Grass
Imagine if the world had hair and we could use it to make sustainable products. Sounds absurd? In fact, mowing grass is a bit like cutting hair - as soon as it's off, it grows back again. Find out what exactly can be made from grass and why it beats its big brother wood in terms of sustainability, especially regarding the production of paper.
Grass - the green quiff of mother earth
Grasses are among the oldest crops on earth, as they cover large areas almost everywhere in the world. The pastures and meadows known to us mostly consist of sweet and sour grasses, which with their approximately 10,000 species contribute to their colorful diversity.
Grass is an abundant resource, and it is also available regionally. Compensatory areas defined by building law are often planted with meadows and only mowed for maintenance. Some agricultural pastures are also unsuitable as fodder due to their low nutrient content. It is precisely these areas that are used in the production of our grass paper.
Most grasses take around 2-4 weeks from germination to the first mowing, after which the plant needs about 2 months to breathe in order to develop new stalks and sometimes new roots.
From germination to the first mowing, most grasses take about 2-4 weeks, after which the plant needs about 2 months to breathe in order to develop new stalks and partly new roots.
Special properties of grass paper
- Biodegradable
- Climate friendly due to local & chemical free production
- Sustainable
- Moisture regulating
- Breathable
- Less energy and water consumption than conventional paper production
Green newcomer in terms of packaging
For a long time, grass was underestimated and rarely used outside agriculture and livestock farming. But what once appeared to be a disadvantage turns out to be an advantage in paper production: grass with its short fiber length can be quickly and easily processed into pellets, which are then used in grass paper production.
Why is grass paper so sustainable?
Usually, paper is made from fresh wood fiber. These must first be freed from their natural adhesive lignin with the help of chemicals and water, before they can be further processed. Of course, a large part of the paper demand is now also covered by processing waste paper. However chemical cleaning processes are also necessary here. In contrast to this, the use of chemicals can be completely dispensed with when processing grass, as the lignin content is much lower here. The mechanical effort is also minimal. Less chemicals and less electricity for machine processing are therefore already two good reasons why grass paper is a real winner in terms of sustainability.
In addition, there is regional availability: In contrast to wood, grass is also extensively and sustainably available in many parts of Europe. Above all, hay, which is unusable for livestock farming, and agricultural compensation areas are now being used after all, enabling a more sustainable use of the resource.
In general, grass also stands out from other paper raw materials because of the low cost of cultivation and maintenance. All it requires is an open area, an occasional supply of nutrients through manure and rudimentary watering in summer to maintain an evergreen meadow. Of course, this is also due to the enormous regenerative capacity of the grasses - they are true stalwarts and defy even extreme conditions.
A small downer remains: To date, it is unfortunately only possible to produce paper with a grass content of 30%. Why? Because with a higher proportion of grass, chemicals and additives are required to achieve the same results as with wood-based paper. This in turn would be less sustainable, so there is still some research to be done. But we are sure: the ancient Egyptians certainly didn't invent papyrus scrolls in one day either. So until then, the more sustainable the better!
Sign up for our greenbox newsletter for more information, helpful tips or exciting product news. Get an additional €5 discount¹ on your next order.
¹Redeemable from a purchase value of €50 and only once as a newsletter subscriber:in. All data will be treated confidentially. Unsubscription is possible at any time
- ✔ Exclusive offers for subscribers
- ✔ Exciting news
- ✔ Helpful tips
- ✔ New products
Would you like to read more such articles, or do you have a critical comment on the content? Then please send us an email with a reference to the specific article to feedback@greenbox.bio. This way we can continue to provide you with interesting content.