PaperStone Awards: Certified Green & Gorgeous

PaperStone™ is a countertop material made from 100% recycled paper and water-based resin. It was originally developed as an alternative to other solid surfaces such as non-renewable minerals (granite, marble, etc.) and formaldehyde-emitting laminates (Formica, Arclin, etc). Here at Rivanna, where we are always on the search for exciting new materials for our eco awards and gifts, we have found that PaperStone’s unique properties also lend themselves well to award-making – and meeting our triple bottom line.

PaperStone features:

• the load-bearing strength of granite

• the structural rigidity of steel

• the workability of wood

• the water and stain resistance of plastic

• uniform color richness

• a miniscule environmental footprint

PaperStone in a Nutshell

PaperStone is unique in the world of countertop materials because it is the only solid surface approved by the Smartwood program of the Rainforest Alliance, one of the world’s most stringent independent certifiers of forest stewardship and chain-of-custody. We use the Certified series, which is made up entirely of 100% post-consumer recycled office paper and a petroleum-free resin. This resin makes use of safe, natural and renewable ingredients such as cashew nut shells. The paper is infused with the resin and compressed under heat and high pressure to create this dense, strong, and durable material. In contrast, many other laminates are created using petroleum which is non-renewable and potentially noxious.

Paneltech, the makers of PaperStone, also use organic pigments. Both the pigments and resin are made in-house so they know what goes into their finished products. This is why we can feel so confident that it meets our needs as a business and our clients’ needs as smart consumers.

Cutting Edge

We particularly like creating awards with the satisfying weight and feel of stone whilst avoiding destructive quarrying and the expense of qualified fabricators (stone-cutters). Since PaperStone cuts like wood (even better, since it does not chip or splinter), we can shape it ourselves using the tools we already have. In return, you get a beautiful stone-like award for a fraction of the price. And we can both rest easy knowing that Paneltech create local jobs and are socially responsible. All this combined makes PaperStone adhere perfectly to our social, environmental and economic values.

Molding the Future

There is more good news; Paneltech is entering into the world of cradle-to-cradle innovation. They are developing molded products called StonKast (also see stories of sustainability) made from recycled PaperStone. Paneltech reuses offcuts from the production line and accepts scraps from their distributors to create new molded products such as sinks and shower surrounds. Theoretically, the scraps could be remolded endlessly – so what you discard as junk mail today becomes your grandson’s bathtub three generations down the line. And you thought junk mail had no purpose…

It is no wonder that PaperStone meets the EPA’s comprehensive procurement guideline (CPG) for awards, and counts for points towards LEED building projects. The material is virtually virtuous on every level: even the finish they use is foodsafe.

Awarding Their Efforts

So when is it right to choose a PaperStone award? We use PaperStone in our FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Certified award series. It is the kind of award that sits proudly on a mantelpiece or desktop and we expect you will want to choose this product for weighty achievements; the material is dense, the color is deep and rich, the shapes are elegant, and it has a renewable lifecycle. The texture is smooth and warm to the touch while the patina is semi-glossy. The edges show the natural striations of the paper layers while the face is uniformly mottled and color is consistent throughout. We think you will be delighted to give a PaperStone award and your recipient will be proud to display it. After all, you both probably helped create it.

PaperStone photos ©Paneltech Products, Inc.