Seventh Generation recycled paper products are whitened without the use of chemicals containing chlorine in order to help prevent chlorinated hydrocarbons from polluting our waterways. We believe in processing without the use of chemicals containing chlorine because chlorine processing can produce chlorinated hydrocarbons, which have a negative impact on the environment. By choosing not to process with chlorine, we help reduce the overall amount of chlorinated toxins released into the environment, and in that way we're helping to make the world a place for you and your family.

Unfortunately, there is greater demand for virgin paper and manufacturers of virgin paper products are able to take advantage of economies of scale and pass on lower costs to the consumer. Also, there is generally more processing involved in bringing to market recycled paper for consumer use. Brands like Seventh Generation with high post-consumer content require collecting / sorting through recovered office waste paper, newsprint etc. These are labor and time intensive processes. Once the scrap paper has been sorted, it then needs to be de-inked before it can be formed into finished product. The cost of post-consumer content is getting higher, and the availability is decreasing. These are factors that we have to weigh in our efforts to bring the best recycled paper products to the market.