managed forests and/or recycled sources.
Iggesund Paperboard
When it comes to forest-based products, FSC certification is the sustainable choice you can trust to deliver better outcomes for forests, people and markets – today and for future generations.
FSC certification can help to meet legislative requirements, improve market access and help you to implement and evidence your sustainability policies. It allows you to apply FSC labels to your products and make FSC claims in your sales documents (thereby maintaining the chain of custody for FSC-certified products).
If you buy FSC-labelled products from an FSC-certified supplier and either use them in your business (e.g. toilet rolls, office paper) or sell them on, unchanged, to the public, a promotional licence may offer an alternative to chain of custody certification.
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