Virgin
At Winston Packaging we believe in a total life-cycle approach to sustainable packaging which incorporates both virgin and recycled paperboard. Of course without virgin paper there could be no recycled paper. And because paper can only be recycled five to seven times it is necessary to continuously introduce virgin paper into the global paper use stream. Experts estimate that without adding more virgin paper, we would run out of paper to recycle in about 30 days. So we cannot depend solely on recycled paper for packaging because this is not sustainable over the long term.

The type of virgin paper you select for your packaging is very important. Less than 10% of the world’s forests are certified to meet sustainable standards which means there is a lot of paperboard that is coming from non-certified sources. Some of these sources use illegal logging practices which have devastating effects on our planet. Do you know where the paperboard in your packaging comes from and can you prove it to your consumers?  If your package is not using certified paperboard originating from a well-managed forest you can’t be sure where the raw materials originate. At Winston Packaging we are chain of custody certified to ensure the paperboard used in your packaging comes from a responsible source.

Recycled
At a rate of over 63% in 2009, paper is the most recycled material in the US, and your best choice for sustainable packaging. But all recycled paperboard is not created equal. To produce a high quality product the paperboard used must have good paper fibers for strength, brightness, runability, printability and opacity, therefore not all recycled paper is suitable for producing paperboard packaging or retail folding cartons. Because Winston Packaging sources our raw materials independently we can offer very high quality recycled paperboard that produces an outstanding retail folding carton package. And best of all we can offer recycled paperboard with as much as 82% post consumer waste! 

Virgin and Recycled are Complementary
And there is a worldwide demand for both types of paperboard. Using certified virgin paperboard encourages the renewal of forestry resources and also provides a product that can be recycled multiple times. Using recycled paperboard with a high percentage of pcw can differentiate your custom printed packaging in the marketplace. Each packaging application is unique and meets different objectives. Let our packaging experts assist you with determining which raw material is best suited for your product’s needs.

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