At Napkins-Only, we focus on quality, American-made paper manufacturing. From the napkin pulp to the ink, from packaging to the shipping dock, we strive towards a sustainable product that makes life easier, for you and the planet.
Our napkins are manufactured and printed in America. We use American technology and our products are certified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for safe contact with food products.
Are Your Paper Napkins Recyclable?
Most napkin fibers are not strong enough to undergo the recycling process. Rather, pulp producers reformulate other paper products (such as printer paper and cardboard) into napkins.
Recycled paper napkins represent a recycling success story. Typically, they are the final product in a recycling chain.
As much as possible, our napkins utilize recycled material. Throwing away that old phonebook? It might become one of our napkins!
What About Compostable?
Yes! With the exception of paper linens, you can throw our napkins into any compost bin, municipal or residential. Our food-grade tissue and inks biodegrade within a few months, similar to most other household wastes.
Are Your Napkins Made of Recycled Material?
Most of the time.
We source recycled material and we use recycled pulp as much as possible.
But, not all recycled pulp bleaches back to white. To preserve product quality (and minimize bleaching), we must use new (“virgin”) pulp. We switch back to recycled stock as soon as whiter paper becomes available.
Whether we currently stock recycled or unrecycled pulp depends on pulp availability at time of order. If curious, reach out to us and we’ll let you know what is currently in stock.
Curious why? Check out the article “Are Brown Napkins Recycled?”
I Need Eco Friendly Napkins. What Can I Get?
We stock a line of products that are ALWAYS 100% recycled, no matter what. We will happily quote and send samples, whenever requested, and you can determine stock quality before purchasing.
Additionally, all kraft napkins (including beverage/cocktail, dinner, and dispenser napkins) are 100% recycled and bleach-free, no matter what.
**by nature, the recycled napkin line will vary in “brightness” from order to order**
Mitigating Environmental Effects
Ultimately, napkins come from trees. No amount of “greenwashing” can dispute that.
We strive to interact responsibly with our natural environment. Whether that means sourcing responsibly obtained pulp, providing recycled options, or mitigating the effects of manufacturing, we aim to protect our environment, for the well-being of our company, our families, our patrons, and our planet at large.
Manufacturing
Our pulp suppliers are located exclusively in North America (USA and Canada) and are subject to environmental regulations therein. While historically, the general public has viewed paper manufacturing as “dirty” (and rightfully so!), the past 50 years have brought about substantial changes. Advances in environmental understanding, stewardship, and technology have propelled the industry forward, reducing both pollution and clear-cutting forestry while increasing: 1) mill efficiency, 2) sustainable land management 3) responsible pulp sourcing, and 4) utilization of renewable fuel sources.
In-House
On a smaller scale, Napkins-Only aggressively reuses or recycles all unused napkins, papers, and paper products received at headquarters. We incentivize public transit, and most of our employees regularly walk, ride, commute, or take the train to work.
Additionally, every month, we donate a portion of that month’s sales to One Tree Planted, a non-profit headquartered in Vermont committed to global reforestation.
“Trees help clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, and provide habitat to over 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity. Forests provide jobs to over 1.6 billion people, absorb harmful carbon from the atmosphere, and are key ingredients in 25% of all medicines.” –One Tree Planted
In Summary
As a company, we strive to provide responsible, ethically-sourced products that meet or exceed quality standards. We acknowledge the reality of our product, and we seek to improve upon it. Most of our napkins are recycled and compostable. All are made in America and are FDA-compliant.
Together, we balance cleaner manufacturing and less waste with high quality, vibrant paper napkins. Ultimately, we want to provide small businesses with affordable, on-brand, high-quality custom paper napkins, without sacrificing our environment along the way.
We thank you for your patronage. If you have any additional questions, please reach out to us at info@napkins-only.com.