If you work with print and paper, the chances are you’ll have seen the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo somewhere, even if you don’t know exactly what it means. Luckily, we’ll explain here what that little tree with a tick is trying to tell you.

Read on to see why you should be fully aware of the Forest Stewardship Council and what their role is within the print industry.

What is FSC?

FSC was established in 1993 as an international, non-governmental organisation with a mission to help end irresponsible foresting practices. The Forest Stewardship Council want to promote sustainable forest management so that we can continue to enjoy the wide range of forest-sourced products without causing irreversible damage to the forest’s ecosystem.

The Forest Stewardship Council assess how each forest is managed to see if it qualifies for their sign of approval. If a forest meets their criteria, it can be officially FSC certified and all products sourced from that forest can be marked with the FSC logo.

The FSC process monitors all timber, wood and pulp products (and non-timber forest products) through their supply chain. So, if you buy anything with the FSC logo on, you can be sure the entire process has been managed sustainably.

What does it mean to be FSC Certified?

In order to get the official sign off from the Forest Stewardship Council, a forest has to undergo very strict inspections. In fact, FSC is stricter than other forest stewardships and is the only one endorsed by major environment charities like Greenpeace, WWF and the Woodland Trust.

To become FSC certified, a forest must be proven to be managed in a way that is:

• Environmentally Appropriate – Timber harvesting should maintain the forest’s biodiversity, productivity, and ecological processes.

• Socially Beneficial – The forest management should provide strong incentives to both the local and global community so they can enjoy long-term benefits of responsible management.

• Financially Viable – Forest operations should still be profitable without the expense of the forest’s ecosystem and affected communities.

What Does the FSC Logo Mean?

Next time you go looking for the FSC logo on your favourite timber-based product, check to see exactly what it means. (Or even your favourite non-timber-based but forest-sourced product; like latex made from rubber tree sap)

• FSC 100% – 100% of the timber-based material in this product comes from FSC certified forests.

• FSC Recycled – All of the timber-based material in this product has come from re-used material.

• FSC Mix – All of the timber-based material in this product is either from FSC certified forests, recycle sources, or controlled wood*.

*Controlled wood is not FSC-certified but follows a number of sustainable practices.

Print & Design Direct and FSC

The majority of our printed material is sourced from FSC approved suppliers, for our paper and board products.

This means that if you choose to have your product printed on FSC stock, then we can also print the FSC logo as well, so you can let people know that you’re committed to sustainable forest management.

If you would like FSC trademarks or logos on your products, send a message to our artwork team via artwork@pad-direct.co.uk and let them know what you need.