
FSC vs PEFC Paper: A Brief Comparison of Sustainable Forest Management solutions

As part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability at The Whimsical Marbler, we ensure that any new paper we use for marbling is either FSC or PEFC rated, but in a world of acronyms and terms like sustainability being used with increasing frequency, I decided to take a little look into FSC and PEFC to see what they stand for and what the differences are between them.
The acronyms FSC and PEFC stand for Forestry Standards Commission and Programme for the Endorsement for Forest Certification, respectively.
FSC is a globally recognized certification system that comprises ten internationally agreed principles for responsible forest management, which guide forest managers or owners in their practices. This certification ensures that companies and mills procure wood or wood pulp from easily identifiable well-managed forests. The principles support:
- zero deforestation
- safeguarding of ancient and endangered forests
- fair wage and work environment
- preservation of biodiversity
- community rights, including the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
There is also chain of custody protocols which ensures that there is compliance to the FSC standards throughout the supply chain. This means that customers at the end of the chain can be reassured that the principles have been upheld throughout the entire process from forest to product.


PEFC is a similar certification system that strives to encourage and support independent third-party certification of sustainable forest management (SFM). It is an international organisation that operates as a mutual recognition scheme, placing a greater emphasis on the ethical aspects of SFM and timber processing than FSC certification. PEFC works on a national level where national organisations develop and implement the PEFC system in their own country. Their sustainable forest management requirements include :
- Maintenance, conservation and enhancement of ecosystem biodiversity
- Protection of ecologically important forest areas
- Prohibition of forest conversions
- Recognition of free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples
- Respect for the multiple functions of forests to society
- Provisions for consultation with local people, communities and other stakeholders
- Prohibition of genetically modified trees and most hazardous chemicals
- Exclusion of certification of plantations established by conversions, including conversions of ecologically important non-forest lands (e.g. peatlands)
- Climate positive practices such as reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in forest operations
The PEFC system works to ensure that national sustainable forest management requirements are always tailored to the needs of each particular forest ecosystem, as well as the legal and administrative frameworks, the socio-cultural context and other locally relevant factors.
Currently, there are over 280 million hectares of forest area managed in compliance with PEFC’s sustainability benchmarks, and its certification system is now endorsed by 48 countries. Meanwhile, there are 158 million hectares of forest being managed according to FSC standards.
Both FSC and PEFC have easily recognisable logos which are used by certified partners on their products. Until a few years ago, I had never heard of PEFC and I am sure I am not alone in that. There seems to be more products currently available with the FSC logo but as PEFC has more emphasis on ethical standards, I expect that we will see an increase in PEFC labelled products in the future.


As for our marbled papers, our primary white paper is a high-quality 140gsm paper, milled in the UK. It consists of 80% recycled pulp sourced from takeaway coffee cups, ensuring its sustainability with the remaining 20% made from FSC-certified pulp. This paper is fully recyclable and acid-free, maintaining its eco-friendly attributes.
Crafted by James Cropper Speciality Papers in Cumbria, you can explore their sustainability credentials on their website for more information, or watch their YouTube videos below:
Videos used with permission ©James Cropper
We also use coloured papers of differing weights which are either PEFC or FSC rated and produced in UK and EU mills.
In addition, all our packaging is plastic free and wherever possible the card or paper packaging used is either recycled from deliveries or FSC rated. You can see a list of our current packaging on our sustainability page.
As a producer of paper based products we have a responsability to ensure that our supply chain is as sustainable as possible and seeing the FSC and PEFC logos helps us towards that aim.
Information on this blog was taken from both the FSC and PEFC websites accessed between 25th May 2023 and 6th June 2023
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