The importance of recycled paper

Following Natural World's philosophy, the sneakers come in a recycled cardboard box and are wrapped in recycled paper.

Recycled paper allows giving a second life to this material composed of cellulose in the form of wood fiber from trees. After a process, it becomes useful again, thus contributing to environmental preservation. Today on the blog, we're telling you about the importance of paper recycling – keep reading!

What is paper?

Paper is a thin sheet mainly manufactured from plant fibers of cellulose, which are interwoven to create paper sheets. Various chemical and physical processes are involved in its manufacturing process, transforming the fibers into pulp and eventually into paper.

Manufacturing of recycled paper

The manufacturing of recycled paper is nearly identical to that of traditional paper. In the case of recycled paper, it's necessary to remove and clean the raw material from ink or potential impurities.

The first step is to identify the paper's origin and its components. Once the paper is sorted, it's torn into small pieces and mixed with water to achieve a mixture of recycled fibers as homogeneous as possible.

Next, the inks on the paper are separated and then it is bleached using hydrogen peroxide or oxygenated water.

Once clean, the paper is placed on plates where it's shaped and given thickness. It goes through a drying process, acquiring the desired shape. The final step is cutting and packaging it for use.

Why is paper recycling important?

It's true that in today's world where digital has taken precedence, we don't use as much paper as before. However, there are several reasons why we should continue to be mindful of its usage.

The main reason is to reduce the number of trees felled for its production. The annual net loss of forest area is estimated to be around 7.3 million hectares. Thanks to recycling, on average, for every ton of paper and cardboard recycled, the felling of 18 trees is avoided. Benefits of recycled paper During the production of recycled paper, approximately two cubic meters of waste in landfills, 140 liters of oil, 50 thousand liters of water, and the emission of 900 kilograms of carbon dioxide (CO2) can be saved. CO2 is one of the greenhouse gases linked to climate change.

Furthermore, the manufacturing of recycled paper can reduce energy costs by 60% as it can save up to 4,000 kWh, which is the energy consumed by a three-bedroom house in a year.

Additionally, recycling promotes a circular economy by obtaining new materials through used products.