In today’s digital age, where we are used to hearing, “Go paperless! Go green,” print unfairly gets a bad reputation. However, print is a sustainable choice for businesses looking to minimize their environmental impact. Let’s look at some compelling data points that highlight the sustainability of paper.

U.S. forest area is increasing. Did you know that U.S. forest area increased by the equivalent of 1,200 NFL football fields between 1990 and 2020? Despite the misconception that “paper kills trees,” the U.S. forest industry plants more trees than it harvests.

We recycle! More than eight in 10 (81%) of paper and 66% of paper-based packaging gets recycled. Additionally, 89% of corrugated boxes get recycled. Lots of trash clogs up the landfills, but paper and paperboard aren’t the culprit.

We need virgin fiber. Paper fibers can only be recycled five to seven times before they become too small to be helpful in manufacturing. This is why it’s vital to incorporate virgin fiber from sustainably managed forests into the paper lifecycle. Paper mills cannot maintain a supply of recycled paper without it!

Using paper supports forest protection. Most U.S. forestland is privately owned, with 89% of paper-based products utilizing fiber from privately owned forests. Using paper products helps maintain the economic viability of these forests, preventing their conversion to other land uses like agriculture or development.

Paper supports jobs. 7.3 million people are employed in the direct mail industry, or 4.6% of U.S. civilian jobs. The paper and printing industry has a vast and positive economic impact.

Think paper isn’t part of a sustainable strategy? Hopefully, these data made you think again. By choosing to utilize paper for direct mail, marketing collateral, or signage projects, you can produce visually appealing materials and support our nation’s forests and economy.