Marcal Manufacturing, LLC, Elmwood Park, NJ, a producer of household paper goods made from 100% recycled paper, has introduced new packaging that highlights environmental facts critical to its products' manufacturing process. A nutrition facts-style Environmental Facts box now gets front-panel placement on every Marcal® Small Steps® package of bath tissue, facial tissue, and napkins. The box details product information like recycled paper content (100%), how much chlorine bleach is used for whitening (0%), and use of chemical-based additives like fragrances and dyes (0%).
The refreshed packaging has completed a nationwide rollout to grocery, drug, convenience, and other major retail outlets. Marcal relates that its panel is a first for the U.S. household paper goods category.
According to the company, the Environmental Facts panel spearheads Marcal's Right to Know initiative, geared to help consumers navigate green product claims and manufacturing practices. Marcal says the campaign extends beyond paper goods to virtually any product making "better for earth"-type claims, and includes a Green Products Consumer Bill of Rights. Introduced on Earth Day 2010, the bill encourages healthy skepticism not just about claims, but also about the premium prices often attached to green products. It's part of a larger Marcal Movement, which invites consumers to take small steps making a big difference for the planet, and help save millions of trees by purchasing products with 100%-recycled paper content.
"The Environmental Facts panel grew out of our discussions with consumers, who are consistently shocked to learn 98 percent of household paper goods are made by cutting down trees, even with today's blue bin recycling," says M.J. Jolda, Marcal's senior vice president of marketing. "It helped us realize shoppers wanting to make better choices need better information."
Jolda says she welcomes input from other manufacturers toward developing an industry standard. "We view the panel as a work in progress," she says. "Evolving it to work optimally for consumers and industry is in the environmental consumerism movement's best interests, and ours, as a 100 percent-recycled brand."
