FSC Paper in Graphic Design

FSC Paper In Graphic Design   29 April 2024

Today I turn my attention to paper, in particular FSC paper and it’s use in Graphic Design.

So, what does the acronym FSC stand for? It stands for the Forest Stewardship Council. The council was formed in 1993 as a result of the Rio de Janeiro Environmental Sumit, to ensure the responsible administration of the world’s forests, in particular, that wood and paper from around the globe has been cut and collected, produced in an environmentally responsible way and which is socially acceptable for present and future generations, without endangering the planet. Only products produced in this way will be certified with the FSC stamp.

This is the standard that most companies who use paper or pulpwood products/packaging wish to emulate and promote.

So, what does using FSC paper mean for the Graphic Design industry? I would say it demonstrated a commitment to our customers that sustainably is at the core of our practices we care about promoting and using sustainable practice and sourcing of our materials.

We don’t want to be part of the deforestation of the planet, in particular the rainforests, but also such poor practice can be damaging to any brand’s reputation if the company does not care where it gets it materials and adds to the growing problem.

People care about the effects of deforestation, global warming and climate change. People are more aware of how forests can help capture carbon and help to reduce the onward march of global warming. They want their favourite brands and companies to use responsibly sourced and sustainably produced materials to make their favourite products, and this is just as true for the Graphic Design Industry.

The FSC mark on the paper/labels/ packaging etc, used for graphic design project send out the message to customers, we care about sustainable sourcing, our business, our customers values and the planet.

Most paper used now is a mix of recycled paper, with it getting more difficult to actually source virginal sheets, this type of paper is normally marked as an FSC Mix Credit, however, it has been suggested that these types of these papers can have ‘speckles’ in the fibres and the print quality can be impacted upon.

By opting for FSC certified paper for your project, designer’s support the growing of trees for that purpose, not to impact on Global Warming, climate change and destruction of our rain forests.