ELMWOOD PARK, NJ, June 17, 2010 (PRNewswire) -Marcal Manufacturing, LLC, the nation's number one maker of household paper goods from 100 percent recycled paper, has introduced new packaging highlighting environmental facts critical to its products' manufacturing process. A nutrition facts-style Environmental Facts panel now gets front panel placement on every Marcal® Small Steps® package, clearly detailing information like recycled paper content (100%), how much chlorine bleach was used for whitening (zero %) and use of chemical-based additives like fragrances and dyes (zero %).

The refreshed packaging has completed a nationwide rollout to grocery, drug, convenience and other major retail outlets. Marcal's panel is a first for the U.S. household paper goods category, dominated by consumer packaged goods giants that use virgin fiber from freshly killed trees to manufacture nearly all of their paper towels, bath tissue, facial tissue and napkins.

The Environmental Facts panel spearheads Marcal's Right to Know initiative, geared to help consumers navigate green product claims and manufacturing practices. The campaign extends beyond paper goods to virtually any product making "better for earth"-type claims, and includes a Green Products Consumer Bill of Rights. Introduced on Earth Day 2010, the Bill encourages healthy skepticism about not just claims, but the premium prices often attached to green products. It's part of a larger Marcal Movement, inviting consumers to take small steps making a big difference for the planet, and help save millions of trees by simply purchasing products with 100 percent recycled paper content.

"The Environmental Facts panel grew out of our discussions with consumers, who are consistently shocked to learn 98 percent of household paper goods are made by cutting down trees, even with today's blue bin recycling," said MJ Jolda, Marcal's Senior Vice President of Marketing. "It helped us realize shoppers wanting to make better choices need better information."

Jolda said she welcomes input from other manufacturers, toward developing an industry standard. "We view the panel as a work in progress," she said. "Evolving it to work optimally for consumers and industry is in the environmental consumerism movement's best interests, and ours, as a 100 percent recycled brand."