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Smarter paper procurement for a circular future.

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Stacked Against You: Specifying Recycled Corrugated for the Load It Actually Carries
Packaging Procurement

Stacked Against You: Specifying Recycled Corrugated for the Load It Actually Carries

Recycled-content corrugated rarely fails at the mill. It fails at the fourth pallet position in an August distribution center, under a load it was never actually specified to bear. This guide sets out how US buyers can write ECT and burst requirements around real warehouse conditions — humidity, dwell time, and stacking depth — and the supplier questions that expose thin claims before the purchase order is signed.
Cushioning With Consequences: A Procurement Scorecard for Paper Protective Packaging
Packaging Procurement

Cushioning With Consequences: A Procurement Scorecard for Paper Protective Packaging

Paper void fill is not circular merely because it replaces plastic. US procurement teams need a scorecard that weighs drop performance, curbside acceptance, repulpability, storage footprint, and cost per protected shipment—so the specification rewards end-of-life reality rather than a plastic-free claim.
What PFAS-Free Must Prove in 2026: A Procurement Checklist for Paper Food Packaging
Packaging Procurement

What PFAS-Free Must Prove in 2026: A Procurement Checklist for Paper Food Packaging

PFAS restrictions are expanding across US states, and food-service paper and molded-fiber packaging are directly exposed. This checklist helps procurement teams demand product-level evidence, fit-for-purpose testing, state documentation, and enforceable contract language instead of accepting vague greener claims.
Design for Deinking: Why Ink and Coating Specs Belong in Procurement
Opinion

Design for Deinking: Why Ink and Coating Specs Belong in Procurement

Paper packaging is not automatically circular because it is paper. Inks, coatings, and print methods determine whether a package can be deinked into high-value pulp — and procurement can influence that at the design table.
Fiber Miles Matter: A Buyer’s Map for Regional Recycled Paper Sourcing
Packaging Procurement

Fiber Miles Matter: A Buyer’s Map for Regional Recycled Paper Sourcing

Recycled content is only half of a circular paper story. This procurement guide shows US buyers how to map fiber sheds, weigh mill proximity and freight emissions, and test whether a supplier’s recycled paper actually closes a regional loop.
After the Bale: How US Paper Buyers Can Vet MRF Compatibility Before Signing
Packaging Procurement

After the Bale: How US Paper Buyers Can Vet MRF Compatibility Before Signing

A paper package can satisfy a design guideline and still miss the recycling stream if the local materials recovery facility lacks the equipment or end market to sort it. This procurement guide explains how to translate packaging specifications into MRF acceptance questions, pilot tests, and contract language for US suppliers in 2026.
The Cloud Is Not Weightless: Rethinking the Paperless Reflex in US Procurement
Opinion

The Cloud Is Not Weightless: Rethinking the Paperless Reflex in US Procurement

Digital-first procurement is often treated as the sustainable default, but server energy, device turnover, and e-waste can rival the impacts of well-sourced paper. This opinion piece challenges the reflex to go paperless and offers a decision framework for US buyers weighing paper against digital communications and packaging.
The Reservoir Behind the Ream: Why Water Risk Belongs in Every Recycled-Paper Specification
Opinion

The Reservoir Behind the Ream: Why Water Risk Belongs in Every Recycled-Paper Specification

Recycled content is the easiest sustainability number in paper procurement to report and the narrowest. It says nothing about the basin a mill draws from, how much of that water returns, or what comes back in the discharge. A practical argument for treating water as a specification item rather than a footnote.
Sticker Shock at the Mill: How Label and Adhesive Choices Decide Whether Your Paper Packaging Gets Recycled
Packaging Procurement

Sticker Shock at the Mill: How Label and Adhesive Choices Decide Whether Your Paper Packaging Gets Recycled

A carton can be 100 percent fiber by weight and still fail the first test a recycling mill applies. Pressure-sensitive labels, silicone liners, and stubborn adhesives routinely downgrade bales or get them rejected outright. Here is how US buyers can specify label formats that survive the pulper and defend the recyclability claims they print on the box.
When Fiber Loses: A Reuse-First Procurement Test for US Packaging Buyers
Opinion

When Fiber Loses: A Reuse-First Procurement Test for US Packaging Buyers

Paper is not automatically the circular choice. This opinionated procurement guide gives US buyers a decision framework for when to specify fiber—and when to demand a reuse-first alternative.
Paper Packaging EPR in 2026: A State-by-State Contract Checklist for US Buyers
Packaging Procurement

Paper Packaging EPR in 2026: A State-by-State Contract Checklist for US Buyers

State extended producer responsibility programs are moving from statute to supplier contract. This 2026 procurement map shows US buyers what to verify in California, Oregon, Colorado, Maine, and other active markets before signing paper packaging terms.
Plastic-Free Paper Packaging Can Still Fail Compostability: A Buyer’s Reality Check
Opinion

Plastic-Free Paper Packaging Can Still Fail Compostability: A Buyer’s Reality Check

Paper-based packaging is often marketed as a simple answer to plastic waste, but US composting infrastructure tells a more complicated story. Buyers should verify coatings, inks, fiber blends, and local acceptance before treating “plastic-free” as a sustainability outcome.
The Twelve-Point Supplier Audit That Separates Circular Paper From Clever Marketing
Packaging Procurement

The Twelve-Point Supplier Audit That Separates Circular Paper From Clever Marketing

Recycled-content percentages are a useful starting point, but they rarely prove that a paper supplier is closing the loop. This 2026 audit framework gives US procurement teams twelve verifiable checks across fiber, water, emissions, chemistry, and end-of-life performance.
Peak Season Without Plastic: A 2026 Procurement Playbook for Durable Paper Packaging
Packaging Procurement

Peak Season Without Plastic: A 2026 Procurement Playbook for Durable Paper Packaging

Holiday peak in 2026 will test every US fulfillment center, and plastic mailers are increasingly difficult to defend. This guide compares paper-based packaging on durability, recyclability, cost per shipment, and supplier reliability, with a checklist for contracts signed before the rush.
Buy Better Paper, Not Less: A 2026 Procurement Framework for US Companies
Opinion

Buy Better Paper, Not Less: A 2026 Procurement Framework for US Companies

The paper-free label sounds virtuous, but it often hides plastic-heavy substitutes and murky end-of-life outcomes. US procurement teams need a sharper test: certified fiber, high recycled content, and circular design usually outperform paper elimination.