Is recycled cardboard really better for the environment?

When you choose cardboard, in most cases it means you have already opted for a sustainable material. However, you face an important choice: will you choose recycled cardboard or primary fibre cardboard?

To make your decision easier, we present their main advantages and disadvantages!

On one hand, cardboard recycling is therefore an important part of the circular economy, as raw materials are reused and the amount of waste is reduced. Recycled cardboard reduces the need for virgin raw materials and preserves natural resources. Furthermore, the use of recycled cardboard can reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with production from primary materials.

However, the cardboard recycling process is energy-intensive and requires a large amount of water and energy to break down the fibres and remove impurities such as inks and other additives.
This can offset some of the environmental benefits of cardboard recycling.

Recycled cardboard – properties:

• slightly lower whiteness,
• visible traces of recycling on the surface,
• greater stiffness, which causes the cardboard to crack at the edges sooner (the darker the colour, the more noticeable the cracking).

Primary fibre cardboard – properties:

• greater whiteness,
• greater flexibility or lower stiffness.

Recycled cardboard – use:

✅ single-use packaging that protects the product and is discarded by the consumer after purchase,

✅ packaging for ecological and sustainably oriented products,

❌ unsuitable for food packaging, as the traceability of materials is not guaranteed during recycling.

Primary fibre cardboard – use:

✅ luxury packaging,

✅ food packaging,

✅ packaging with a longer lifespan,

✅ packaging with demanding graphics where the highest print quality is required.

Therefore, choose primarily cardboard that is consistent with the intended use of your packaging. You will not pack food in recycled cardboard, and ecological cosmetics will not be packed in primary fibre cardboard.

When both types of cardboard are suitable according to the intended use, it is of course also sensible to consider whether you will suggest to environmentally conscious consumers that you care about the environment with recycled packaging.

Our team of experts is always available to advise you on the appropriate choice of materials for your needs. Send your question.

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