Frequently Asked Questions
1- What is Domtar EarthChoice?
2- Why the EarthChoice name?
3- What does the Domtar EarthChoice product line include?
4- How were these products chosen?
5- Who are target customers for Domtar EarthChoice?
6- Why should a company choose a Domtar EarthChoice paper?
7- What’s the difference between recycled and environmentally responsible paper?
8- What makes Domtar EarthChoice so different?
9- What is the Forest Stewardship Council?
10- What is Chain-of-Custody certification?
11- How can FSC be a measure of environmental sustainability if trees are harvested to make paper?
12- Who can use the FSC logo?
13- Do corporate end-users need to receive FSC Chain-of-Custody certification to use the FSC logo?
14- What does Rainforest Alliance’s endorsement entail?
1- What is Domtar EarthChoice®?
Domtar EarthChoice is a remarkably complete and innovative line of environmentally responsible papers. Incorporating both coated and uncoated papers and offering more than 850 product options, Domtar EarthChoice is certified to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards, publicly endorsed by the Rainforest Alliance, and supported by World Wildlife Fund Canada and ForestEthics.
Domtar EarthChoice offers the widest selection of environmentally friendly papers for a broad range of end uses. The Domtar EarthChoice line includes text and cover papers, value opaque and coated papers, premium uncoated “image” papers and publication papers.
Our research and experience indicates there is a lot of confusion in the marketplace about what constitutes an environmentally friendly product. Domtar EarthChoice is an easily recognizable name and it reflects our effort to make it straightforward for anyone who buys paper to know they are making the right choice for the environment. It positions Domtar’s comprehensive product line as the best choice among environmental products.
It also makes a statement about the users’ and Domtar’s commitments to protect the environment. Since the forest practices used for the Domtar EarthChoice line are endorsed by the Rainforest Alliance, Domtar EarthChoice offers users the piece of mind of knowing they are doing the right thing for the environment.
3- What does the Domtar EarthChoice product line include?
The Domtar EarthChoice product line includes four categories of papers – design, commercial printing, business and publishing papers – most of which contain PCW content.
The design products of our Text and Cover lines, such as Domtar Solutions, Domtar Feltweave and Domtar Nekoosa Linen, are premium uncoated and coated papers for use in higher-end print projects, such as brochures and annual reports. They come in a wide variety of colors and textures.
The commercial printing products in the line are Domtar Opaque–Plainfield, a white, uncoated opaque paper; and Domtar Cornwall, a white coated paper. Domtar Opaque–Plainfield is often used for annual reports, training manuals, business forms and direct mail. Domtar Cornwall is frequently used for ad inserts, book covers, calendars, packaging and folders.
Our business papers provide a balance of performance and value. From copier to laser printer, fax machine to inkjet printer, they offer the kind of all-around dependability that business looks for every day.
Domtar's family of publishing papers represents a broad range of performance attributes and satisfies the most stringent environmental demands. You can choose between gloss and matte finishes, as well as lightweight and heavyweight papers for magazines, books, and catalogs.
4- How were these products chosen ?
We designed this line particularly for companies that are outspoken about their commitments to environmental protection or other social issues, as well as those that have come under scrutiny from environmentalist groups.
All of the products currently included in the Domtar EarthChoice line are specified by corporate decision-makers and can be used as visible, external representations of a company’s brand.
5- Who are target customers for Domtar EarthChoice?
Our goal is to provide the Domtar EarthChoice environmental alternative to any company that is committed to make the world better and protect the environment for future generations.
The paper market is unique in that buying decisions often occur at different points in the value chain. Sometimes the final end-user specifies the product or provides parameters; sometimes the graphic designer chooses the paper; sometimes the printer uses a house sheet; and other times the merchant recommends a particular paper.
6- Why should a company choose a Domtar EarthChoice paper?
Domtar EarthChoice assures all of a company’s stakeholders that the paper it uses to communicate its messages does not contradict its social values. Domtar EarthChoice assures the user that the paper is manufactured to high ethical standards. It also tells the user’s stakeholders that no detail is too small when it comes to upholding high ethical standards.
Domtar has also taken dramatic measures to simplify the paper buying process and the experience. People now only need to remember one brand – Domtar EarthChoice – for the majority of their paper needs.
7- What’s the difference between recycled and environmentally responsible paper?
While the value of recycled paper is undeniable and its usage should be applauded, we must also recognize that recycled fiber is only one aspect of responsible paper consumption. Recycling is a crucial part of the big picture, but it is not the whole picture.
