From beginning to end, paperboard packaging is among the most environmentally friendly resources.
Among all packaging choices – plastic, glass, metal, and fiber-based – only paperboard:
- Comes from a naturally renewable resource
- Is easily recycled through an infrastructure already in place in most communities
- Can be used for fuel when it has exhausted its recyclability
Paperboard packaging reduces waste in landfills and toxic materials in the manufacturing process. The trees that are used to make paper are crops, grown in certified tree farms where they are planted, harvested, and replanted for use in packaging, paper, and other disposable products. In fact, milling trees for paperboard actually increases the number of trees on our planet, because for every tree harvested from a managed tree farm, five more are planted. 1.7 million trees are planted every day! Today, in the US alone, there are 49% more trees than there were 50 years ago. [1]
We actively pursue sustainability in a number of ways:
Printing and Materials
- Vegetable- and water-based inks and coatings
- Inks with low levels of VOC’s (volatile organic compounds)
- Lightweight paperboard that reduces fuel costs for transportation
- Recycled paperboard with up to 35% post-consumer waste
- White and Kraft paperboard made by a chlorine-free bleaching process
- Clay coatings that provide clean white surfaces without bleach
- Window film that meets ASTM and BPI standards for composting
Certifications
- SFI certification for SCT’s Mansfield, TX plant
- Products that meet requirements for LEED consumables to help meet point targets
- AIB certification for SCT's Chattanooga, TN plant
Manufacturing
- Recycling: We recycle approximately 95% of our total waste as a company.
- Energy: Highly efficient lighting reduces energy use an estimated 40 gallons of oil per year.
- Solar: Since 2012, our solar panels generate enough energy to power 50 homes. As a result, our packaging is produced by natural power via solar and hydro power.
- Conservation: Through water recycling on our lithographic printing press we reduce our water usage by over 1,000 gallons annually.
- Logistics: Case and pallet cubes optimized for shipping efficiency, our private trucking fleet is 100% equipped with EPA Smart Way-approved equipment, and all shipments are planned for maximum efficiency, all of which reduces fuel usage.
SFI® Certified*
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) label is a symbol you are buying wood and paper products from a responsible source, backed by a rigorous, third-party certification audit, for chain of custody authenticity. *SCT’s Mansfield plant is SFI certified.
Want to know moreabout SFI? www.sfiprogram.org
AIB Certified*
The American Institute of Baking is a globally recognized food safety certification, with audits backed by over 60 years of experience in food safety. With an AIB certificaiton, SCT has proven to meet industry best practices and strict regulatory requirements, including FDA guidelines. At Southern Champion Tray, we are committed to quality and safety so that each customer can be assured they are receiving the highest quality product. *SCT’s Chattanooga plant is AIB certified.
Natural Kraft Paperboard
While all of our paperboard is environmentally-friendly, Kraft kicks sustainability up a notch, with at least 18 % recycled wood fiber content and a totally chlorine-free manufacturing process. Southern Champion has created an entire line of bakery and foodservice products made from Kraft paperboard, click the link below to see our Naturally Kraft product line.
View our Naturally Kraft flyer here.
