To preserve our precious environment, we are invited to make more informed choices on a daily basis and gradually change our habits. Buying recycled products offers an attractive option to consume better. And that also extends to toilet paper!
Would you like to understand how recycled toilet paper is made? Learn more about the production process and its benefits.
Where does recycled toilet paper come from?
While regular toilet paper is usually made from virgin pulp, this type of paper is created from recycled fibres. It therefore uses materials that have already been used, such as office paper and cardboard, and gives them a new purpose.
Recycled toilet paper is therefore created from recycled components that are turned into pulp again in order to make new paper!
How and where is recycled toilet paper made?
To better understand how recycled toilet paper is made, here are the different steps in the recycling process:
Step 1: Recovering the raw material
The choice of raw material is important. At Cascades, we mainly use paper from office buildings as well as printing and shredding companies. Once collected, we sort through the paper to choose what can be used as a basis for quality toilet paper.
Step 2: Turning it into paste
The chosen paper base then goes through the pulper. This machine mashes and mixes the paper with water to make a paste. This mixture then goes through a purifier and a sieve, which help remove the impurities and contaminants present in the paste (staples, plastic, paper clips, etc.).
These different machines form the recycled paste, which will then form the recycled toilet paper.
Step 3: De-inking
To remove traces of ink and colour, the paste made of recycled pulp is then washed and de-inked. Also called the de-inking or ink-removing process, this step gives the recycled toilet paper its white colour, just like virgin toilet paper!
Did you know that recovered ink also has a use? Called “de-inking sludge,” it is redistributed to local farmers to replace lime and balance soil pH!
Step 4: Forming the recycled paper
The resulting white paste then passes through a series of machines that take care of draining and drying the paste to form sheets. Now that our recycled paper has been formed, all that remains is to give it its shape! The delicate paper is then embossed and perforated with dots for easy cutting.
Now you know how recycled toilet paper is made! And the recycling efforts don’t stop there. For all our packaging for the Cascades Fluff & Tuff® brand, we use packaging made from recycled materials. In addition, our toilet paper is biodegradable. All these elements combine to make it a sustainable and more planet-friendly option!
Is your toilet roll finished? We also offer you some craft ideas to recover the cardboard!
Pssst! Did you like our article? Check out our other articles on similar topics. If you’d like to learn more about the little things that reduce the impact on the environment, the importance of sustainable development, or how to recognize recyclable packaging, our resources are here to guide you!