North Americans have taken an active part in the recycling movement. Today, almost half of all paper products used in the marketplace are recaptured and recycled. As impressive as this sounds, the amount of recycled fiber available cannot fully meet demand in the production and use of paper products.
By necessity, virgin fiber remains a significant requirement in fulfilling North America’s paper needs. That is why responsible forest management has become so important. By extension, only third-party certification by an organization like FSC offers the assurance that the fiber has come from well-managed forests. Sustainability is critical because it ensures that paper needs are met without compromising the ability of future generations to similarly provide for their needs.
8 - What makes Domtar EarthChoice so different?
While most Domtar EarthChoice papers include some recycled content, the product line goes significantly beyond traditional recycled paper in several ways. First, all virgin fiber used is FSC-certified – your assurance that it comes from a sustainable, responsibly managed forest.
What's more, Domtar EarthChoice is the broadest line of environmental papers you’ll find anywhere. And since its quality is so high, it meets the needs of both the business and environmental communities. In fact, no other environmental paper comes close to Domtar EarthChoice as far as features and benefits. It excels on every critical front, including brightness, sheet formation, ink holdout, longevity, and runnability. Best of all, Domtar EarthChoice is competitively priced.
Finally, the Domtar EarthChoice line’s forest management practices are endorsed by a global conservation organization, the Rainforest Alliance, which gives users piece of mind.
9 - What is the Forest Stewardship Council?
The Forest Stewardship Council is an international, independent, not-for-profit organization that sets global standards for responsible forestry. It also accredits forest products certifiers who verify the standards are being upheld.
The FSC standards address important economic, social and environmental concerns in the forestry industry. FSC advocates 10 forest management principles and 57 criteria that address legal issues, indigenous rights, labor rights, multiple benefits, and environmental impacts surrounding forest management. One crucial aspect of the FSC’s principles is their focus on conservation, not preservation. FSC standards cover working forests and ensure the land is harvested in a way that promotes regeneration and sustainability.
10 - What is Chain-of-Custody certification?
Chain-of-Custody certification refers to the path raw materials take from the floor of an FSC-certified forest to a final product that is sold to an end consumer. It includes every stop in the value chain, including processing, manufacturing, distribution and printing.
Chain-of-Custody certification is essentially the paper trail that enables any product bearing the FSC logo to be traced back to its forest of origin. This helps to insure the integrity of the FSC standard.
When you see the FSC logo on a product you can be sure that because of Chain of Custody certification that the materials used to produce it came from a well-managed FSC certified forest.
11 - How can FSC be a measure of environmental sustainability if trees are harvested to make paper?
The goal of FSC is not to prohibit forest harvesting and paper production. Instead, it is a set of stringent guidelines that seek to minimize the environmental impact of these activities and foster development of well-managed forests.
The FSC standards balance the interests of a broad range of stakeholders, including industry, governments, environmental NGOs and indigenous peoples. It is the only independent standard with certification provided by third party assessors and the only one supported by some of the world’s leading environmentalist groups, including WWF, Rainforest Alliance and ForestEthics.
12 - Who can use the FSC logo?
Use of the FSC logo is restricted to those who comply with the regulations that are set for Forest Management and who safeguard the integrity of the Chain of Custody process. End-user companies can print materials with the FSC logo only if all of their vendors and suppliers who directly interact with the paper have FSC Chain-of-Custody certification. Typically, this includes the paper manufacturer, paper merchant and printer.
Retailers do not necessarily need Chain-of-Custody certification if they do not change the product’s form or packaging in any way once they have received it in inventory.
13 - Do corporate end-users need to receive FSC Chain-of-Custody certification to use the FSC logo?
In most cases, end-users do not need Chain-of-Custody certification to use the FSC logo, so long as their vendors and paper suppliers all have the certification. The exception is if the end-user directly interacts with the paper before it is in its final form (e.g. a printed brochure). Depending on the nature of the interaction, it is possible the end-user would need Chain-of-Custody certification. The FSC Web site offers more details.
14 - What does Rainforest Alliance’s endorsement entail?
The Rainforest Alliance is endorsing the forest management practices that support the Domtar EarthChoice product family.
Partners and Alliances
Domtar EarthChoice® is certified to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards, publicly endorsed by the Rainforest Alliance, and approved by World Wildlife Fund Canada and ForestEthics. To learn more about these environmental groups and their unprecedented relationships with Domtar, please click here.