Recycled Linerboard — Sustainable Corrugated Packaging Material

What Is Recycled Linerboard?

Recycled linerboard — also known as test liner in international markets — is linerboard manufactured from recovered paper fibers rather than virgin wood pulp. Old corrugated containers (OCC), mixed paper, and other recovered fiber sources are collected, repulped, cleaned, and reformed into new linerboard sheets that serve as the flat outer faces of corrugated fiberboard.

Recycled linerboard is available in the same basis weight specifications as virgin kraft linerboard and can be used on the inner face, outer face, or both faces of corrugated board. It is a core component in the circular economy of the corrugated industry.

How Recycled Linerboard Is Made

The production of recycled linerboard begins with the collection and sorting of recovered paper. The paper is mixed with water in large pulpers to break it down into individual fibers, then cleaned through screens and centrifugal separators to remove contaminants like tape, staples, and plastic fragments.

The clean fiber slurry is then formed into sheets on a paper machine, pressed, dried, and wound into large rolls — ready to be shipped to corrugated sheet plants like President Container for conversion into finished packaging.

Performance Characteristics

Recycled fibers are shorter than virgin kraft fibers because the recycling process breaks them down further with each cycle. This means recycled linerboard may have slightly different strength characteristics compared to kraft at the same basis weight:

• Tear strength: Generally somewhat lower than virgin kraft due to shorter fiber length.
• Stiffness: Comparable when properly manufactured, especially at heavier basis weights.
• Moisture resistance: May absorb moisture more readily, which can be managed through board specification.
• Compression strength: Can match kraft performance when paired with the right medium and flute profile.

For the vast majority of commercial applications, recycled linerboard performs more than adequately. Proper board grade specification compensates for any differences in individual paper strength.

PCG’s Commitment to Recycling

President Container Group recycles 100 percent of its manufacturing waste. Every paper trim, rejected sheet, and production scrap is baled and returned to paper mills where it becomes the raw material for new recycled linerboard and medium. This closed-loop approach is a cornerstone of our sustainability commitment across all four divisions.

By choosing recycled linerboard in your packaging specifications, you contribute to this cycle and support the broader recycled content ecosystem that has made corrugated the most recycled packaging material in America.