What it is
FSC and PEFC certify one thing only, but they certify it well: the origin of the fibre and its traceability along the chain. The mechanism is called Chain of Custody. Every company that takes the material in and wants to sell the product as certified has to be certified in turn, has to keep certified and non-certified flows separate or correctly accounted for, and has to carry the claim on its sales documents. If one link in the chain is missing, the claim breaks, even when the paper bought at source was certified. Grafica Nappa holds an active FSC Chain of Custody, certificate SGSCH-COC-006534: it means a job can leave with the claim on it, if the customer asks for it and if the chosen substrate supports it.
It is worth being clear about what these marks do not say. They do not say the paper is whiter, stronger or more printable. They do not say it is suitable for food contact. They do not say the pack is recyclable: recyclability depends on how the finished pack is built, not on the origin of the fibre. They are not a carbon footprint figure. And they do not replace the due diligence required by the European deforestation legislation, which is a separate obligation with its own logic. The recycled fibre question is symmetrical: "recycled" on its own says little, because what counts is the origin — process waste from before consumption, or post-consumer collection, which is the one that really closes the loop — and what counts is what that fibre brings with it.
How to prepare the file
- State the requirement at the start. Certification is only passed on if the substrate bought is certified and if the claim appears on the documents: it cannot be added once the job is printed.
- Distinguish between the labels. FSC 100%, FSC Mix and FSC Recycled do not say the same thing and are not interchangeable in communication.
- Use of the mark on the product has precise rules on licence code, proportions and clear space, and goes through an approval. The logo is not placed by eye.
- If the project claims recycled content, define the percentage and the origin, pre- or post-consumer, and get the figure from the supplier in writing.
- On the recyclability of the pack, count the layers: laminations, metallisations, windows and heavy varnishes can move a carton from the paper stream to the residual waste stream.
What can go wrong
- The most concrete risk today is the imprecise environmental claim. "Eco-friendly paper", "100% recyclable" and similar formulas, with no documentary backing, are statements that get challenged.
- Recycled fibre is on average shorter: for a given grammage stiffness is lost, the shade is less stable between batches and the surface is less uniform. It has to be allowed for in the design, not discovered in production.
- Recycled and direct food contact are not put together as a matter of course: the contaminants present in collected fibre call for a barrier and a specific assessment.
Frequently asked questions
- Does FSC mean recycled paper?
- No. FSC concerns forest management and traceability. There is also an FSC Recycled label, but most certified paper is virgin fibre from forests managed to the standard.
- Can I put the FSC logo on my carton?
- Only if the job is produced and invoiced as certified, with the correct licence code and the approval the scheme requires. It is the code that makes the claim verifiable by anyone.
- Is recycled paper always the more sustainable choice?
- Not automatically. Every cycle shortens the fibre, and virgin fibre is still needed to regenerate the system. It makes sense where the required performance allows it, not as a rule applied to everything.