Today Resolute Forest Products introduced two new environmentally responsible superbrite paper grades – Hybrid and Alternative – to its Align brand, for a grand total of five offerings under that name. (Ecopaque, Equal Offset and Resolute Max are the other choices.) These papers use up to 50% less fiber, and consume less energy and fewer chemicals in the papermaking process. (PRO members, for a refresher on just what the papermaking process entails, please check out the videos Paper 102 and Paper 103. – your helpful editor)
Hybrid
Align’s Hybrid grades are opaque offset sheets targeted for use in direct mail, envelopes, directories, inserts and manuals. Papers in this grade include:
- Hybrid Smooth
- Hybrid Vellum
- Hybrid Envelope.
Alternative
Align’s Alternative Offset papers are more geared toward use in book publishing, financial printing, annual reports and direct mail. These offerings include:
- Alternative Book
- Alternative Offset
- Alternative Opaque.
As the fine people at Resolute Forest Products remind us, Align paper has “an environmental footprint 35% to 85% smaller than the average freesheet grade – including some containing recycled content. In addition, by delivering higher opacity and bulk at a lower basis weight than traditional freesheet, Align helps reduce paper, postage and transportation costs.”
More details on these two new grades will be forthcoming as they become available. (Insert old-timey news teletype sound effects here…)
