Invasive plant species can impede the establishment and growth of native plants and affect several ecosystem properties. These properties include soil cover, nutrient cycling, fire regimes, and hydrology. Controlling invasive plants is therefore a necessary, but usually expensive, step in restoring an ecosystem. The sustainability of materials with an emphasis on the use of local resources plays an important role in the circular economy. The use of alternative fibers from invasive plants promotes local production in smaller paper mills that offer the protection of local species and the reduction of waste and invasive plants. A synthesis of the literature is needed to understand the various impacts of invasive plants and their practical control in the context of papermaking applications and to identify associated knowledge gaps. To improve our understanding of the practical application of invasive species in the paper industry, we reviewed the existing literature on invasive plant species in the area of fiber production, printability, coating solution production, dyes, and extracts, and collected information on the major invasive plant species in Europe and the methods used for various applications.

Invasive alien plant species (IAPS) are one of the biggest challenges in European ecosystems, displacing local vegetation, destroying agricultural land, and causing billions of dollars of damage to the European economy every year. Many of them are removed daily and mainly burned. In this work, we investigated the possibilities of using plants as feedstock for paper production. Papers made from three invasive alien plants, i.e., Knotweed, Goldenrod, and Black locust, were studied and compared with commercial office paper. The study included testing of: (1) structural properties—basic physical properties, grammage, thickness, density and specific volume, moisture content, and ash content; (2) physical and dynamic mechanical properties—tensile strength, Clark stiffness, viscoelastic properties; (3) colorimetric properties of prints; (4) effect of UV light on ageing; and (5) study of cellulose fiber structure and morphology by microscopy. The results suggested that the paper produced can be used as commercial office paper, considering that the paper is slightly dyed. Such papers can also be used for special purposes that present a natural style and connection to nature. The papers produced can also be used for printing documents that are meant to be kept.

When designing products with a shorter lifespan, such as packaging and graphic products, sustainability and circular economy are particularly important. The use of an alternative fiber source for papermaking, such as collected biomass from invasive alien plant species (IAPS), is a good example of sustainable natural resource management, where IAPS are seen as a potential source of various new products. The aim of the present study was to analyze the printability of paper made from the IAPS Goldenrod. CMYK prints were made using inkjet digital technology, and their print quality was determined. IAPS Goldenrod paper, with its natural brownish color, low gloss, high voluminosity, high surface roughness and porosity, shows inferior print quality compared to recycled office paper. In order to improve the printability of this paper, surface coating using three different wet film depositions was applied. The results indicate that the smallest coat weight used suppresses the color and inferior properties of IAPS Goldenrod paper efficiently, resulting in similar printability for both the analyzed papers. Only a small difference in print quality between coated IAPS Goldenrod and recycled paper was determined, suggesting that low-value, non-demanding graphic products and packaging could be made from the coated IAPS Goldenrod paper.

Invasive alien plant species (IAPS) may cause threats to native biodiversity in ecosystems. Researchers have been investigating all the possible ways that they can be used effectively for other purposes. Since IAPS are capable of forming cellulose fibre nets, in this research, papers were made from three different types of IAPS (Japanese knotweed, giant goldenrod, and black locust). This research examined these IAPS papers and their effectiveness when used as printing substrates. In comparison to commercial office paper, the differences in basic, surface, optical, and microscopic properties were measured. As a widely used technology, inkjet printing was applied. We tested a commonly used sans-serif typeface (which has been established as being more legible than other typefaces in previous research) in three different type sizes (i.e., 8, 10, and 12 pt). According to the results, paper made from IAPS could offer some usable properties and acceptable legibility, especially when printing typefaces with specific attributes, such as moderate counter size, higher x-height, and minimal differences in the letter stroke width, are used. An appropriate typographic tonal density should be achieved in combination with an adequate letter size, e.g., 10 pt type size when a sans-serif typeface is used.

Expensive synthetic coating materials can be replaced with natural coatings and surface treatment with natural components and additives which are friendlier to the environment and have normally better special surface properties. However, special properties can be obtained with surface functionalization by chemical or surface geometry modification. Beside optical properties, the trends of lightweight materials, i.e. reducing grammage by using nano materials and products (i.e. NMP - N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone), lower specific energy requirement and costs, forces increasing of pigments usage. Results of survey showed that surface properties of papers coated with modified ground calcium carbonate (GCC), required for inkjet printing with water-based inks had improved significantly, whereas the increment of printed object has minimum differentiation from the ideal, computer-based character.

