Most Catalogs Spurn Recycled Paper

By Cat Lazaroff

WASHINGTON, DC, November 19, 2002 (ENS) - The catalog industry produces billions of copies of catalogs each year, printed exclusively on virgin paper, finds a new report by the New York based conservation group Environmental Defense. Of the 42 companies surveyed for the report, just three use recycled paper in the body of their catalogs, while at least 20 - including many designed to cater to nature enthusiasts - use no recycled paper at all.

Last year, 17 billion catalogs were mailed to consumers, or about 59 catalogs for every man, woman and child in the United States. The Environmental Defense report, "Does Your Catalog Care?," reveals that almost all catalog companies are still choosing virgin over recycled paper, requiring the felling of millions of trees for the pulp and paper industries.

Most catalogs use only virgin paper. (Photo courtesy Environmental Defense)

"Many of these companies use images of nature to sell their products, while selling nature short in their paper choices," said Mills. "Shoppers might be surprised to learn that their favorite catalogs are not printed on recycled paper."

According to the report, if the entire catalog industry switched to paper with just 10 percent postconsumer recycled content, the savings in wood use would be enough to stretch a six foot high fence across the United States seven times.

Seventy-four different catalogs were surveyed for the report, including those of retail giants J.C. Penney, Bloomingdale's by Mail, Spiegel, Eddie Bauer, Lands' End, L.L. Bean, Victoria's Secret, Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn and J. Crew.

Of the companies surveyed, only Norm Thompson Outfitters, Omaha Steaks and Disney reported using recycled paper throughout the body of their catalogs. In 2001, Norm Thompson Outfitters partnered with Environmental Defense to make the switch from virgin to recycled paper in its four catalogs: Norm Thompson, Solutions, Early Winters, and Waterfront Living.

"Not only does Norm Thompson Outfitters use recycled paper for the body, covers and order forms of all of its catalogs, but it also achieves the highest overall postconsumer recycled content level of any company surveyed," said Mills.

Norm Thompson Outfitters' environmental commitment extends to its Portland, Oregon headquarters, which was designed to protect wetlands, promote energy efficiency and water conservation, and reduce waste. (Photo courtesy Norm Thompson Outfitters)

Derek Smith, Norm Thompson's corporate sustainability manager, said the company has "gotten a lot of positive feedback from customers on our use of recycled paper in our catalogs."

Omaha Steaks also uses recycled paper throughout its catalogs, and Disney Direct uses recycled paper in the body of its catalogs.

"These companies are proving that recycled paper works for their business and the environment, and the rest of the industry should follow suit," said Mills, adding that recycled paper is now widely available, competitively priced, and offers comparable performance to virgin alternatives.

The report, which includes companies accounting for more than one-third of the consumer catalog market, is based on surveys completed by the companies or conversations with the companies' customer service departments or other representatives.

Omaha Steaks, headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, chose to switch to recycled paper two years ago as an easy way to help protect the environment. (Photo courtesy Omaha Steaks)

Many of these companies also profess to value environmental protection as one of their business ethics. L.L. Bean, for example, includes an environmental position on its website stating that it "will conduct its business in an environmentally responsible manner, using the best environmental practices within our industry" and "minimize the adverse impacts that producing, marketing and distributing these products have on the environment."

By contrast, some smaller catalogs have opted for paper products that reflect the values of their target audiences: nature lovers who enjoy outdoor activities. For example, outdoor outfitter REI prints its catalogs on at least 10 percent postconsumer recycled paper. Patagonia catalogs use 20 percent postconsumer recycled paper, and Mountain Equipment Co-op, a Canadian company, prints its catalogs on 30 percent postconsumer recycled paper.

Seeds of Change, a gardening catalog, tops the list at 60 percent postconsumer recycled content.

But 20 companies, representing 28 different catalog titles, use no recycled paper at all. Some of the biggest mailers, including Bloomingdale's By Mail, Hold Everything, J.C. Penney, J. Crew, Nordstrom, Pottery Barn, and Williams-Sonoma fall into this group.

Many municipalities permit catalog recycling along with newspapers and other paper products - but not every city provides recycling for catalogs. (Photo courtesy Environmental Defense)

Mills said the report was released to coincide with the biggest catalog season of the year, as households are flooded with glossy advertisements for potential holiday gifts. Consumers can give a dual gift to the environment this year, she added, by shopping from catalogs that incorporate recycled paper, and by contacting their favorite companies to ask them to use more recycled paper.

"Study after study has shown that consumers care deeply about the environment, and that they expect companies to be part of the solution to environmental problems," said Mills. "By choosing recycled paper, catalog companies can reduce their burden on the environment and honor their customers' expectations."

The Environmental Defense survey found that several companies reported that they were not using recycled paper because they did not think it mattered to their customers.

Victoria Mills, project manager at Environmental Defense, and author of "Does Your Catalog Care?" (Photo courtesy Environmental Defense)

To let companies know that you care about their catalog's paper content, you can contact the companies directly, or use a form letter provided by Environmental Defense (click here).

For information on stopping or limiting the catalog mailings to your home, click here.

To read the full report, "Does Your Catalog Care?," click here.