Intro

Tree Free is the ecological paper that does not use trees. Additionally, our R&D laboratory has defined its recipe to call only for the use of fibres coming from fast-growing plants: 75% bamboo and 25% cotton.

Tree Free is part of Paper from our Echosystem collection, to be discovered alongside five other ranges of ecological papers. Its differentiating feature is the use of alternative fibres other than tree fibres, but this is not its only ecological credential.

As part of Paper from our Echosystem collection, Tree Free it is guaranteed to be:

• Made from eco-innovative raw materials, in this case alternative fibres;
• Measured and all emissions have been totally offset;
• Made with renewable energy sources, in the case of Tree Free it is self-produced;
• Proudly FSC™ certified, which highlights its commitment to being both recyclable and biodegradable.

In our plant, we monitor and constantly improve production process, with the goal of the best possible consumption efficiency.

For Favini, the pursuit of environmentally sustainable and circular alternative materials has been a mission since the 1990s. And bamboo, one of the two ingredients of Tree Free, has captured our attention.

Bamboo is the fastest-growing plant in the world, making it an incredibly renewable resource. It captures 4 times more CO2 when compared to traditional forestry and also prevents soil erosion.

It has endless uses: In the kitchen, in construction, for fashion, and… also for papermaking!

Utilizing bamboo as a raw material for paper production reduces the requirement for virgin cellulose originating from traditional forests.

What about the other ingredient of TreeFree?

Linters are the short fibres of cotton found around the seed, which cannot be used in clothing production due to their limited length, resulting in a pre-consumption waste for the textile industry, yet are a valuable resource for other industries.

Linters are separated from the cotton seed through a specific process and constitute an important source of cellulose, which we use for paper production.

Discover the full story of these two ingredients

Intro

The visual book ‘Brilliant Bamboo’ celebrates the versatility of quality and exceptionally sustainable material, bamboo. Illustrations, photographs, objects reproduced with different print and finishing techniques on Tree Free, the paper made with bamboo and cotton. Favini keenly wanted this booklet to be capable of inspiring designers as well as recounting the Tree Free paper concept.

Below you will discover the concept of the creation of the visual ‘Brilliant Bamboo’ and the print techniques used to tell the story and the potential of this raw material.

The concept phase: The theme and connection with Tree Free

In Asia, bamboo occupies a special place in the economic, social and cultural fabric while globally it is assuming an ever greater importance as a sustainable raw material.

To demonstrate the versatility of bamboo, the various applications for which it is suitable were presented: stools, scaffolding for skyscrapers, design objects as well as for cooking, clothing and, of course, paper production. Few other materials lend themselves so easily to the intelligence and creativity of human beings.

Photographs alongside illustrations highlight the relevance of this point.

The production phase: Print techniques

What can bamboo be used for?

This versatile plant can be used in the kitchen as evidenced by Marcos Farina’s illustration, who through his unique and fun style has immortalised the use of bamboo in recipes where it is increasingly appreciated. The colour reproduction is excellent, the colours are bright and full. The technique used on this page is CMYK + Pantone.

Even design studios are starting to appreciate the unique characteristics of this material, using it to create objects that become artworks. The Chen Kuan Cheng studio has created a stool to furnish while at the same time being a sustainable object.

But that’s not all! Even in architecture bamboo has its uses, in the construction of large structures and for the creation of scaffolding for skyscrapers.

Bamboo can also be used to produce versatile fabrics that are suitable for all seasons. The logo of this t-shirt has been printed with a silver hot foil on Tree Free Natural 160g/m2; while the shirt is printed litho.

Finally, a silk-screen varnish has also been used to give shine to the pearls of these jewels created in bamboo.

We asked for Marco Capellini of Matrec’s opinion on this product:

The use of materials from renewable sources is one of the priorities of the EU Commission’s Action Plan on the circular economy. Tree Free is a paper that makes renewability its “must” by contemplating two materials, such as bamboo and cotton, with reduced regeneration times and which at the same time guarantee quality, durability and circularity of the final product. The use of recycled cotton linters is a further added value that highlights Favini’s will to pursue strategies for the efficient use of resources.