Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc. (MPM), Bennington, N.H., USA, a family-owned manufacturer of high-performance specialty papers for the technical, packaging, and printing markets, this week announced its Kona® portfolio of packaging substrates that is made with non-wood fiber from used burlap bags diverted from the landfill.

Monadnock entered an exclusive licensing agreement with Arch Paper LLC and Whiting Paper Co. for the production of a range of Kona paper and board products. Under a patented process, Monadnock is incorporating reclaimed burlap coffee bean bags into a variety of print and packaging substrates for the retail and hospitality markets. The roasted shades and variegated fibers impart a beautiful and natural aesthetic that is smooth to the touch and pleasing to the eye.

Monadnock's Kona line includes stocks for hang tags, price tickets, folding boxes, and wet-strength labels. They are all Forest Stewardship Council Certified and are manufactured carbon-neutral using Green-e certified renewable electricity.

In 2016, 24.6 million coffee bean bags were imported into the U.S. Some of those bags are repurposed for crafts or storage but the majority were going into a landfill. Specifying packaging made with recycled natural fiber that already served a useful life is one more way brands can demonstrate responsible sourcing and their commitment to sustainability.

"We have expanded the Envi Portfolio® of products through our partnership with Whiting and Arch," said Richard Verney, chairman and CEO of Monadnock.  "As consumers become more eco-conscious with a desire to divert packaging materials from the waste stream, the timing is perfect for the addition of Kona to the Envi line."

If you are a brand looking to make a big impact with your product packaging, contact Monadnock for more details about Kona and the complete Envi Portfolio of products.

More information is available online.

Monadnock Paper Mills provides and custom engineers a diverse range of products including technical/specialty papers and premium printing and packaging papers for leading brands worldwide. The company's ENVIPortfolio® of products features fiber-based solutions that replace plastic for uses such as gift cards and tags. Its technical papers are used in medical and pharmaceutical packaging, construction, interior design, manufacturing, and other specialty applications and markets. 

"Making Cards from Discards," Arch Paper in St. Louis, Mo., is a designer of sustainable papers from unusual non-wood fibers. In 2009, a local coffee roaster visited Kelly Stewart and Ted Gast of Arch Paper. Inspired by this meeting, Kelly and Ted envisioned a new eco-friendly fiber for papermaking, and created an innovative line of paper made from repurposed coffee bean (burlap) bags called, Kona® Paper. Arch Paper has licensed its trademark Kona® Paper to Monadnock Paper Mills.

Whiting Paper Co, a producer of specialty papers for the Art, Matboard, Scrapbooking, and Decorative Packaging markets, produced and patented an innovative line of papers made from recycled coffee bean (burlap) bags called Kona® Paper. When Whiting Paper ceased operation in 2016, the Kona line of papers and the patented process was licensed to Monadnock Paper Mills.