Understanding our Lifecycle
We are proud to lead our industry and be the first tissue manufacturer in New Zealand and Australia to publish Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and use them to improve the environmental impact of our products. This study is independently verified and investigates the environmental impact of a product throughout its entire lifecycle from forest to flush.
Our Packaging Journey
New More Sustainable Packaging
The Sorbent Toilet Tissue range of products is made with 20% recycled plastic packaging. This packaging includes waste plastic that has been recycled, which reduces landfill and supports the circular economy. Sorbent recycled plastic packaging creates 20% less waste than paper packaging equivalent and has a lower carbon footprint than virgin plastics. Sorbent Toilet Tissue packaging can be recycled again in NZ through the Soft Plastics Recycling Scheme. To find out how and why you should recycle soft plastics, watch our video.
Sustainable Packaging Journey
We continuously review our practices to ensure we are adopting the most sustainable packaging solutions. We are reliant on packaging to enable us to deliver high quality products to our customers and therefore we are committed to work towards 100% recyclability of our packaging by 2025. Sorbent is taking key steps to reduce the environmental impact of our packaging.
Sorbent Toilet Tissue Lifecycle
1. Timber
We begin with one of the worlds most renewable resources: wood. Sorbent toilet paper only uses 100% responsible, non-controversial forestry where pulp logs are grown in plantations. Our pulp logs are sourced from socially and environmentally sustainable forests to help protect present and future generations of forests. Our FSC® certification means Sorbent uses well managed forests and controlled sources for pulp. We also have a Tropical Peatland Free policy which means that Sorbent toilet tissue hasn't been made using wood from drained peatlands which generate lots of greenhouse gas and increase the risk of forest fires.
2. Pulp
A mixture of local and imported pulp, made from softwood (NZ pine) and hardwood (Eucalyptus) trees, is used in making Sorbent toilet tissue. The pulp mixture is then spread across a long continuous fabric to make a web (or sheet) of tissue. This then passes through a number of stages to extract water and dry the tissue.
3. Steam
Local clean, steam is collected from a geothermal bore and travels along pipes to the Kawerau mill. This eliminates the need for gas fired boilers. The geothermal bore is owned and operated by the local Maori Iwi.
4. Paper
The large tissue paper rolls, called ‘mother reels’, are made locally in Kawerau, Bay of Plenty. Sorbent mother reels can weigh up to three tonnes each, similar to the weight of three cars. At Kawerau we use renewable energy to make Sorbent toilet paper, such as hydroelectricity and local, naturally occurring geothermal steam bringing the renewable energy over the entire life cycle of Sorbent toilet paper to approx. 73%. We are the only tissue paper manufacturer in NZ that make 'mother reels' and that’s a big part of what makes Sorbent toilet paper so special.
5. Finished Product
Tissue paper from the mother reels are layered together, embossed and wound onto recycled cardboard cores to create Sorbent toilet roll “logs”. The “logs” are cut into toilet roll lengths for thick & large and long rolls. All products are wrapped using recyclable materials under the FSC® and ECNZ certifications. The finished product is then transported to our retail customers all over NZ.
6. Use & Disposal
Sorbent toilet tissue is strong in use but breaks down easily in water.
Velvet soft and made sustainably, Sorbent’s luxurious 3 ply toilet tissue is not only kind to your important little places, it’s kind to our earth too. We encourage you to recycle the cardboard core in your kerbside recycling bin and drop your soft plastic packaging to the collection bins in selected stores. Store Locator | Soft Plastics Recycling
Our commitment to responsible forestry
Sorbent toilet tissue is certified by the world’s most trusted sustainable forest management solution the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®). FSC is a third party certification that is internationally recognised as the global ‘gold standard’ in forest certification. When buying FSC certified products you are helping assist in protecting forests and respecting the rights of local communities around the world. This means that when you buy Sorbent toilet tissue you can be confident you are supporting sustainable forestry that promotes ethical sourcing of timber and helps protect forests for future generations.
