Clearwater Paper — The First U.S. Consumer Tissue Products Company to Earn FSC/Rainforest Alliance Certification
Clearwater Paper Corporation (NYSE:CLW) announced today that the company will be the first U.S. tissue supplier to offer consumer products from responsibly managed Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified forests and be awarded Chain-of-Custody (CoC) certification by the Rainforest Alliance’s SmartWood program.
“Today’s consumer wants assurance that the products they buy come from sustainable sources, and savvy companies recognize that,” said Tensie Whelan, president of the Rainforest Alliance. “We are pleased that Clearwater Paper is leading the way in offering FSC-certified tissue products to US consumers nationwide.”
FSC Chain-of-Custody certification ensures that the pulp used to make Clearwater Paper’s FSC-labeled tissue products comes only from suppliers who exercise environmentally and socially responsible forestry practices following FSC’s high standards. Clearwater Paper is the first major U.S. manufacturer of consumer tissue products to become FSC certified for tissue products sold at retail grocery.
“We are very pleased to be able to offer consumers a new choice when making important decisions about their family’s use of tissue products,” said Gordon Jones, president and CEO of Clearwater Paper. “Clearwater Paper has been a pioneer in FSC-certified wood fiber-based products, offering the first full line of FSC-certified paperboard products to the packaging industry in 2006. Now with private-label consumer tissue products available to our customers, the company has made huge strides in furthering our commitment to supply certified products to consumers.”
Clearwater Paper’s private label tissue products are made from premium quality fiber that is comparable to national brands in softness, absorbency and strength. The company will begin offering certified facial tissue products during the latter part of the second quarter of 2010. Clearwater Paper plans to expand its certified product offering to premium and ultra grades of bathroom tissue later in the year.
“Clearwater’s Chain-of-Custody certification is an important achievement and is further evidence of the increased demand for environmentally and socially responsible products,” said Corey Brinkema, president of the Forest Stewardship Council-US. “Clearwater’s reach to the U.S. consumer is a tremendous leap forward for our forests and forest communities.”
Starting in June, FSC-certified facial tissue will be available to retail grocery stores. Clearwater Paper is the nation’s largest supplier of private label tissue products to national retail grocery chains.
“Many of our retail grocery customers have been asking for FSC-certified tissue products and are excited to be able to offer their private label products to consumers while maintaining the same Clearwater Paper quality with the added assurances of FSC certification of high environmental standards,” said Bob DeVleming, vice president of Clearwater Paper’s consumer products division.
Certification allows retailers to add a valuable component to their private label products. Because the company has passed its Chain-of-Custody certification, many of Clearwater Paper’s private label customers’ products will soon have the option to proudly display the FSC logo and the well-known Rainforest Alliance Certified seal.
“FSC certification provides consumers credible, independent assurance that our products are made from responsible, well-managed forests,” added DeVleming. “Today’s consumers expect that the products they use are environmentally sound, and also demand the same high quality standards of premium tissue products to which they are accustomed.”
ABOUT FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a global nonprofit organization that encourages responsible management of the world’s forestlands.
ABOUT THE RAINFOREST ALLIANCE
The Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. The Rainforest Alliance’s SmartWood program is the leading FSC certifier.
ABOUT CLEARWATER PAPER (FSC C051250)
Clearwater Paper manufactures quality consumer tissue, bleached paperboard and wood products at six facilities across the country. The company is a premier supplier of private label tissue to major retail grocery chains, and also produces bleached paperboard used by quality-conscious printers and packaging converters. Clearwater Paper's 2,400 employees build shareholder value by developing strong customer partnerships through quality and service.
For additional information on Clearwater Paper, please visit our Web site at www.clearwaterpaper.com. Inquiries about Clearwater Paper tissue products can be made to tissue@clearwaterpaper.com.
