New NRDC Report Exposes Toilet Paper Companies Destroying Canada’s Boreal Forests

Take action now: choose toilet paper that clearly lists its fiber sources. The latest nrdcs report shows several large brands still rely on wood from Canada’s boreal forests, and jordannrdc researchers highlight the risk to wildlife and climate. their fiber source chains can be traced, giving customers a way to hold firms to account.

In the latest figures, en tredjedel of the wood used by leading brands comes from boreal sources. The market treats this wood as a standard option, med hjälp av a mix of regional fiber. there, the same boreal stands are logged year after year, added pressure to habitats that act as carbon sinks and home to caribou. Some brands claim environmentally friendly practices, but buyers should check the source labels to verify the true origin.

What to do now? Take these steps: check for recycled-content labels; prefer brands that list fiber origin or publish annual forest-sourcing data; choose products with FSC-certified wood or fully recycled fibers. vi har seen that when shoppers demand transparency, the market responds quickly, and there is a shift toward greener options, like many shoppers voting with their wallets. If a product lists only vague claims, consider switching to another brand or requesting more detail from retailers. In some markets, roughly halv of the top brands disclose their fiber origin.

Household choices can influence the market within a matter of time. At minimum, choose products that disclose their source and use recycled fibers where possible. vi har observed that brands that publish clear fiber data respond quickly to shopper pressure, and there is momentum to replace boreal wood with recycled content. Some brands have added boreal wood in their supply, and this is not not completely sustainable; transparency helps speed a shift toward environmentally preferable options.

For retailers and regulators, implement clear labeling and enforce supply transparency. The procentandel of recycled content and the fiber origin should appear on the package. Over time, this will create a market with more sustainable wood sourcing. Public campaigns should remind households to flush responsibly and minimize unnecessary waste, while consumers continue to take action by choosing products with disclosed sources and recycled content.

What the NRDC findings reveal about brands, supply chains, and policy actions

Adopt a mandatory, transparent mapping of fibre sources for all tissue products to prevent further degradation. NRDCs findings reveal that brands often rely on opaque, multi‑tier supply chains that obscure boreal origin and elevate risks to threatened forests. By demanding traceability and credible audits, brands can protect natural ecosystems while informing customers about content and uses of tissues, including what happens after wiping.

Key implications for brands, supply chains, and policy actions are:

• Transparency at the brand level: publicly disclose fibre mix, supplier rosters, and the mills involved in producing tissues, with annual updates that show progress toward recycled content and non‑forestry sources. This reduces uncertainty and makes super business models accountable to environmental standards.
• Supply‑chain integrity: map end‑to‑end sourcing from plants to finished product, apply chain‑of‑custody controls, and use independent verification. Require suppliers to prove fibres come from legally sourced, sustainable forests or recycled processes; avoid content that could contribute to degradation in boreal regions near the Pacific.
• Substitution and content strategies: set targets to maximize fibre content from recycled streams and sustainably managed plantations, while phasing out fibres from threatened boreal stands. Explore options like processed recycled fibres for tissues and other products to reduce environmental impact.
• Policy levers: implement forest‑risk due diligence, import controls on unsustainably sourced fibres, and clear labelling that indicates fibre origin. Governments can fund monitoring programs and enforce penalties for non‑compliance, signaling responsibility in this sector.
• Performance indicators: require brands to report on factors such as avoided degraded forest areas, volume of recycled fibres used, and share of fibres from certified forests. Use these metrics to guide future decisions and communicate progress to consumers.

Instance after instance, the findings point to a simple truth: stronger governance and transparent sourcing reduce degradation and offer safer, environmentally friendly options for everyday products. By adopting these steps, brands can align with consumer expectations, protect threatened ecosystems, and shape a future for tissues that respects the world’s natural content and biodiversity.

Which toilet paper brands are implicated and what practices harm boreal forests

Choose toilet paper from brands that publish forest-risk disclosures and favor recycled-content options. Leading lines like Charmin Ultra Soft, Cottonelle, Quilted Northern, and Angel Soft have been named in the NRDC report for continuing to source boreal-forest wood and demonstrate how production choices shape outcomes. The report notes a bounty of boreal-forest wood entering production, underscoring the need for responsible sourcing across the same supply chains to reduce pressure on north forests and protect nature.

Experts, including a professor of forest science, warn that ultra-processed pulp from north forests can threaten biodiversity and carbon storage. The same wood supply is used in many major products, and growing demand could lock in high-pressure practices unless brands shift to recycled-content streams and verifiable certifications. Readers can influence outcomes by choosing well-documented options and sharing this information to shift market behavior beyond the status quo.

• Charmin Ultra Soft, Cottonelle, Quilted Northern, and Angel Soft are cited for continuing to receive wood from boreal forests, which risks local habitats and long-term forest health.
• Quilted Northern stands out as a flagship line from a major producer, illustrating how brand-level decisions translate into raw-material sources that affect north ecosystems.
• Store-brand and major private labels often mirror these patterns unless they publish credible forest-sourcing data or guarantee recycled content.

