Many raw materials are limited – yet they are used as if there were no tomorrow. Paper is entirely different: it is one of the most sustainable materials of all. 

There are many things that speak in favour of hygiene paper for purely practical reasons, and no one knows this better than we do at WEPA. Yet, the benefits are only a small part of what hygiene paper is really about. Only a look at the big picture shows why it is such a smart choice – for instance in terms of sustainability. 

After all, paper is made from wood, a renewable raw material. It is entirely natural and biodegradable. And even this is only part of a larger truth: forests are an indispensable part of our ecosystem, they store billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. 
Our forests provide the pulp for hygiene paper, mainly from bark and waste from the wood industry. At the same time, environmental certificates such as the EU Ecolabel, FSC® (FSC-C016151) and PEFC (PEFC/04-32-0775) play an increasingly important role for the wood and paper industry. Sustainability also matters in manufacturing: our industry is developing circular business models, making significant use of green energy and has managed to keep reducing water consumption in manufacturing. 

When it comes to recycling, paper as a raw material is also at the forefront: the recycling rate in Europe exceeds 70%. For a classic disposable product like hygiene paper, recovered paper is therefore the optimal choice – and at the same time it fits perfectly into existing waste management systems.

In short: hygiene paper makes our world a better place. This is exactly what the European Tissue Symposium is now showing on its new website. Here, the trade association of the European tissue industry, of which we are also a member, presents a wealth of exciting facts and videos as well as numerous materials on all aspects of hygiene paper to download. It’s worth a look!