How Many Lives Does Paper Have? - Facts and Myths About Recycling

Research conducted by FEFCO together with TU Darmstadt has shown that limiting fiber lifespan to 5–6 recycling cycles is inaccurate. In laboratory conditions, surprising results emerged: researchers recycled the same fiber mix 25 times without adding fresh fiber. Over the course of these cycles, the material’s mechanical properties (such as tensile strength and water retention) decreased by only 5–12 percent.

This proves that the “six-cycle” rule is not a hard limit but rather a reflection of practical constraints. In reality, fibers can become contaminated, part of them is always lost during processing, and certain paper grades – for example, hygiene papers – require fresh fiber. Moreover, industrial papermaking always involves mixing fibers of different “ages,” so laboratory results cannot be applied directly to real-life production. Still, they clearly demonstrate the resilience of paper fibers.

The longer fibers circulate in the system, the less fresh wood is needed and the smaller the industry’s environmental footprint becomes. Every single recycling cycle counts: each round that fibers survive reduces CO₂ emissions and eases the pressure on forests.

The Prinzhorn Group’s Hungarian companies – Hamburger Recycling, Hamburger Hungária, and Dunapack Packaging – put this circular system into practice every day. Collected wastepaper is recycled in the group’s paper mill and then turned into new packaging by Dunapack. These packaging solutions are made of up to 90% recycled fibers, and after use, the cycle begins again. This closed loop is not only economically efficient but also environmentally crucial: waste becomes value, while the use of fresh wood is kept to the necessary minimum.

Paper doesn’t have just six lives – it has many more. The number of cycles fibers can go through depends on collection efficiency, processing technologies, and the type of end-use. But one thing is clear: the circularity of paper is not a myth, it’s a proven reality. And with every new cycle, we take another step closer to a sustainable future.

Did You Know? – 3 Facts About the Life of Paper

Not Just Six!
Paper fibers are stronger than you think. In laboratory tests, they endured up to 20–25 recycling cycles.

Every Cycle Counts
Each round of recycling reduces the need for fresh wood and lowers CO₂ emissions.

Closed Loop in Hungary
The Prinzhorn Group’s Hungarian companies – including Dunapack Packaging – run a closed-loop system where collected wastepaper is turned back into paper and then packaging, with nearly 90% recycled content.