What if paper waste wasn’t the end of the story—but the start of a new one?
Over six months, Redopapers explored that question through Reversing the Waste Flow, a circular innovation project supported by the Up2Circ programme. The aim was clear: can companies reuse their own paper waste to create meaningful, high-quality products before recycling begins?
The answer is yes—under the right conditions.
From waste to value
Many organisations generate early-stage paper waste such as outdated posters, unused letterheads or misprints. Often perfectly usable, yet immediately recycled.
In this project, we focused on reuse before recycling, transforming company-specific paper residuals into personalised tear-off planners and notepads. Functional products that make circularity tangible inside organisations—using their own materials.
"We are very satisfied and happy we could give a meaningful second life to our paper surplus.”
— Municipality of Zaventem
A demand-driven circular model
Rather than generic upcycling, the project tested a demand-driven reuse service. Companies actively engaged with their own waste streams and received a visible, personalised product in return. This shift—from supply-driven to demand-driven reuse—formed the core innovation.
Pilots and production insights
A total of 183 organisations were surveyed to map available paper waste streams. Based on technical criteria, nine pilot organisations were selected for production.
Early tests with highly automated printing proved inefficient for small and irregular formats. The project therefore shifted to a more flexible production model, working with a local printing shop and social work enterprises. This hybrid setup combined machine-based processes with manual finishing, improving feasibility, quality and social impact.
Circular strategies in practice
The project applied several circular strategies:
- Narrowing loops by reducing virgin paper use
- Slowing loops by extending material lifespan
- Closing loops through local reuse before recycling
- Regenerating value via social employment partnerships
The measurable impact speaks for itself. Across the nine pilots, the project reused 1.535 kg of paper that was normally destined for the bin. This has immediate impact on water savings (38.375 litres) and CO₂ emissions reduction (2624 kg).
Looking ahead
The feasibility study confirms that a demand-driven reuse service for company-owned paper waste is technically feasible, socially valuable and commercially promising—provided clear intake criteria, realistic lead times and flexible production partners are in place.
Next steps include refining pricing models, improving logistics and expanding partnerships with social work enterprises to further scale circular reuse services within the B2B market.
Disclaimer: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.