There is little doubt that the future of the global economy is green—low-carbon, resource-efficient, and socially inclusive. People and corporations have become increasingly concerned about the impact of their activities on the environment and are actively working towards cutting emissions and reducing their carbon footprint.
Leading the push for the ethical use of resources in the production of paper is Favini, an Italy-based paper mill, that has revolutionized the production of paper with its line of Crush Paper.
On our part at Paperpapers, we are committed to supplying the North American market with paper products that support a circular economy and ecological sustainability.
This article is part of our series on crush paper where we spotlight innovations in Favini’s manufacture of environmentally friendly paper by creatively reusing the residues from the processing of a cash crop, in this instance, the olive tree.
A Brief Word on the Olive Oil
The olive tree is widely cultivated around the Mediterranean region. It is prized for the extra virgin olive oil which has been a standard feature of Mediterranean cuisine in the last 4000 years. The oil is also used in cosmetics and soap production, alternative medicine and as a fuel for oil lamps.
Globally, an estimated 3.130 million tons of olive oil was produced in the 2018/19 harvest season, with Spain alone producing 1.3 million tonnes or about a third of global production.
No less than three different phases are required in the modern process of pressing out or extracting all that oil. This, in turn, leaves behind a significant amount of production waste known as olive pomace, a solid residue comprising of peel, pulp residues and fragments of olive.
This pomace is further treated with solvents to extract the crude olive pomace oil it contains; this process again leaves behind a residue known as de-oiled pomace.
From Olive to Paper
The de-oiled or exhausted pomace has little value besides serving as biofuel and weed control, but with the Favini process, it becomes a valuable raw material for the production of high-quality ecological papers in line with the principles of the circular economy.
The de-oiled pomace is micronized and introduced into the pulper, substituting up to 15% of tree cellulose. Indeed, Crush Olive is the first paper made with agro-industrial by-products to substitute up to 15% of tree cellulose.
A Green Future for Paper
And in a true circular economic model, the eco-sustainable olive crush paper gets a second life and (several more after) as it is nearly 100 percent recyclable.
The Crush Olive paper has been used in the production of catalogues, packagings, notebooks and many important design and communication projects, including, the Cigar catalogue of Montegrappa pens, the box containing the Etrurio Oils and a collectable brand of notebooks made by the renown Michaela Slaninkova.
More on Crush Paper
Favini’s range of eco-friendly crush paper is made by substituting up to 15% of virgin tree pulp with the process residues of organic products.
Crush paper is also made by using the by-products from citrus fruits, grapes, cherries, corn, lavender, coffee, kiwi fruit, hazelnuts, and almonds. These natural raw materials are saved from landfills and used in the manufacture of these distinctive and vibrant papers.
Click here to read more about Favini crush paper, the revolution in the sustainable and eco-friendly manufacture of paper.
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