• Clear-cut logging and pulp production in boreal zones remove old-growth stands and fragment critical habitat, accelerating biodiversity loss and changing water cycles.
• Non-certified wood from high-grade boreal stands flows into the supply chain, increasing the risk of irreversible forest-change and reducing resilience to pests and fire.
• Bleaching with chlorine dioxide and other chemicals can release dioxide-related pollutants, harming soil and aquatic systems near mills and along transport routes.
• Opaque supply chains make it hard to verify origin receipts, receive transparent reporting, or ensure that other forest-protection measures are in place.

• To reduce impact, favor products with 100% recycled content or FSC-certified wood and verify labels at the point of purchase.
• Share this information with others to increase demand for responsible paper production and push brands toward stronger commitments.
• Support policies and campaigns that tighten forest protections, strengthen third-party audits, and require public reporting on pulp sources and certification status.
• When possible, choose ultra-efficient options and use less tissue overall, a practical step toward slowing production cycles and limiting forest damage.

How the NRDC measures forest loss and the key indicators used in the report

Adopt NRDC’s four-key-indicator framework to quantify forest loss: area affected, carbon stock change, mature forest retention, and fibre-sourcing sustainability. This approach is based on satellite imaging, field audits, and verified trade data to ensure accuracy and comparability across Canadian boreal regions. That clarity helps brands and stores earn public trust, and it makes it easier for consumers to identify products tied to sustainable sourcing. This yields a concise picture thats easy for procurement teams, especially when evaluating a Procter product line or a retailer’s private label. nrdc applies independent checks to align indicators with credible forest-management standards, which strengthens the case for greener choices across stores and brands.

Indicator 1: Area loss and degradation measures the whole area affected by cutting and related activity. NRDC reports annual net forest cover change in hectares and expresses it as a percentage of the region’s boreal forest, with Canadian provinces among the focus areas. The method combines satellite-based change detection with on-the-ground sampling to confirm wood removal and degradation in mature stands.

Indicator 2: Carbon impact tracks changes in aboveground carbon stock and soil carbon resulting from disturbance. NRDC translates these changes into an emissions proxy, typically expressed in megatonnes of CO2-equivalent per year. The report links carbon outcomes to production footprints, highlighting how unsustainable cutting increases risk for climate goals and undermines long-term fibre reliability.

Indicator 3: Mature forest retention focuses on the share of mature trees that remain in the landscape. Mature stands store more carbon and yield higher-quality fibres, so NRDC reports the percentage of mature forest kept in Canadian zones and among trading partners. This indicator helps identify where protective measures and longer rotation cycles can improve outcomes and reduce risk for brands that rely on stable fibre inputs.

Indicator 4: Fibre sourcing and production sustainability assesses the chain from forest to finished goods. NRDC tracks the growing share of fibre from certified sustainable sources and contrasts it with fibres linked to unsustainable practices. The report uses terms like sustainable and greener to distinguish responsible suppliers from those with weak verification. It notes instances where producers, including major brands such as Procter, improved their sourcing by shifting toward credible chain-of-custody programs. Retailers like joes Stores also push for visibility on a card-based display and in-store signage, helping customers choose greener options. The analysis covers fibres and fibre blends, and shows how supplier performance affects the shelves and the ability to meet growing demand for greener products.

Instance data illustrate how shifts in sourcing affect results: when a supplier adopts credible forest-management practices, the share of sustainable fibre rises and carbon intensity per unit of production falls. This pattern appears across Canadian canola-to-cotton supply lines and within fibre streams that feed large stores, proving the value of transparent indicators in driving concrete improvements.

Recommendations for brands and retailers focus on practical steps: require third-party certification for all fibre inputs, publish supplier-level metrics tied to the four indicators, and weave these metrics into procurement decisions and supplier contracts. Collaborate with Canadian forestry partners to expand mature-forest protections and to grow sustainable fibre across the whole system. Use customer-facing disclosures and a simple data card to communicate progress, enabling greener choices at scales that matter for production, stores, and family budgets.

Data sources include satellite data from public programs, national forest inventories, and NGO datasets, with cross-checks against official procurement records and supplier disclosures. While gaps can occur in remote boreal areas, increasing the frequency of imagery updates and widening voluntary disclosures from mills and retailers can close the gaps. The result is a robust, comparable picture that aligns corporate practices with credible forest-management standards and supports a transition toward greener, more sustainable fibre production.

What the destruction means for Indigenous peoples, wildlife, and local communities

Take immediate action by shifting procurement away from virgin boreal fibre toward post-consumer recycled fibres and certified sustainable sources, and by establishing co-management with Indigenous nations to receive fair earnings from forest uses.

Indigenous peoples rely on forests for shelter, food, medicine, and cultural practices. Logging roads fragment caribou ranges and disrupt traditional hunting routes, reducing access to harvest sites and forcing changes in seasonal gathering. When fibre comes from these forests, communities bear the consequences in health and wellbeing as water quality shifts and sacred sites are exposed to disturbance.

