Norm Thompson Outfitters Switches All Catalogs To Recycled Paper

Norm Thompson Outfitters, in partnership with the Alliance for Environmental Innovation, announced today that it has switched to paper with a minimum of 10% postconsumer recycled content in all of its catalogs.

The switch is the culmination of Norm Thompson Outfitters’ partnership with the Alliance for Environmental Innovation, a nonprofit environmental group. Research completed during the partnership determined that paper with 10% postconsumer recycled content is widely available from major suppliers, is priced competitively with virgin paper, prints as well as virgin paper, and has no impact on customer response. For a full report of the project results, visit www.EnvironmentalDefense.org

“Norm Thompson Outfitters is committed to using paper with the highest level of postconsumer recycled content that meets our business needs,” said company president Rebecca L. Jewett. “By using recycled paper, we can reduce our burden on the environment while maintaining profitability. We expect that recycled paper will become the industry standard for catalogs, starting with 10% postconsumer recycled content, and moving to higher levels over time.”

“Switching to postconsumer recycled paper helps protect forests and wildlife, reduces energy use and pollution associated with paper production, and cuts waste sent to landfills and incinerators. We applaud Norm Thompson Outfitters’ leadership in moving to recycled paper and encourage other catalogers to follow suit,” said Victoria Mills, project manager at the Alliance for Environmental Innovation.

The Alliance calculates that Norm Thompson Outfitters’ move to recycled paper will achieve the following annual environmental improvements:
- 4,400 fewer tons of wood consumed — the amount needed to produce a year’s worth of copy paper for 94,000 people
- 20 billion BTUs of energy saved — enough to supply 190 households for a year
- 11.7 million gallons of wastewater avoided — the annual discharges of 120 households
- 990 tons of solid waste prevented — the trash produced annually by 460 households

Norm Thompson Outfitters is also taking steps to use less paper, and working with its paper suppliers to support cleaner manufacturing and environmentally preferable forest management practices.

Norm Thompson Outfitters is a retailer of apparel, gifts, and home items through its catalogs (Norm Thompson, Solutions, Early Winters, and Waterfront Living), stores in Oregon, and web sites. The company was awarded the Direct Marketing Association’s Robert Rodale Environmental Mailer of the Year award in both 2000 and 2001. To learn more about the company’s environmental initiatives, please visit www.normthompson.com.