Recovered Paper Market Size, Share, and Industry Analysis By Paper Grade (Low Grade and High Grade), By Type (Containerboard, Printing Paper, Newsprint, and Tissue), By End-use Industry (Food & Beverages, Electrical & Electronics, Chemicals, Personal & Cosmetics, Pharmaceuticals, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2025-2032

The recovered paper market refers to the industry involved in the collection, processing, and trading of used paper and cardboard materials that have been recovered from various sources, such as households, businesses, and industries, for recycling purposes. Recovered paper, also known as recycled paper or secondary fiber, undergoes a series of sorting, cleaning, and processing stages to remove contaminants and transform them into raw materials suitable for manufacturing new paper and paper-based products.

• According to a study published by the Bureau of International Recycling, around 420 million tonnes of paper and cardboard are produced worldwide every year, with well over half of the raw material coming from recovered sources. Some 50-60% of recovered paper comes from industry and business. The remaining recovered fiber comes from households.

The recovered paper market is a globalized industry, with significant volumes of recovered paper being traded internationally. Countries with high paper consumption often import recovered paper to meet their recycling needs, while countries with advanced recycling infrastructure export recovered paper to international markets.

The main restricting factor of the recovered paper market is the variability in the quality of recovered paper due to contamination, such as inks, adhesives, and other materials. This inconsistency can hinder its usability in paper manufacturing processes, leading to additional processing costs or limitations on its applications.

The initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic witnessed major disruptions in the global supply chains, which affected the production and distribution of recovered paper. With many businesses, offices, and institutions temporarily closing or operating at reduced capacity, the generation of recovered paper from sources such as offices, schools, and commercial establishments decreased. Additionally, there was a growing preference for eco-friendly and sustainable packaging solutions, driven by awareness of environmental issues during the pandemic.

SEGMENTATION

KEY INSIGHTS

The report covers the following key insights:

• Recent Advancements in the Recovered Paper Market


• Key Industry Trends


• Regulatory Landscape for the Recovered Paper Market


• Key Industry Developments (Mergers, Acquisitions, and Partnerships)


• Impact of COVID-19 on the Market

ANALYSIS BY PAPER GRADE

Based on paper grade, the market is segmented into low grade and high grade.

High-grade paper, such as office paper and printing paper, tends to have better quality and consistency compared to lower grades. It can be easily recycled into various end products, including tissue paper, packaging materials, and other paper products, making it highly versatile. Advances in recycling technologies have made it increasingly feasible to recover high-grade paper from post-consumer and post-industrial sources while maintaining its quality and performance characteristics. These technological advancements have contributed to the growth of the recovered paper market, particularly for high-grade paper grades.

ANALYSIS BY TYPE

Based on type, the market is segmented into containerboard, printing paper, newsprint, and tissue.

Containerboard is highly recyclable and is often made from recycled fibers, making it an environmentally friendly packaging material. With increasing environmental awareness among consumers and regulatory pressures to reduce waste and promote recycling, there is a growing preference for recovered packaging materials such as container boards. The availability of recovered paper as a raw material for containerboard production contributes to its dominance in the recovered paper market.

ANALYSIS BY END-USE INDUSTRY

Based on end-use industry, the market is segmented into food & beverages, electrical & electronics, chemicals, personal & cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and others.

The food & beverages segment is one of the largest consumers of paper-based packaging materials due to the sheer volume of products packaged and distributed globally. Items such as cardboard boxes, paper bags, cartons, and labels are extensively used for packaging various food and beverage products. Paper-based packaging materials used in the food and beverage industry are highly recyclable. Recovered paper can be processed and used to manufacture new packaging materials, reducing the demand for virgin fibers and contributing to the circular economy.

REGIONAL ANALYSIS

The recovered paper market has been studied across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.

Asia is the leading region of the global recovered paper market. Countries such as China, Japan, and India represent a rapidly growing market for recovered packaging. This growth is accompanied by an expanding middle class with changing consumption patterns, influencing the demand for sustainable and recovered packaging solutions.

North America is the second dominating region in the market. In North America, the recovered packaging market is driven by well-developed waste management and recycling infrastructure, including advanced sorting and processing facilities.

Europe, after North America, is the third-leading regional market and is expected to attain substantial growth over the forthcoming years. Given the heightened concern over plastic pollution, European nations are placing a strong emphasis on recycling. The Latin American region is experiencing economic development driven by a rising interest in recovered packaging solutions as consumers and businesses seek alternatives to traditional packaging materials.

The Middle East & African recovered packaging industry is estimated to attain a moderate growth rate during the forecast period due to businesses incorporating recovered packaging as part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives.

KEY PLAYERS COVERED

The report includes the profiles of key players such as International Paper​​​, WestRock Company, DS Smith Plc​, Smurfit Kappa Group plc ​​, Stora Enso Oyj ​​​, Nine Dragons Paper Holdings Limited, Visy Industries, S.A Industrias Celulosa Aragonesa (SAICA), Rengo Co., Ltd., and MM Board & Paper.

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

• In June 2023, Mondi partnered with Syntegon, a manufacturer of process and packaging machinery, to develop a recyclable paper packaging solution using recycled fibers for dried foods such as flour, sugar, and pasta.


• In April 2022, WestRock Company announced a partnership with Recipe Unlimited to implement a suite of recyclable paperboard packaging intended to divert 31 million plastic containers from landfills across Canada each year.


• In January 2022, Cryopak Industries added CryoEco – The Paper Refrigeration Solution to its sustainable solutions portfolio. CryoEco is a recyclable thermal insulation solution for shipping perishable products. Composed of recycled, shredded, and compressed papers, it offers thermal insulation properties for shipping temperature-sensitive products.