The Softer Touch

Tissue paper has become a daily necessity in our modern world, but have you ever considered the impact that making tissue paper - or any paper for that matter, has on the environment?

The manufacture of paper products is a highly contentious process involving high volumes of water, chemicals, energy and the creation of harmful waste product. And this doesn't even start to address issues such as deforestation, logging and the need for wood as the primary material source.

Paper manufacturing is justifiably regarded as a messy and wasteful process, but there are companies that have recognised their responsibility to become more sustainable, and now, there is a new ecolabel standard in South Africa designed to recognise and encourage better stewardship in the industry.

Introducing the Eco-Choice Africa Tissue Paper Products ECSA-P10-2025 standard - a companion standard to the already published Paper Products ECSA-P09-2024 that specifically addresses paper products such as paper bags and other useful consumer products. The Tissue Paper standard creates a globally benchmarked ecolabel for manufacturers of tissue which includes toiler tissue; facial tissues; serviettes and other consumer products that we use every day.

The standard was first introduced for comment in December 2025 and launched this year when one of the largest tissue paper manufacturers adopted the standard and ecolabelled their extensive range of tissue products. Pick-Nik Marketing (Pty) Ltd, manufacturers of the Snowsoft range of products, has become the first manufacturer of its kind in Africa to achieve this recognition.

In association with the Global Ecolabel Network (GEN), the leading network of the world’s most credible and robust ecolabels in over 60 countries and territories, Eco-Choice Africa's ecolabel status offers worldwide recognition of this groundbreaking achievement.

Manufacturers in the paper manufacturing sector are invited to participate in the Eco-Choice programme once they meet the standard and we look forward to welcoming other important manufacturers to the growing list of eco-labelled companies in South and southern Africa.