Focus on Supply Chain: Recovery & Reuse of Fiber
Originally published in International Paper's 2021 Sustainability Report
International Paper is one of the world’s largest users of recovered fiber. Recovering and reusing fiber after consumer use helps to extend the usefulness of natural resources and to reduce materials to landfills. Every year, our operations recycle 5 million tons of recovered fiber to make new fiber-based products. We also facilitate the sale of an additional 2 million tons for reuse. The recovery and reuse of fiber is core to our business, and we make concerted efforts to continually increase its global recovery.
92% of North America’s corrugate is recycled
Q&A on Recycled Content
If recycling is a vital part of International Paper’s strategy to improve our environmental impact, why doesn’t IP make boxes with 100% recycled material?
The answer is a function of the nature of fiber. While fiber is remarkable in that it can be reused many times, it cannot be recycled indefinitely. Each time a carton is recycled, the fiber becomes shorter and more brittle — in essence, it ends up being too insubstantial to make sturdy new cartons on its own. That’s why making fiber products requires both responsibly grown new fiber as well as recovered fiber.
In our manufacturing processes, we combine new fiber that comes from responsibly managed forests with recycled fiber that we collect through household and industrial recycling programs. Together, this combination of new and renewed creates an infinitely repeatable closed-loop system that become the products our customers can depend on for the long-term.
About International Paper
International Paper (NYSE: IP) is a leading global supplier of renewable fiber-based products. We produce corrugated packaging products that protect and promote goods, and enable worldwide commerce, and pulp for diapers, tissue and other personal care products that promote health and wellness. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., we employ approximately 38,000 colleagues globally. We serve customers worldwide, with manufacturing operations in North America, Latin America, North Africa and Europe. Net sales for 2021 were $19.4 billion. See how we’re building a better future for people, the planet, and our company at internationalpaper.com/Vision-2030.
