Paper Prices – Historical Graph

Real-time chart of historical daily paper prices. The prices are shown in ton.
The current price is and is last updated on .
  • The average price in the past 3 days is
  • The average price in the past 7 days is
  • The average price in the past 30 days is
  • The average price in the past 365 days is

Paper Prices Explained

Generally, paper prices depend on its ingredients such as forestry products, cotton, and recycled fibers. Economic and trade factors are price determiners as well but here are the top elements:

Why are paper prices fluctuating?

1. Supply and Demand Dynamics

The golden rule in every trade. Every commodity prices mainly depend on the balance of supply and demand.

When the demand for paper exceeds its current supply, prices tend to rise. Conversely, when there is plenty of production and the need is low, prices will likely decrease too.

Additionally, the global market for bulk grades of recovered paper (RCP) cooled off modestly in the first half of 2022 and collapsed in the second half when the paper packaging sector slowed significantly for various reasons.

2. Raw Materials Cost

Forestry products such as Spruce, Pine, Fir, Larch, Hemlock, Eucalyptus, Aspen, and Birch are types of trees where paper mostly comes from.

Moreover, pulp and chemicals such as cationic starch and polyacrylamide (PAM) derivatives have a direct impact on pulp and paper prices. Any price movement of these items will surely affect their value.

3. Energy Cost

The required energy resource for paper production contributes a big chunk to pulp and paper. Additionally, any fuel price change highly affects its value and other commodity prices.

As a result, some companies like Nippon Paper announced they would increase pulp and paper prices by 15-25% in 2023 due to the increasing production input prices.

4. e-commerce Demand

The reopening of global trade after its long fight against Covid means full business operation is back on track.

The growing demand for paper from eCommerce industries for packaging materials such as tissue paper, boxes, and cardboard influences its surging price.

5. Environmental Regulations

Strict wood production due to investment in sustainable practices and eco-friendly technologies makes it hard for manufacturers and suppliers to keep up with the growing paper demand. Thus, this influences paper prices.

The fluctuating price of paper has several implications for businesses and consumers. Businesses that use paper need to adjust their pricing or operations to offset the rising cost of paper. As a result, consumers see higher prices for paper products such as toilet paper, paper towels, and notebooks.

Which variables impact the price of paper?

  • Supply and Demand Dynamics
  • Raw Materials Cost
  • Energy Cost
  • e-commerce Demand
  • Environmental Regulations
  • Global Economic Performance

Where does paper come from?

Paper comes from a variety of sources. This includes:

1. Trees – The majority of paper production comes from wood which is primarily composed of cellulose fibers. The pulp and paper industry is a major consumer of wood. This is an increasing concern for sustainable enthusiasts as growing trees takes time to replace the harvested ones.

2. Recycled Paper – Recycled paper is a major source of fiber for the paper industry. This initiative helps to conserve trees and reduce landfill waste.

3. Plant Materials – Various plant materials such as bamboo, sugarcane residue, and straw are capable of producing paper. Additionally, these materials are good alternatives to trees.

From forests to factories, the production of paper involves human ingenuity, science, and technology.

Stage 1: Preparation of Raw Materials – The production starts with the gathering of raw materials, primarily wood chips, recycled paper, or other fibrous plant matter. Then, these materials undergo careful sorting and cleaning to eliminate impurities, ensuring the purity of the ensuing pulp.

Stage 2: Pulping – The pulping process lies at the heart of papermaking. This includes separating the cellulose fibers from the lignin and other unwanted components.

Additionally, mechanical pulping utilizes energy to achieve this separation while chemical pulping uses chemicals to dissolve the lignin. The finished sub-product is a suspended cellulose fiber in water and it serves as the fundamental building block for paper.

Stage 3: Refining – The refining process further refines the pulp by aligning the fibers and enhancing their bonding potential. This crucial step contributes to the strength, smoothness, and overall quality of the paper.

Stage 4: Forming – The diluted pulp is spread evenly on a moving wire mesh. This forms a thin sheet of intertwined fibers as water drains through the mesh, leaving behind a delicate mat of fibers.

Stage 5: Pressing – To remove excess water, the paper sheet is put under intense pressure between rollers. This method shrinks the sheet which enhances its strength and durability.

Stage 6: Drying – Through a series of heated rollers, the remaining water is evaporated which transforms the damp sheet into a dry and sturdy form.

Stage 7: Finishing – The finishing process imparts the desired surface properties to the paper. It smoothens the surface, coating enhances printability, moisture resistance, or other desired characteristics.

Stage 8: Cutting and Packaging – Finally, the paper is cut to the desired size and meticulously packaged for shipment, ready to embark on its journey to various applications.

What are the uses of paper?

Paper is a versatile material with several applications in many different industries. These are:

1. Packaging – Due to its lightweight, recyclable, and relatively inexpensive properties paper is the most common material used in packaging. It is used to package a wide range of products such as food, beverages, consumer goods, and industrial products.

2. Printing and Writing – Then and now, paper is the traditional medium for printing and writing applications. Newspapers, magazines, books, brochures, and other printed materials come from paper. Additionally, it is useful for writing and printing in schools, offices, and homes.

3. Sanitary Products – Paper is essential as well for hygiene and sanitation. Approximately 15% of global paper production accounts for toilet paper, facial, tissues, and paper towels.

4. Construction Materials – The construction industry uses paper for wallpaper, roofing shingles, and insulation as it is lightweight, durable, and affordable.

Furthermore, these are the rising trends of pulp and paper applications that dominated the market as a sustainable practice of paper production and usage.

1. Smart Packaging – Paper-based packaging can be embedded with sensors and other electronic devices to create smart packaging that tracks and monitors the condition of the product inside.

2. Biomedical Applications – Biomedical applications such as glucose monitoring, drug delivery, and tissue engineering use pulp and paper as an alternative base device as it is cheaper compared to traditional metal devices.

3. Energy Storage – Energy scientists use paper-based batteries and other energy storage devices as a sustainable alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries.

What is the future price of paper?

The pandemic caused an overall decline in the paper market. However, it opened ‘the streamlined approach’ in other fields. For example, the printing industry sees a worsening market paper condition as consumers and businesses opt for electronic transactions rather than traditional paper.

Thus, this industry showed a slow growth last year. However, the packaging market, containerboard demand, and consumer board make the business alive as the e-commerce trend dominates the market.

Market Watch’s forecast trend about the Pulp and Paper Market showed a 0.91% expansion in CAGR (compound annual growth rate) reaching $414,256.21 million by 2028.

Overall, the price of paper is expected to range between $120 and $150 per ton in 2030.

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