Rock paper, or stone paper as it is also called, has been around for a very long time. Only in the last few years has technology evolved to make it suitable for product labels. This year, SWOX introduced labels made of limestone paper for all its new products. Stone paper is just one part of a larger effort to make our products more sustainable. We are committed to educating the community about how our products can be recycled after they have been used.
Why we love stone paper!
We discovered locally produced rock paper while searching for an alternative to the regular label paper we use for our products. Etiket Schiller, a German manufacturer of labels based in a small town near Stuttgart, is located in a small German town. The family-owned and operated business has been in the labelling industry for over 80 years and shares SWOX’s commitment to improving the environmental impact of products. Etiket Schiller was chosen to supply labels for our new products, including SWOX daily skincare and lotions.
Stone paper is durable when it comes into contact with water, which our products do often. Limestone paper is more resistant to water and tear than regular paper. Stone paper labels are preferred for a number of reasons, including their low environmental impact.
How is stone paper made?
The regular paper life cycle has a significant negative impact on the environment. To begin with, the trees that are used to make paper must be cut down. Paper is made from wood pulp, which accounts for more than a third of the trees cut worldwide. Paper production also uses a large amount of water, about 10 litres per page for a letter/A4 size sheet. The water used in the paper production process is not only contaminated, but it also causes harm to the environment. (Read about other ways you can save water and maintain the quality of our drinking water). Unfortunately, these are only two of the many environmental problems that regular paper production and recycling causes.
The raw material for limestone paper, on the other hand, is chalk (or calcium carbonate). This is a mining waste. Mineral paper is produced without trees, water or chemicals. It is infinitely recyclable and requires less energy to manufacture. Stone paper is also non-toxic and does not emit toxic gases when incinerated. It degrades with UV light.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STONE PAPER AND OTHER PAPERS?
The production of chalk into rock paper uses HDPE (high-density recycled polyethene) to bond it. You may be a little sceptical when you first read about polyethene. We felt the same way. Polyethylene and sustainability are not always synonymous. It is a good choice in this case, particularly when compared with the alternatives currently available and recycled correctly.
Polyethene is used in the production of stone paper to a maximum of 20 per cent. The production is waterless because HDPE is used to bind the calcium carbonate. Water is saved, and the paper will not become contaminated.
Stone paper has a much longer life cycle than regular paper. High-density Polyethylene, on the other hand, can be used for up to two hundred years. Manufacturers like Etiket Schliller of SWOX first used recycled polyethylene.
Stone paper is a polyethylene-based paper and, therefore, cannot be recycled like regular paper. It is important to recycle SWOX labels in your yellow bag, trash bin, or anywhere else you recycle PE products. (Learn more about plastic pollution and recycling). It is fine to leave it on our recycled bottles after you have finished using them. However, it should be removed from the glass containers that contain our SWOX Face Balms, Cell Boost Aloe gel+, Hydro Repair Cream, and Hand Purifier.
Is this the most sustainable and reasonable label available for cosmetics? YES! Is it perfect? NO! We believe that taking small steps towards a future that is more environmentally friendly is better than staying still.
STONE PAPER FUN FACT
Paper made of stone is soft and doesn’t cause paper cuts.
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