How to buy Australian-made paper products

Want to support locally manufactured paper but don’t know how? Getting to know these brands is a good start.

When faced with a litany of choices, sometimes it’s tempting to grab the first thing you see and get of the shop.

But buying Australian made paper products is easy when you know what to look for.

And once you learn that our paper industry provides around 6,000 jobs to the local economy – with 70 per cent of that number working in regional areas – you realise what your money could be supporting.

Basically, buying locally supports not just the specific manufacturer, but also an industry crucial to the Australian workforce.

In 2014, Australian Paper commissioned an economic impact analysis from the Western Research Institute, finding that the local paper industry contributes $754 million to the local economy each year.

So to save you having to check the label next time you pick up a paper product, have a go at committing these locally produced paper and pulp brands to memory.

 

Kleenex tissue

One of the world’s best-known paper brands, Kleenex tissues, VIVA paper towel and Kleenex Cottonelle toilet tissue are manufactured at the Millicent tissue mill in South Australia, and are produced under Forest Stewardship Council’s environmental guidelines. This means each Kleenex product comes from forests responsibly managed to protect natural habitats. Kleenex also has the support of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Australia, so you can be sure your money is not just supporting the local economy, but sustainable production also. Keep a lookout for the curly, blue and white Kleenex logo next time you shop.

 

 

 

Sorbent toilet paper

Born in 1952, Sorbent toilet paper has worked its way to the top of the Australian paper market. An essential purchase for any Australian home, the brand is also known for its high profile, savvy advertising, which often features irresistible Labrador puppies getting tangled up in soft sheets of tissue. When shopping, look for the blue Sorbent logo on floral backgrounds.

 

 

Reflex paper

Reflex paper has been produced locally since its launch in 1984. Today, the company employs 1,294 Australians and pushes its entire product line out of Gippsland’s Maryvale Mill in Victoria and its Preston facility, also in Victoria. Known primarily for its office paper, Reflex also produces envelopes, files, exercise books and notepads. You’ll know a Reflex product from its bright yellow branding, and blue background.