Mondi secures cradle to cradle certification for South African paper portfolio

SOUTH AFRICA – Mondi has achieved a significant milestone in sustainable paper production, announcing that its uncoated fine paper portfolio from the Merebank mill in South Africa is now Cradle to Cradle Certified at the Bronze level.

This makes Mondi the first and only company in South Africa to attain this globally recognised certification for paper products, reinforcing its leadership in circular product design and responsible manufacturing.

The certified range includes Mondi’s well-known Rotatrim brand, its flagship multifunctional office paper, recently relaunched with refreshed localised packaging and enhanced performance attributes.

Other certified products include uncoated woodfree reels such as Envapost, Constat, and Script, which serve various commercial and government printing needs.

The Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard is among the world’s most advanced multi-attribute certification programs for assessing product sustainability.

It evaluates performance across five key categories: Material Health, Product Circularity, Clean Air and Climate Protection, Water and Soil Stewardship, and Social Fairness.

Products meeting these rigorous criteria demonstrate that they not only reduce environmental impact but are actively designed for a circular economy.

Donovan Naidoo, Operations Director at Mondi Merebank, commented, “This important sustainability milestone reflects our ongoing efforts to deliver circular-driven solutions and contributes to the group’s ambitious Mondi Action Plan 2030 (MAP2030) sustainability commitments.

“It also reinforces the trust our customers place in Mondi to reliably meet their evolving sustainability requirements with certified, high-quality paper solutions.”

This South African achievement follows similar successes at Mondi’s Slovakian and Austrian mills, where its uncoated fine paper portfolio was the first in Europe to receive Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bronze status.

The cross-continental recognition reflects Mondi’s consistent approach to sustainable innovation across its global operations.

In the wider industry, UPM Communication Papers has also earned Cradle to Cradle Certified Bronze status for several of its graphic paper products, while Sappi Europe achieved the same certification for a portion of its coated and uncoated fine papers.

These certifications indicate a growing trend among leading paper manufacturers to align with global circular economy principles and transparent sustainability metrics.

By securing Cradle to Cradle certification in South Africa, Mondi not only sets a benchmark for the local industry but also reinforces its global positioning as a pioneer in environmentally responsible paper production.

As consumer and regulatory demands for traceable, sustainable materials grow, such certifications are becoming critical differentiators in the paper and packaging sectors.

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