New Leaf Paper
New Leaf Paper is a privately held U.S. specialty marketer and distributor of post-consumer recycled fiber paper products, serving commercial printers, educational publishers, and campus retailers across North America with certified-sustainable printing and retail paper SKUs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What New Leaf Paper does
New Leaf Paper is a privately held U.S. specialty paper marketer and distributor founded in 1998 and headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin, with a secondary office in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The company sources, brands, and distributes post-consumer recycled fiber (PCRF) paper products — primarily uncoated and coated freesheet grades for offset, inkjet, and digital printing applications — manufactured in the United States and Canada. Its product portfolio spans two distribution surfaces: (i) print and publishing SKUs (e.g., New Leaf Book, Harmony Offset, New Leaf Ingenuity, Envirosatin, Everest Inkjet, Educators Offset, Canopy Coated Cover, Sustana Opaque) sold on a quote basis to commercial printers, educational publishers, and brand owners via email-led enterprise sales, and (ii) retail SKUs (Designer Notebooks, Composition Books, Green Notes memo books, Habitat Series notebooks, Harmony Office Copy Paper) sold direct-to-consumer through a Shopify storefront and through campus-bookstore channels.
The business model is essentially a specialty distributor-margin model layered onto certified-sustainability positioning. Revenue is generated one-time on each transaction (cartons, reams, or larger project quotes) rather than through recurring contracts or SaaS. Pricing is publicly listed for retail SKUs in the $6.99-$9.99 suggested-retail range and quote-based for commercial orders routed to a dedicated sales inbox ([email protected]). A small professional-services tail exists in the form of EcoAudit custom reports that quantify environmental savings for customers' print jobs. The company is a founding B Corporation (since 2007), is structured as a Benefit Corporation under Wisconsin law (since September 2022), and holds a dense stack of independent certifications — FSC, Ancient Forest Friendly (Canopy), Processed Chlorine Free, SGP, EPA SmartWay, SME Climate Hub / UN Race to Zero, and The Climate Pledge — alongside partnerships with OneTreePlanted (tree donation per order), Canopy, HP's Sustainable Forest Collaborative, and Horizon Paper. New Leaf Paper acquired Arnold Grummer's LLC, a Wisconsin-based hand-papermaking-kit distributor, in June 2023, expanding into an adjacent maker/educator category.
New Leaf Paper firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- New Leaf Paper
- Legal name
- New Leaf Paper, Inc.
- Website
- https://newleafpaper.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- New Leaf Paper is a privately held U.S. specialty marketer and distributor of post-consumer recycled fiber paper products, serving commercial printers, educational publishers, and campus retailers across North America with certified-sustainable printing and retail paper SKUs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where New Leaf Paper is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
New Leaf Paper business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Printing & Publishing Paper Products: Sales of recycled paper products to commercial printers, publishers, and businesses. Product lines include Envirosatin, Everest Inkjet, New Leaf Ingenuity, Harmony Offset, Educators Offset, New Leaf Book, Canopy Coated Cover. Sold by carton, ream, or project quotes.
- Retail Paper Products: Direct-to-consumer sales of notebooks, journals, composition books, and copy paper through e-commerce. Products sold in packs (4-unit packs), reams, cases. Includes Designer Notebooks, Habitat Series Notebooks, Green Notes memo books, Harmony Office Copy Paper.
- EcoAudit Custom Reports: Customized print-ready EcoAudit reports created for customer projects printed on recycled papers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Designer Notebooks - Large size |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Designer Notebooks - Small size |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Composition Books |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Harmony Office Copy Paper - 100 Sheet Pack |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Harmony Office Copy Paper - Ream |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Harmony Office Copy Paper - Case |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Commercial Printing & Publishing Products |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
New Leaf Paper product offering
Product offeringCore offering
New Leaf Paper markets and distributes high-quality, environmentally superior paper products made from post-consumer recycled fiber (PCRF) for two main go-to-market lines: Print & Publishing Products sold by carton, ream, or project quotes to commercial printers, distributors, and educational publishers; and Retail Products (notebooks, journals, copy paper, memo books) sold directly to consumers and campus bookstore resellers. The company complements paper sales with the EcoAudit Calculator tool and custom EcoAudit reports that quantify environmental savings from using recycled paper instead of virgin paper, and operates hand papermaking kit distribution through its acquired Arnold Grummer's subsidiary.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- New Leaf Book: Uncoated hybrid offset product made with 20% post-consumer recycled fiber, designed for book publishing applications
- New Leaf Ingenuity
- New Leaf Harmony Offset
- Harmony Office Copy Paper
- Envirosatin
- Everest Inkjet
- New Leaf Canopy Coated Cover
- New Leaf Green Notes
- Educators Offset
- Sustana Opaque
Products and services
- New Leaf Book Uncoated hybrid offset paper product made with 20% post-consumer recycled fiber, designed for book publishing applications including textbooks, workbooks, and trade books.
