The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute has its European headquarters in Amsterdam. The non-profit organisation is “dedicated to powering innovation for the circular economy through products that have a positive impact on people and planet”.

Lessebo’s Scandia 2000 and Lessebo Design ranges of uncoated premium graphical paper, in white, achieved the award. The ranges also gained a platinum Material Health Certificate, which involves evaluating all the ingredients and chemicals used in manufacturing. 

Eric Sigurdsson, chief executive at Lessebo Paper, said it was a major achievement for the historic Swedish mill, which has been making paper since 1693. 

“Our products have once again been proved to be a leader in sustainability,” he stated. 

“Being the first paper producer worldwide to receive Cradle to Cradle Certified at Gold level for our uncoated paper products is a big achievement and has been made possible by our focus on sustainability. This is clearly showing that our paper is one of the most climate friendly paper qualities in the world.”

In the UK Lessebo’s products are sold by a range of merchants including EBB, Antalis, Denmaur Paper Media, Premier Paper Group and Preston Board. 

Lessebo UK representative Richard Banham said that lockdown had sharpened end user awareness around environmental and climate issues: “We saw the lockdown as an opportunity to look at our responsibility for the climate. We had an audit about a year ago and our CO2 was confirmed at 22 kilos per tonne of paper, and the average is 650 kilos in European mills, so we are really, really low.

He said the figure was so low, one major retail client conducted its own independent audit in order to verify it.

“The CO2 is incredibly low on our products so we’ve been shouting about that. We also gained the EU Ecolabel in January this year. We’ve always been a mill that cares about the environment.”

Lessebo’s mill uses birch pulp from Swedish forests. The mill’s energy is 100% biomass and ‘waste’ energy goes into a local district heating scheme. 

Its product family includes recycled and premium packaging grades and the Kaskad and Colorit coloured paper ranges. 

.