As a cornerstone of the bio-based economy, our industry contributes to sustainable development that meets the requirements of modern packaging, conserves natural resources and protects the environment. Watermelon, egg, coconut – inspired by nature’s organic packaging solutions, our industry creates high-performance paper sacks that are based on natural resources. The fibres used to produce sack kraft paper are 100% natural and renewable. They are extracted from tree thinnings and from process waste from the timber industry and originate from sustainably managed European forests.

• Sustainable management of forest areas is a central element of the value chain for paper sacks. Thanks to the continuous replanting of trees, state-owned forest in Europe is growing by 200 million m³ per year, according to EUSTAFOR.
• This also benefits the carbon footprint of our industry: 1 m³ of wood captures 1 t of carbon dioxide while emitting 0.7 t of oxygen.
• The carbon footprint for one European paper sack is 92 gCO₂e.
• If the carbon sequestered by forests, the end-of-life emissions and benefits arising from emissions avoided through recovery and waste management activities were included in the carbon footprint calculation for European paper sacks, it would actually come to less than zero.