- New Leaf Ingenuity Super smooth uncoated text and cover stock containing 100% post-consumer recycled fiber with FSC certification, suited to high-end publishing applications such as Baylor Business Review.
- Harmony Offset Smooth uncoated free sheet workhorse sheet containing 100% post-consumer recycled fiber, engineered in lighter basis weights (e.g., 47# saving 6% vs traditional 50#, 57# saving 5% vs traditional 60#).
- Harmony Office Copy Paper Only 100% post-consumer recycled fiber multipurpose cut-size copy paper carrying HP ColorLok certification, sold in 100-sheet packs, 500-sheet reams, and 8-ream cases for office and consumer use.
- Envirosatin Satin treated free sheet containing 100% post-consumer recycled fiber with elegant satin finish, used in premium commercial print and direct mail applications.
- Everest Inkjet Inkjet coated free sheet with 50-100% post-consumer recycled fiber depending on stock weight, designed for commercial inkjet printing applications.
- New Leaf Canopy Coated Cover C1S and C2S cover stock made with 30% post-consumer recycled fiber, designed for book covers, covers, and packaging applications.
- New Leaf Green Notes Pocket-sized memo books made from 100% post-consumer recycled fiber with embossed leaf designs representing endangered trees, awarded a 2024 WSBC Sustainable Product Award; 3% of proceeds go to nonprofits restoring endangered trees.
- Educators Offset FSC Certified uncoated groundwood sheet made with 10% post-consumer recycled fiber, designed specifically for educational book publishing applications.
- Sustana Opaque Premium quality paper made using 30% post-consumer recycled fiber, positioned for high-end and educational publishing needs.
- Designer Notebooks Designer Notebooks made from 100% post-consumer recycled fiber, offered in Large ($9.99 SRP) and Small ($8.49 SRP) sizes, available wholesale and through the New Leaf Paper Shopify storefront; one tree planted per order through OneTreePlanted.
- Composition Books Composition Books made from 100% post-consumer recycled fiber at a $6.99 suggested retail price, available wholesale and through the New Leaf Paper Shopify storefront.
- EcoAudit Calculator and Custom Reports EcoAudit Calculator tool that quantifies tangible environmental savings (trees, water, energy, solid waste, and greenhouse gases) of using post-consumer recycled paper instead of virgin paper, plus customized print-ready EcoAudit reports created for customer projects printed on recycled papers.
- Arnold Grummer's Hand Papermaking Kits Hand papermaking kits distributed through the acquired Arnold Grummer's LLC subsidiary, a Wisconsin-based specialty distributor focused on sustainable and quality hand papermaking products.
Quantifiable outcome
- Uses up to 25% less water vs virgin paper
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use New Leaf Paper
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
New Leaf Paper technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
New Leaf Paper partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Horizon PapercoreStrategic Alliance between Horizon Paper and New Leaf Paper for book group operations. Tim Shields plays a similar role at both companies, enabling expanded market reach and coordinated sales efforts for sustainable book publishing papers.
- SmartWay Transport PartnershipminorNew Leaf Paper joined EPA SmartWay Transport Partnership to assess environmental and energy efficiency of goods movement supply chains. Partnership contributes to SmartWay savings of 312 million barrels of oil and 133 metric tons of CO2.
- Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP)minorPartnership with SGP brings together different business departments and organizations to support supply-chain sustainability in printing operations.
- HP Sustainable Forest CollaborativecoreNew Leaf Paper joined HP's Sustainable Forest Collaborative to ensure forest-positive, carbon neutral business practices. Partnership focuses on sustainable business solutions and combating climate change through paper supply chain innovations.
- OneTreePlantedcoreFor every order placed, New Leaf Paper donates a tree through OneTreePlanted, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to global reforestation. This partnership enables customers to contribute to tree planting while purchasing sustainable paper products.
- CanopycoreNew Leaf Paper is committed to Ancient and Endangered Forest Conservation and Eco-Paper Production through partnership with Canopy. Company collaborates throughout supply chain to ensure paper and packaging fiber does not come from ancient and endangered forests.
- The Climate PledgeminorNew Leaf Paper is committed to The Climate Pledge, a commitment to be net-zero carbon by 2040, forming a cross-sector community of companies working to crack the climate crisis.
- Gettysburg Nature AlliancecorePartnership with Gettysburg Nature Alliance, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on habitat and heritage education. New Leaf Paper donated $50,000 in 2021 for learning barn completion and watershed preservation near Sachs Bridge.
- The American Chestnut FoundationcorePartnership with The American Chestnut Foundation working to restore American chestnut trees. 3% of Green Notes proceeds go to non-profits restoring endangered trees. New Leaf Paper supports learning orchard near Sachs Bridge site.
- Redwood Forest Foundation Inc.minor3% of proceeds from New Leaf Green Notes (Redwood design) go to Redwood Forest Foundation Inc. working to restore local ecosystem health and climate resilience in the Redwood Region.
- Great Lakes Basin Forest Health Collaborativeminor3% of proceeds from New Leaf Green Notes (Ash design) go to Great Lakes Basin Forest Health Collaborative working to save Ash trees through breeding and replanting pest-resistant trees.
