Now Available: 2025 Trend Tracker Survey Results for the U.S. and Canada

Submitted: Two Sides North America August 11, 2025

Two Sides North America has released the Two Sides 2025 Trend Tracker for the United States and Canada. This expansive international study, commissioned by Two Sides and conducted by independent research firm Toluna, gathered insights from more than 12,400 consumers across 17 countries to better understand perceptions of paper, print, packaging, and tissue products.

The results reveal a mix of progress and persistent misconceptions. While support for paper-based communication and packaging remains strong, many North Americans still underestimate the sustainability of forest-based materials and the strength of the circular economy behind print and paper products.

Here are a few key takeaways from the U.S. and Canadian findings:

Forests Are Growing—But Few Know It

Despite being rooted in sustainability, the paper industry still battles myths. Only 16% of Americans and 15% of Canadians surveyed were aware that their countries’ forests are growing or are stable in size. In fact, U.S. forests grew by 18 million acres between 1990 and 2020. In Canada, 90% of forests are on public land and are legally required to be regenerated after harvest, which has left them consistently stable in size with modest growth over the past 10 years. These figures highlight the need for continued education about the renewable nature of paper.

Print Preferences Are Strong on Both Sides of the Border

Even after the digital acceleration brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers still prefer printed books, magazines, important records, and learning materials. In fact, there’s been a bit of a boomerang effect. Consumers continue to cite the permanence, readability, and security of print as reasons for preferring paper over screens—especially for critical documents. 

• 53% of Americans and 58% of Canadians prefer to read books in print.
• 48% of Americans and 46% of Canadians prefer printed magazines.
• Significant numbers also prefer paper formats for bills, statements, and important tax records.
• 54% of U.S. consumers and 55% of Canadians believe children learn better with printed materials.

In addition to reading preferences, 65% of Americans and 64% of Canadians are increasingly worried about personal data stored electronically.

Paper Packaging Leads in Sustainability Perception

As awareness of packaging waste grows, consumers are gravitating toward paper-based solutions.

Online Orders:

• 52% of consumers in both countries prefer their online purchases to arrive in paper packaging.

Environmental Superiority:

• 49% of Americans and 57% of Canadians believe paper packaging is better for the environment.

Recyclability and Compostability:

• Paper/cardboard was ranked the top material for compostability and recyclability in both countries, beating plastic, glass, and metal.
• At the same time, just 15% of U.S. consumers understand that the paper recycling rate in their country exceeds 60%. And in Canada, paper has the highest recycling rate of any waste product. 

When asked who is most responsible for reducing single-use packaging waste, the top answer in both countries was the government and local authorities.

Tissue Products: Essential but Misunderstood

Tissue is an everyday necessity—but concerns about its environmental impact remain. 63% of Canadians and 59% of Americans believe tissue should be made from recycled fiber, while 38% in both countries actively look for tissue products made with recycled content.

The Bottom Line

The 2025 Trend Tracker results for the U.S. and Canada show that while public understanding of the sustainability of paper is improving, critical gaps remain—especially regarding forest growth, recycling rates, and the environmental performance of fiber-based packaging.

That’s why the work of Two Sides and the Love Paper campaign is more important than ever. These initiatives help dispel long-standing myths and empower consumers to make informed choices rooted in fact, not fear.

Members of Two Sides North America can download the full U.S. or Canadian report for free to explore the detailed findings by country, age, and other demographic data—and access ready-to-use marketing assets. 

Visit twosidesna.org/trend-tracker-2025

Two Sides North America is a nonprofit organization promoting the unique, sustainable attributes of print, paper, and paper-based packaging. Learn more or become a supporter at twosidesna.org.

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