If you have had the pleasure of shopping for recycled CD/DVD sleeve or other eco-friendly disc package, you may have heard ‘recycled board’, ‘FSC certified paper’ or ‘recycled board with 10% PCW’,  are they just different way of saying the same thing? In this last part of our series about recycled packaging, we’ll navigate through the complex world of recycled cardboard CD/DVD packaging.

Recycled vs recyclable

Remember in Part 1 of this series we talked about recycled printing terms? Many manufacturers will say their disc packaging is made from “recycled” paper. It is somewhat incomplete and mis-leading because it does not say how much recycled and virgin paper it contains. Even if the paper only has 10% recycled content, it can still be called “recycled paper”. The exact composition can mostly be found in the fine print.

When a cardboard packaging is labeled as “recyclable”, it simply means it can be recycled, it can contain any combination of virgin and recycled content, or no recycled content at all.

Post-consumer waste vs Pre-consumer waste

You may have found out from the fine print that the cardboard contains some recycled content, the follow-up question should be: is it post-consumer waste or pre-consumer waste? It makes a big difference in terms of costs and environmental impact. Revisit our recycled print terms glossary to refresh your memory on what they mean.

Post-consumer waste is the best type recycled content to use, it is the essence of recycling. It has gone through the hands of the consumer, and it has been “re-born” into something new.  Processing post-consumer waste is more complex and therefore it does have a higher cost than pre-consumer waste.

Is recycled cardboard cheaper?

Contrary to popular beliefs, recycled cardboard for CD/DVD disc packaging does cost more, simply because recycled paper manufacturing involves extra steps such as collecting consumer waste, recovering fiber, making and cleaning the pulp. The higher the post-consumer recycled content is, the higher the cost. Keep in mind though most papers and cardboard now do have a at least 10% post-consumer waste content. So find out from your print provider and you can balance between your budget and goal.

What is recycled digi-tray?

One of the latest innovations in cardboard packaging is now the use of recycled materials to make the digi-tray. It is the plastic tray element that holds the disc in a discpak. Examples include potato tray, recycled bottle tray, and the paper foam tray. If you have read recycled CD/DVD case, you know that recycled plastic is not as strong and sturdy as virgin plastic. Unfortunately that is the case with the non-standard digi-tray as well. If being eco-friendly is important to you, go with a package without a tray.

Is FSC-certified paper recycled?

The Forest Stewardship Council sets forth principles, criteria, and standards that span economic, social, and environmental concerns of the process of paper production. That being said, it doesn’t mean the paper contains any recycled content.

There is an on-going debate about whether it is better to use FSC-certified paper or recycled paper containing post-consumer waste, what do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!

Are you looking for a recycled CD/DVD sleeve or case for an upcoming project? Do you get overwhelmed by the different terms that manufacturers and replicators use to describe the different options? This 3-part series is created to help you navigate through the somewhat confusing world of recycled packaging.

Our first step is to give you a brief overview of the most frequently talked about recycled terms that is related to CD/DVD packaging.

Virgin Paper
Paper manufactured from new pulp or cotton. Does not contain any recycled material.

Recycled Paper
Paper that is designated as “recycled” can be a mixture of virgin wood fiber, pre-consumer waste and/or post-consumer waste, which will be explained below.

Recyclable
Capable of being re-used, recycled into a new product. All cardboard, paper can be readily recycled.

Pre-consumer waste
Pre-consumer content is paper made out of paper scraps and trimmings left over from the paper manufacturing process. These paper scraps and trimmings are easiest to recycle, as they do not have to be collected, separated, de-inked.

Post-consumer waste
Post-consumer waste is paper made out of paper which has been used by the end consumer and then is collected for recycling from various recycling programs. This is the best paper to use, as it creates demand for paper which would normally end up in the landfill and no trees are cut down for manufacturing process.

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
The Forest Stewardship Council was created to change the dialogue about and the practice of sustainable forestry worldwide. FSC sets forth principles, criteria, and standards that span economic, social, and environmental concerns. The FSC standards represent the world’s strongest system for guiding forest management toward sustainable outcomes.

Well Managed Forest
The exact definition of a well-managed forest will be debated as long as there are interest groups that value different sets of attributes available from a forest. Fundamental to all is the premise that forests are recognized as a community of interacting plants, animals, soil, water, air, and people within a major landscape – no longer just a concentration of trees.

Next we’ll look at choosing recycled jewel case and DVD cases.

Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/greenpomme/1775236399/

6 panel DVD digipak printed with fluorescent PMS colors

While you are price-shopping for digipaks, you are probably trying to save a buck wherever you can, but should you go with the company offering the cheapest digipaks?
NOT ALL DIGIPAKS ARE CREATED EQUAL. While price is an important factor, there are many other details to consider before you make the decision. Website description and pictures simply do not say half of the story. By considering the following details in a sample will help you make a decision:

1. Thickness of cardstock: CD digipaks essentially replace standard jewel cases and DVD digipaks replace amaray cases, so the cardboard must be sturdy and thick enough to withstand normal wear and tear. The thickness of the paper is especially important in the spine area, where there is only 1 layer of cardboard. Compare the thickness of the cardboard between different samples, and ask for the thickness of the stock used in points (pt). Our standard digipaks are made with 21pt cardboard.

2. Evenness of edges: Digipaks are constructed on a flat piece of cardboard, then it is cut and folded into shape. The trim must be precise and straight or sometimes where the edges are glued, you will see uneven edges, exposing the white side of the cardboard. Check for proper amount of glue in the corners, if they are coming apart you know that down the line the digipaks are not going hold their shape.

Example of digipak tray not glued properly

Example of digipak panels not glued properly

Properly glued digipak tray

Properly glued digipak panels

3. Recyclable vs Recycled paper: all paper is recyclable; when a cardboard product is labeled containing ‘recycled content’, ask for the percentage of post consumer waste content (PCW). Generally regular paper stock including regular copy paper, glossy paper for jewel case, amaray insert, and cardboard stock for jacket, wallet and digipak contain 10-20% post consumer waste. Make sure to find out the amount of post consumer waste content and compare, generally speaking, the more the PCW content the more expensive the stock is.

4. Die cuts and pockets: a die is used to cut, shape the digipak into the right form. If your project requires a special pocket for a booklet , or an unusual size, ask the vendor to make sure they are capable of making a die, and if there will be any extra charge. A manufacturer that is specialized in making custom packaging can basically make any die, any shape and any pocket imaginable.

5. Stock finishes: this should be something that all digipak manufacturers offer. Standard finishes include aqueous (AQ), UV gloss, matte and reverse print (uncoated). It is an easy way to create a different look without making any changes to artwork. Compare the different finishes and decide which ones work the best. Note: matte finish is generally more prone to scratches and finger smudges, while UV gloss will preserve the surface the best.

6. Inside spine printing: on a standard digipak, when it is opened, the inside of the spine is usually white. If you have an image that goes across the panels, the white may break up the art. Check if the digipak manufacturer is able to do the optional inside spine printing with either a PMS color or CMYK.

To get more ideas how your CD digipaks or DVD digipaks can stand out, see our digipak portfolio.

Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_justified_sinner/2498066986/