- American Chestnut FoundationminorPartnership includes learning orchard near historic Sachs Bridge site. Alliance works with American Chestnut Foundation to expand educational offerings for students and public about environmental issues.
- Chesapeake Bay FoundationminorPartnership with Chesapeake Bay Foundation using Sachs Bridge educational site for student and teacher programs related to environmental education.
- Thanksgiving Coffee CompanyminorFeatured B Corp partner in Keep On Giving blog. Thanksgiving Coffee Company is a B Corp pioneer in fair-trade specialty coffee with pollinator-friendly campus and habitat preservation programs.
- Narrative FoodminorFeatured B Corp partner donating at least 2% of sales to nonprofits. Narrative Food operates with 'Designed to Give' impact model supporting various environmental and community organizations.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
New Leaf Paper competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mohawk Fine Papers: Mohawk Fine Papers is a U.S. manufacturer and marketer of premium fine and specialty papers with a longstanding sustainability focus, including recycled-content lines. It is the most direct comparable to New Leaf Paper in fine/coated printing papers sold to commercial printers and publishers.
- Rolland Enterprises: Rolland is a Canadian-based specialty paper manufacturer with a portfolio built around recycled-content printing and publishing papers. Like New Leaf, it focuses on high-PCRF grades for book publishing and commercial printing with strong sustainability branding.
- Finch Paper: Finch Paper is a U.S. paper mill producing uncoated printing, writing, and specialty papers, including recycled-content grades. It competes with New Leaf in the printing/publishing paper market served by commercial printers and educational publishers.
- Twin Rivers Paper Company: Twin Rivers is a North American specialty paper manufacturer offering uncoated and specialty grades used in publishing and packaging. Its specialty/sustainable paper business lines are directly comparable to New Leaf's printing/publishing portfolio.
Broad incumbents
- Cascades Inc. Cascades is a large Canadian-based manufacturer of recycled-content tissue, packaging, and specialty papers with a well-developed sustainability brand. It is a much larger incumbent that overlaps with New Leaf's recycled paper and packaging positioning, but operates across many paper end markets.
- Domtar Corporation: Domtar, the U.S. uncoated freesheet subsidiary of Paper Excellence, is one of the largest North American producers of printing and publishing papers including recycled-content grades. It competes broadly with New Leaf on printing papers and is rapidly expanding its sustainability-certified offerings.
- Sylvamo Corporation: Sylvamo is a global uncoated freesheet paper producer with a meaningful North American printing and publishing paper business. It overlaps with New Leaf's core printing/publishing grades and represents a major price-competitive incumbent in the same customer set.
- Neenah (Mativ Holdings): Neenah, now part of Mativ Holdings, produces premium specialty and sustainable printing, writing, and packaging papers. Its specialty/coated and recycled-content lines overlap with New Leaf's premium publishing and retail paper offerings.
- Boise Cascade Company: Boise Cascade is a major North American manufacturer of engineered wood products and paper, including office and printing papers. While broader in product mix, its paper division competes with New Leaf on office copy paper and printing papers through wholesalers.
Emerging players
- Greenfield Paper: Greenfield Paper is a smaller specialty distributor of eco-friendly, recycled-content office and printing papers. It competes in the same recycled office/copy paper and sustainable print segments as New Leaf, but on a smaller scale and without B Corp founding pedigree.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
New Leaf Paper social profiles
Digital presenceNew Leaf Paper financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
New Leaf Paper leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
New Leaf Paper subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
New Leaf Paper funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
New Leaf Paper M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about New Leaf Paper
What does New Leaf Paper do?
New Leaf Paper markets and distributes high-quality, environmentally superior paper products made from post-consumer recycled fiber (PCRF) for two main go-to-market lines: Print & Publishing Products sold by carton, ream, or project quotes to commercial printers, distributors, and educational publishers; and Retail Products (notebooks, journals, copy paper, memo books) sold directly to consumers and campus bookstore resellers. The company complements paper sales with the EcoAudit Calculator tool and custom EcoAudit reports that quantify environmental savings from using recycled paper instead of virgin paper, and operates hand papermaking kit distribution through its acquired Arnold Grummer's subsidiary.
Is New Leaf Paper a public or private company?
New Leaf Paper is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was New Leaf Paper founded?
New Leaf Paper was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is New Leaf Paper based?
New Leaf Paper is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does New Leaf Paper make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Printing & Publishing Paper Products are the primary driver. The others are retail Paper Products and ecoAudit Custom Reports.
Who are New Leaf Paper's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mohawk Fine Papers, Rolland Enterprises, Finch Paper and Twin Rivers Paper Company. Broad incumbents are Cascades Inc., Domtar Corporation, Sylvamo Corporation, Neenah (Mativ Holdings) and Boise Cascade Company. Greenfield Paper is listed as an emerging player.
Does New Leaf Paper have an API?
No public API is recorded for New Leaf Paper.