IZVLEČEK Namen: Papir je bil, je in ostaja primarni nosilec informacij, čeprav je dandanes nanj zabeležen le 0,01 % vseh informacij zapisanih na medije. V članku so obravnavani pozitivni in negativni vplivi digitalne dobe na proizvodnjo papirja v Evropski uniji. Članek se naslanja na s tem povezane industrijske in gospodarske vidike ter okoljsko problematiko. Posebej so izpostavljena področja recikliranja papirja in porabe energentov. Metodologija/pristop in rezultati:  Avtorji predvsem povzemajo podatke iz poročil mednarodne zveze Confederation of European Paper Industries (dalje CEPI). Papirna in papirno-predelovalna industrija v Evropi predstavlja 6,5 % prometa, ustvarjenega v proizvodnem sektorju, oz. 80 milijard evrov ali 16 milijard evrov dodane vrednosti na leto. Omejitve raziskave: Manjkajo podatki o stanju papirne industrije v Sloveniji, ki bi lahko razjasnili naš položaj znotraj Evropske unije. Mednarodni podatki so sicer temelj posploševanja ugotovitev tudi za naše razmere, ki pa bi potrebovale dodatne analize in podkrepitve. Izvirnost/uporabnost raziskave: V kontekstu primernosti in uporabnosti digitalizacije, ki je danes v strokovnih in znanstvenih razpravah na prvem mestu je smiselno in pomembno opozoriti tudi na druge vidike, ki jih digitalizacija povzroča/prinaša. EXTENDED ABSTRACT: The paper has always been and it remains to be the primary information carrier though only 0.1 % of the total information is recorded on this media. The paper production industry has a great impact on the environment which is mostly due to the use of raw materials (wood of conifers and deciduous trees), fillers (CaCO 3), additional materials (dyes, glue, binders, retentionaids), and chemicals (acids and bases). However, the greatest impact on the environmentis caused by the extensive water consumption. To produce 1 ton of paper up to 60 m3 of freshwater are necessary. The water is not the only resource needed in the production cycle. Besides, the consumption of electrical energy (approximately 10,000 MJ/t pap), waste paper (paper represents 35 % of waste), and air pollution (paper production and transport) should be taken into consideration. In spite of the above mentioned environmental threats the paper still remains an important element of the everyday life and the use of modern information technology (personal computers, telefax, Internet) has increased its demand and consumption. It is important that the paper is produced from natural materials which are later released into environment without significant environmental consequences. The technology of paper recycling and re-use is widely known and a must of any responsible and professional social environment. Digitisation has increased the consumption of electrical energy as a consequence of production, use and reprocessing of different devices. Unlike a written record, a digital record has no permanent value and the electromagnetic field has a negative effect on the digital records. Digital records have to be constantly updated and adjusted to the computer software and hardware. A book and its content represent a treasure and an invaluable part of the cultural heritage. To use a book it is necessary to learn the alphabet whereas to read digital records we need to be computer and information literate. Negative effects of digitisation have affected the production of paper as the demand for graphic paper (newsprint, writing, printing paper) has decreased. The demand for raw materials, products and semi-manufactured products has decreased, too. Consequently, the level of investments in modernisation of equipment and in new production lines has been equally reduced. The proportion of employees directly or indirectly involved in the paper making and paper processing industry has been diminished. In the European Union paper and paper processing industry employ 1.9 million people in 200,000 enterprises representing 6.5 % of turnover in the production sector or 80 billion EUR or 16 billion EUR of the value added per year. The EU is expected to prevent the decline of paper and paper related industry (graphic, construction, logistic) which would endanger the production – consumption cycle. After all, dismissals can ruin the social equilibrium. However, the paper production is faced with a difficult situation caused by digitisation. The competitiveness of the global market has an impact on the labour force costs, raw materials and energy products. Besides, production costs within the European Union are not competitive because of the EU Regulations and Directives which affect the price of raw materials, semi products and energy products. All these facts led to the decrease of workforce and the loss of market leading position and competitiveness.