Paper — Tissue and Hygiene
Paper Products Medium Confidence
Carbon Cost Index Score
2 kgCO₂e / per kg
Per kg
2 kgCO₂e / kg
Methodology v1.0 · Last reviewed 2026-04-08
Scope Breakdown
| Scope | kgCO₂e | % of Total | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope 1 | 0.5 | 25% | |
| Scope 2 | 0.4 | 20% | |
| Scope 3 | 1.1 | 55% | |
| Total | 2 | 100% |
Emission Hotspots
| Emission Hotspot | Scope | Est. % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Through-air drying (TAD) or Yankee drying (extremely energy-intensive) | S2 | 30% |
| Pulping and bleaching (kraft or recycled fiber processing) | S1 | 28% |
| Virgin fiber supply chain (forestry, chipping, transport) | S3 | 20% |
| Chemical inputs (wet strength resins, softeners, lotions) | S3 | 12% |
| Converting, packaging, and transport | S3 | 10% |
Manufacturing Geography
- Region
- USA, China, EU (Italy, Germany, Scandinavia), Brazil
- Grid Intensity
- 390 gCO2e/kWh (IEA 2024, USA); 565 gCO2e/kWh (IEA 2024, China)
Material Composition Assumptions
The default reference product is 1 kg of tissue paper (toilet tissue, facial tissue, or paper towels), composed of:
- Cellulose fiber: Virgin bleached softwood and/or hardwood kraft pulp (~70-80% of mass for premium tissue) or recycled fiber (~70-100% for economy grades). Virgin fiber produces softer, stronger tissue.
- Wet-strength resins: Polyamidoamine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resin for wet strength (paper towels), <1% by mass.
- Softening agents: Debonders and fabric softener additives for softness, <1%.
- Embossing and lotions: Some facial tissues include lotion coatings (petrolatum, aloe).
- Packaging: PE or PP film wrap, corrugated outer case.
Tissue paper is more energy-intensive to produce per kg than printing paper because the drying step requires converting a very wet, thin, and soft sheet. Through-air drying (TAD) produces premium soft tissue but consumes approximately 40-60% more energy than conventional Yankee drying.
Manufacturing Geography
Tissue manufacturing is highly regionalized:
- USA: Georgia-Pacific, P&G (Charmin), Kimberly-Clark (Kleenex). Dominantly virgin softwood fiber.
- China: Largest global market. Mix of virgin and recycled fiber.
- EU: Essity (Sweden), Sofidel (Italy), Metsä Tissue (Finland).
- Brazil: Suzano, CMPC. Eucalyptus plantation fiber.
- Rationale: Tissue is one of the most energy-intensive paper products due to drying demands. The drying stage (Scope 2) is unusually dominant compared to other paper grades.
Regional Variation
| Production Region | Fiber Source | Estimated Score (per kg) | Adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA — virgin TAD (default) | Virgin softwood | 2.0 kgCO2e | Baseline |
| EU — virgin Yankee | Virgin mixed | 1.6 kgCO2e | -20% |
| EU — recycled fiber | Recycled | 1.3 kgCO2e | -35% |
| China — recycled fiber | Recycled | 1.7 kgCO2e | -15% (coal grid offsets recycled benefit) |
| Brazil — eucalyptus | Virgin plantation | 1.2 kgCO2e | -40% (hydro grid + fast-growth fiber) |
Provenance Override Guidance
- EPD for the specific tissue product.
- Fiber source: Recycled vs. virgin, FSC/PEFC certified.
- Drying technology: TAD vs. structured tissue vs. conventional Yankee affects energy intensity significantly.
- Mill energy data: Biomass self-generation, grid mix, and fossil fuel use.
Methodology Notes
- CCI score of 2 kgCO2e/kg is a conservative estimate for US-produced virgin TAD tissue. EPDs from major producers report 1.5-2.5 kgCO2e/kg. Premium TAD tissue sits at the upper end.
- Scope breakdown: Scope 3 at 55% (1.1 kgCO2e/kg) from fiber sourcing and chemical inputs. Scope 1 at 25% (0.5 kgCO2e/kg) from on-site steam generation. Scope 2 at 20% (0.4 kgCO2e/kg) from TAD fans and paper machine electricity.
- Confidence: Medium — good EPD data from European producers; US-specific data is more limited.
- Functional unit: 1 kg of tissue paper (any format), cradle to gate.
- Comparison to office paper: Tissue (~2 kgCO2e/kg) has approximately double the emissions of office paper (~1 kgCO2e/kg) despite lower basis weight, because the drying step is far more energy-intensive for tissue.
Related Concepts
Related Categories
Sources
- EDANA / Tissue World (2019) — Tissue industry sustainability benchmarking. Documents energy intensity of tissue manufacturing at approximately 5-10 GJ/t, significantly higher than printing paper due to intensive drying requirements.
- NRDC (2020) — Issue with Tissue: How Americans are Flushing Forests Down the Toilet. Reports lifecycle carbon footprint data for tissue products and documents the dominance of virgin-fiber tissue in the US market.
- EPD International (Various) — Environmental Product Declarations for tissue products from Essity, Sofidel, and Metsä Tissue. GWP typically 1.5-2.5 kgCO2e/kg depending on fiber source and drying technology.
- Laurijssen et al. (2010) — Paper and biomass for energy? Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 54(12), 1208-1218. Compares energy and emissions for virgin vs. recycled fiber paper products.
- IEA (2024) — Emissions Factors 2024. Grid intensities for major tissue-producing countries.