What are tree-free papers?

Tree-free papers are made from materials other than wood. Common examples include cotton, hemp, bamboo, sugarcane bagasse (the fiber left after sugar is extracted from the cane) and stone paper, which is made from mineral and resin.

They can be a good choice when you want a particular texture or look, or when a project calls for fiber from a fast-growing plant or an agricultural by-product. Bagasse and some cotton papers make use of material that would otherwise be discarded.

They also have trade-offs. Some come from crops that need farmland, water or long shipping distances, some cost more than standard stocks, and stone paper cannot go in paper recycling. A 100% post-consumer recycled paper reuses fiber that already exists and keeps used paper out of landfill, which is why it is our usual recommendation. You can compare the stocks we run most on the paper stocks page.