Clairefontaine Certified Environmentally Friendly Products

Ecology as a Business

The paper industry requires a great deal of water and fibers, and thus ecology plays an important part in Clairefontaine's company strategy. Clairefontaine's paper pulp comes from forests certified for their environmentally friendly management. Clairefontaine actively participates in the development of French forests, by managing several hundred hectares of fir and spruce trees in the Vosges mountains.

With regards to the paper mill itself in the Etival Clairefontaine region, it is still as dynamic 150 years after its conception. Self-sufficient for 80% of its electrical consumption, the mill also has its own biological installations for water treatment and has been rewarded a “Water trophy” by the State.

Every step of the product life cycle is taken into account, from the wood selection, to the manufacturing process, to the finishing of the product. Naturally, Clairefontaine notebooks can be completely recycled.

Clairefontaine paper production is controlled under specific ecological criteria:

• Energy consumption, air pollutants and water usage are reduced during paper manufacturing.
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and dangerous substances in inks, glues and other solutions are used limitedly.
• Systematic waste treatment is applied to collect reusable materials.
• Finished products are recyclable and made from renewable materials.

The Compact Global (PACT) initiative guarantees the ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor, the environment, and anti-corruption.

Another point of interest: The ink of all Clairefontaine and Rhodia products have been changed to abide by the most stringent European environmental standards such as REACH and NF. They are now water based rather than petroleum or solvent based. They are non-toxic and nonirritating. While the colors remain the same, they are now made from vegetable oil pigments rather than mineral one. Those inks can be made from a variety of sources including soy-bean, corn and linseed oils.

Clairefontaine did not waited for the actual trend to incorporate the ecology to its' company strategy.

Few dates which transcribe our action:

• • 1974
  • Clairefontaine adapted the pH neutral to its paper production.
• • 1981
  • Pioneer in a biological water treatment before it returning it to the river, Clairefontaine received in 1988 "Water Trophy" for the Rhin-Meuse river source.
• • 1985
  • Use of natural gas to supply its paper machines with vapor. The combustion allows to eliminate sulfur residues.
• • 1992
  • Implementing of the first unit with precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) by reusing the CO2 emitted by our boilers. Since 1994: Clairefontaine favors the use of recycled fibers (waste paper) through it production mill in Everbal.
• • 1997
  • The factory is one of first ones to possess an installment of vapor and electricity cogeneration.
• • 1999
  • Start of the first unit of muds composting with the water-treatment plant to eliminate the nuisances of smell and aspect.
• • 2001
  • Thanks to the environmental protection means set up Clairefontaine benefits from the international certification ISO 14001 Environmental Management (ISO’s global environmental standards, the tools for translating passion into effective action.)
• • 2002
  • Clairefontaine makes every effort to gradually limit the emissio of volatile organic compounds and dangerous substances in ink, glues and other solutions which were used for the print. In 2008 the target have been reached at 90 %.
• • 2005
  • Paper pulps result exclusively from forests fully qualified for their environmental management (PEFC, FSC). This one favors the growth of trees and allows the carbon absorption.
    PEFC - Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification is an international, non-profit, non-governmental organization which promotes sustainable forest management through independent third party certification. It is considered the certification system of choice for small forest owners.
    FSC - The Forest Stewardship Council is an international non-profit, multistakeholder organization established in 1993 that promotes responsible management of the world's forests. It is an example of a market-based certification program used as a transnational environmental policy.