Cradle to Cradle (C2C) certification evaluates products and production processes according to the principle of ‘from cradle to cradle’ and is modelled on nature. Developed in the 1990s by Michael Braungart and William McDonough, C2C is modelled on nature: resources are used in such a way that they can be returned to biological or technical cycles after use - without any waste.

The principle of Cradle to Cradle
At the centre is the idea of using raw materials in cycles so that they do not end up as waste but are reused. In nature, there is no concept of waste: for example, flowers that are not used for reproduction fall to the ground and become nutrients for other organisms. Similarly, materials in production should be endlessly reused or biodegradable.

Differentiation from conventional production
The conventional ‘cradle to grave’ principle means that products are incinerated as waste after use. This constantly consumes new raw materials, which is problematic given finite resources and also contributes to environmental pollution. The vision of C2C is a waste-free world through a consistent circular economy in which products are already designed to be biodegradable and fully recyclable.

The three basic principles of Cradle to Cradle:

1. Circular economy - waste becomes nourishment (for new products or nature)
2. Renewable energy - the aim is to produce exclusively with renewable energies
3. Promotion of diversity - diversity in materials and ecosystems for long-term stability

Difference between ‘Cradle to Cradle’ and conventional ‘recycling’?
In contrast to conventional recycling, C2C aims to ensure that the quality of the raw materials is maintained over several product cycles. This means using only safe, tried and tested chemicals and designing the processes in such a way that all materials remain in the cycle as nutrients - without any waste.

C2C certification
Das C2C-Zertifizierungsprogramm bewertet Produkte ganzheitlich in fünf Kategorien. Jede Kategorie kann eines von fünf Leveln erreichen – Basic, Bronze, Silber, Gold oder Platinum:

   1.  Material health
      o  Ingredients are identified using the CAS number (Chemical Abstracts Service) Abstracts Service)
      o  Highest level: All components are usable for the material cycle

   2.  Material reutilization
     o  Products should be biodegradable or recyclable for technical cycles
     o  Higher certified products show more progress in reusability

   3.  Renewable energy & energy management
     o  Recording energy consumption and the proportion of renewable energy
     o  Target: 100 % renewable energy in production

   4.  Water stewardship
     o  Responsible use of water
     o  Water quality should be improved after use

   5.  Social fairness
     o  Compliance with social standards by manufacturers
     o  Higher certification levels require independent confirmation

To achieve a certification level, all categories must receive at least this rating or higher. Lessebo Paper (manufacturer of Lessebo SMOOTH, Lessebo Digital, ROUGH 1.3 and COLORS papers) is currently the first and only paper mill with C2C Gold certification.