Why “Made in the USA” is an Environmental Choice

May 17, 2022

For decades, Boise Paper has been made right here in the United States. But why is “Made in the USA” an important distinction when shopping for paper? Here are some of the reasons why U.S.-made paper is a more environmentally friendly option than imported products.

Supporting Sustainable Forestry

The U.S. paper industry is focused on growing forests in a healthy way. About 90% of the wood harvested in the United States for products like paper and lumber is from trees grown on private forestland – land used to generate income for families and businesses. By providing a dependable market for responsibly grown trees, landowners are encouraged to manage their forestland, rather than sell it for development or agriculture. In fact, the net total of U.S. forest area increased by 18 million acres between 1990 and 2020.

Responsible forestry practices strengthen our natural ecosystems and support resiliency. Plus, Boise Paper holds USA environmental certifications – including PEFC™, FSC® and SFI® Chain of Custody, and SFI® Certified Sourcing – that reflect our fundamental commitment to supporting sustainable forestry.

Transportation Efficiency

When paper is manufactured in the USA, it has less distance to travel to get to its end user. That means less pollution and other harmful impacts occur during the shipping process. Boise Paper is also a certified SmartWay Transport Partner. The SmartWay program is a collaboration between the EPA, freight shippers, carriers, logistics companies, and other stakeholders to voluntarily improve fuel efficiency and reduce environmental impacts from freight transport. Participating companies benchmark their current freight operations, identify technologies and strategies to reduce their carbon emissions, track emissions reductions, and project future improvement. Boise Paper looks for SmartWay carriers for our shipments to help drive sustainable business practices and reduce our carbon footprint.

The next time you see “Made in the USA” on your paper package, know that you are not just getting a quality product, but one that contributes to the overall health of our environment as well.

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