Paper Clips (box of 100)

Material Composition Assumptions

A standard box of 100 paper clips weighs approximately 5 grams total. The primary component consists of galvanized steel wire comprising over 95% of the material mass at roughly 4.8 grams. A thin zinc coating applied during the galvanization process accounts for less than 5% of the total weight at approximately 0.2 grams. Some specialty variants include optional PVC plastic coatings that can add minimal additional weight when present.

Manufacturing Geography

China serves as the dominant manufacturing region for paper clips due to its extensive steel production infrastructure and wire processing capabilities. The Chinese national electrical grid operates at an intensity of 555 grams of CO2 per kilowatt-hour, reflecting the country’s continued reliance on coal-fired power generation. This manufacturing concentration results from established supply chains connecting steel mills directly to wire drawing facilities and forming equipment within industrial clusters.

Regional Variation

Manufacturing Region	Grid Intensity	Estimated CCI Score	Adjustment vs Default
China	555 gCO2/kWh	8	Baseline
Germany	366 gCO2/kWh	6	-25%
United States	386 gCO2/kWh	6	-25%
India	632 gCO2/kWh	9	+13%
Brazil	85 gCO2/kWh	4	-50%

Provenance Override Guidance

1. Steel production method documentation specifying blast furnace versus electric arc furnace manufacturing processes used for the wire material.
2. Galvanization facility energy consumption records showing actual electricity usage and renewable energy percentages during zinc coating application.
3. Transportation distance and mode documentation covering shipment from steel mill to wire processing facility and final assembly location.
4. End-of-life recycling program participation rates demonstrating actual material recovery percentages in target markets.
5. Wire drawing and forming machinery efficiency specifications including energy consumption per kilogram of finished product manufactured.

Methodology Notes

• The CCI score represents cradle-to-gate emissions including raw material extraction through finished product manufacturing and distribution to retail locations.
• Scope 3 dominance reflects the carbon-intensive nature of upstream steel production using traditional blast furnace methods with coke processing requirements.
• The functional unit covers one complete box containing 100 individual paper clips as typically sold at retail outlets.
• End-of-life recycling benefits are excluded from the base score calculation despite the high recyclability of steel materials.
• Regional steel production method variations create the largest uncertainty factor in emissions calculations across different manufacturing locations.