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February 20, 2025
Update in Brief

What is Paper Made From?

Paper products are made from renewable and recyclable materials:

  • Wood from sustainably managed working forests where trees are replanted. This creates fresh wood pulp.
  • Recycled paper and paper-based packaging. This creates recycled paper pulp.

Fresh Wood Pulp

To make fresh wood pulp, paper manufacturers use wood that is unsuitable for building materials. 

This includes:

  • Trees from forest thinnings
  • Branches
  • Tree tops
  • Stumps
  • Bark
  • Wood leftovers from sawmills like sawmill dust and chips

These materials come from sustainably managed working forests where forest management practices are used.

Photo: Domtar

Forest management practices include:

  • Replanting trees
  • Enhancing and creating wildlife habitats
  • Managing water quality
  • Monitoring tree health

Additionally, AF&PA members follow strict rules to make sure their wood comes from responsible sources. These rules are called sustainable fiber procurement principles. In fact, it’s a condition of membership.

DID YOU KNOW

The U.S. pulp and paper industry is not linked to global deforestation. On managed forests, trees are replanted to continue the cycle of growing.
 

Learn About Forest Management

Recycled Paper Pulp

Recycled paper is a crucial part of making new paper and paper-packaging products. In fact, about 80% of paper mills in the U.S. use some recycled paper. 

In 2023, we recycled 46 million tons of paper. Nearly half of the recycled paper was used to make containerboard, which is the material used to make cardboard boxes.

Recycled paper is also used to make:

  • Boxes for food and medicine
  • Tissue products like toilet paper and paper towels
  • Newspapers
  • Molded pulp egg cartons

Plus, recycled paper is exported to paper mills worldwide to be turned into new products.

Photo: Georgia-Pacific

EXPLORE

Interested in learning about the paper recycling process? We explained what happens after you put your paper products in your recycling bin.

Discover the Paper Recycling Process

Manufacturing Paper Products is Like Following a Recipe

Our industry uses a balance of fresh wood pulp and recycled paper pulp to make products like:

  • Boxes and packaging
  • Paper bags
  • Notebook paper
  • Toilet paper 
  • Paper towels

Manufacturing different products is a lot like following a recipe. Recycled paper and wood pulp have different properties that alter the final product. Similar to how different types of flour affect the outcome of a baked good.

Recycled paper and fresh wood pulp help deliver different qualities such as:

  • Strength
  • Versatility
  • Durability
  • Softness
  • Absorbency
  • Recycled content
  • Budget

Manufacturers adjust the inputs they use based on what qualities they’re trying to create to meet customer demand. Like how one customer might want a cake, and another might want a cookie.

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) serves to advance U.S. paper and wood products manufacturers through fact-based public policy and marketplace advocacy. The forest products industry is circular by nature. AF&PA member companies make essential products from renewable and recyclable resources, generate renewable bioenergy and are committed to continuous improvement through the industry’s sustainability initiative —Better Practices, Better Planet 2030: Sustainable Products for a Sustainable Future. The forest products industry accounts for approximately 5% of the total U.S. manufacturing GDP, manufactures about $350 billion in products annually and employs about 925,000 people. The industry meets a payroll of about $65 billion annually and is among the top 10 manufacturing sector employers in 43 states. Visit AF&PA online at afandpa.org or follow us on Twitter @ForestandPaper.