Green Seal® Redefines Sustainability Leadership For Sanitary Paper Products

Global non-profit Green Seal®, a certifier of eco-friendly towel and tissue products, has announced a new leadership standard for sanitary paper products that contain no virgin tree fiber and meet meaningful manufacturing and packaging sustainability requirements.

“Long a leader in certifying 100% recycled fiber products, the organization’s new standard now also includes a certification pathway for tree-free alternatives, expanding opportunities for brands that produce responsibly sourced bamboo sanitary paper to verify their sustainability leadership,” according to a press release.

The standard defines sustainability leadership in this product category as meeting the following criteria:

• Responsible Sourcing: Made from 100% recycled content or responsibly sourced alternative fibers that achieve substantial savings in carbon emissions and protect ancient and endangered forests.
• Safer Chemicals: Uses chlorine-free bleaching (for recycled products) or elemental chlorine-free bleaching (for alternative fiber products) and is made without fragrances, as well as without PFAS and other harmful chemicals.
• Low-Impact Manufacturing: Manufactured with reduced water and energy use at a facility with a commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The manufacturer also provides a safe and hygienic workplace, fair wages and working conditions and ensures freedom from discrimination and harassment.
• Sustainable Packaging: Uses recyclable or minimized packaging.

The release added: “Americans consume an average of 19.2 billion pounds a year of sanitary paper products such as toilet paper, paper towels, and facial tissue. The fiber composition of these products has a significant impact on their overall environmental footprint. For example, products made from virgin fiber can generate three times as many CO2 emissions as products made from other types of pulp.

“By meeting stringent fiber sourcing and manufacturing criteria, Green Seal-certified recycled sanitary paper products saved 8.5 million metric tons of CO2 emissions in 2024 — the equivalent of taking two million cars off the road.

“Green Seal developed its new standard in collaboration with leading towel and tissue brands, purchasers, and policy advocates in its Working Group to promote industry alignment on meaningful claims and criteria for this product category.

“Sanitary paper products certified to Green Seal’s standard meet the environmentally preferable purchasing requirements of a host of states, local governments, K-12 schools, colleges, corporations, hospitality properties, and the federal government. Additionally, products certified to the standard qualify for points in the LEED® v5 green building standard and qualify for Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly program.”

Learn more about Green Seal’s sanitary paper product standard here.