Wildlife suffer as habitat fragments and corridor connections shrink. Boreal wolves, lynx, and migratory birds lose shelter; predator-prey dynamics shift; the post-logging landscape invites invasive species and increases disturbance of sensitive species. Monitoring programs also show increased sediment in streams and declines in local fish populations near active harvest blocks, eroding nature’s resilience and the carbon stored in intact soils and trees.

Local communities experience shifts in jobs, income, and service demands when mills retool or shutter. Rural communities relying on forest economies face revenue volatility, declining local investment, and longer travel to access services. Transparent supply chains and long-term tenure agreements help keep mills open, preserve jobs, and sustain community health.

Practical steps include adopting green procurement, prioritizing post-consumer fibres, and requiring suppliers to publish forest-origin data and carbon accounts. Industry rankings can guide choosing partners that uphold Indigenous rights and wildlife protections. Traders and brands should fund community monitoring, share profit, and support restoration projects that repair degraded habitat and waterways.

Researchers and educators–professor-led teams–highlight that sustainable fibre uses can meet consumer demand without eroding forests. By diversifying fibre sources, the industry reduces pressure on harvesting and preserves the balance between nature and human use. Procter and other large traders could lead the way by committing to certified sources and enabling Indigenous communities to receive fair value for their forests.

How to trace products to their forest origins and verify sustainability claims

Start by requesting a complete forest-origin map for every product batch and demand independent certification with batch-level IDs. Based on these IDs, verify that the fiber came from mature stands rather than recently cut areas, and look for verifiable links to a known origin. NRDC notes that such transparency makes it possible to distinguish claims from true practices, especially when evaluating major brands in the toilet tissue space.

Map the trail across the supply chain: forest, pulp mill, trader, receiving facility, converter, and retailer. Ask for documents at each step and require traceability means that can be audited. While some suppliers provide high-level assurances, a robust record should show a direct link for every lot, with dates, locations, and processing sites that last beyond a single shipment.

Verify pulp and product specifics like bleaching and cutting practices. If a quilted or multi-ply product is involved, request batch-by-batch origin details for each ply and product family to avoid mixing origins. After receiving confirmation, compare the declared origin against satellite-based forest data and government inventories to confirm that targets, mature forests, and threatened areas align with the claims.

Leverage third-party verification and public datasets to strengthen confidence. Use certifications from FSC or PEFC where applicable, and cross-check with independent audits that disclose the last audit date, scope, and finding trends. Watch for consistency across documents from the same supplier and between different suppliers in the same king-sized category, because inconsistency is a common red flag among complex supply chains.

Watch for red flags that undermine credibility. If a supplier blends origin claims with recycled-content statements, or if bleaching and pulp sourcing lack specificity, push for a precise origin ledger that shows a direct line from forest to product. When a trader receives material from multiple mills, insist on mill-level certificates and batch IDs to avoid the worst gaps in tracking. Procter brands and other major players should earn trust only through transparent, verifiable data rather than vague assurances.

Make a practical, action-driven checklist part of supplier contracts. Require batch-level provenance, explicit policy commitments to reduce deforestation, and a quarterly update on progress against targets. After each reporting period, demand a comparison of claimed origins with what the data shows, and escalate any discrepancies promptly. Told in plain terms: you can, and should, hold suppliers accountable for what they earn and what they make, with clear consequences for mislabeling or opaque origins.

Last, build a culture of regular scrutiny within your receiving team. Among the tools to use are documented origin maps, a clear process for requesting corrections, and a standing cadence for re-verification after any supply disruption. By watching for consistency, the same diligence will help reduce risk, protect boreal forests, and keep products on a sustainable path rather than becoming a burden for the most threatened ecosystems.

Actions for consumers and policymakers: reducing impact and driving reform

Switch to toilet paper with recycled content or FSC-certified wood and demand transparent labeling; this shift could reduce the forestry footprint by about one-third. This impact comes from sourcing and use; cutting the amount per use and choosing natural, sustainably sourced products preserves softness while meeting similar needs like those of other households.

Share label data with friends to strengthen advocacy and help every household access options in every market. This approach has worked in other sectors and could be replicated here based on trusted data and clear disclosures. For facial tissues as well, choose brands that publish forest-origin data for all products; advocacy can act as an angel for communities by elevating credible sourcing. Sharing findings across communities accelerates reform.

Policymakers should require independent verification of forest-origin data, set binding recycled-content quotas, and mandate comprehensive disclosures of packaging and lifecycle emissions. These steps reduce emissions of carbon dioxide tied to deforestation and forest degradation, and they help shift the market toward environmentally sound products across the world, including the Pacific region. The results depend on rigorous verification and enforcement.

Leading brands–the king in this category–should set the pace; well-known brands should lead by example. Traders and brands that publish verified supply chains will set the pace; this could drive more sustainable options based on clear data, and the world market will reward those that show real progress. Advocacy and investor interest, including angel investors in sustainable packaging startups, can accelerate reform. A trader could set a pace that others follow.