Recycling and first German stamp on recycled paper

Recycling is the reuse of materials by reducing them to their raw material state to make products of the same or a different type. Do you have 'recycling' as a theme in your collection? In this blog, two examples of recycling stamps and a first from Germany.

The first German stamp on recycled paper

Why use recycled paper?

• Newly developed paper saves wood, water, and electricity and reduces CO2 emissions;
• Deutsche Post is the first postal service provider to plan a full switch to recycled paper for its gummed stamps;
• The 95-cent “Flower Letter” stamp from the standard series represents a new contribution to the Group’s sustainability strategy.

Deutsche Post Press Release, Bonn, 2 April 2025: Deutsche Post releases a “Blumenbrief” (Blumenbrief) motif as part of its standard series “World of letters” – making it the company’s first stamp on recycled paper. The paper, jointly developed by Deutsche Post and the British paper manufacturer Tullis Russell, conserves raw materials such as wood, water, and electricity while simultaneously reducing CO2 emissions. The gummed version of this stamp is produced from 12,8 tonnes of 100% recycled paper. The stamp costs 95 cents and can be used to send a standard letter or postcard in Germany. Instead of the usual euro symbol, this stamp features a green leaf (GoGreen logo) next to the year. 82,5 million stamps are being issued in stamp sheets and gummed rolls. The stamp is available from April 3 in post shops and online at Deutsche Post branches. A self-adhesive version of the stamp is also available, although for technical reasons it is currently still printed on conventional paper. In total, the new “Flower Letter” stamp will be issued in an edition of approximately 680 million copies. The design replaces the earlier “Ballonpost- 95-cent stamp. The motif was designed by Bettina Walter, stamp designer for Deutsche Post.  From 2026, Deutsche Post plans to gradually produce all gummed stamps from the standard series and special editions on recycled paper. In addition to the standard series stamps issued in unlimited quantities, a limited number of special stamps are also issued monthly to commemorate special occasions. These stamps are issued by the German Federal Ministry of Finance. Deutsche Post is the first postal service provider to plan a full switch to recycled paper for its gummed stamps – making it a pioneer in sustainability in this area. The logistics service provider is also a member of the Pro Recycling Paper initiative and strives to continuously reduce raw material consumption, CO2 emissions, and energy consumption in stamp production. Source: Deutsche Post Press Release.  

Two examples of recycling

USA

With the Go Green First-Class Mail (Forever) stamps, the US Postal Service aims to raise awareness of simple actions everyone can take to conserve natural resources and promote environmental health. The stamps convey a positive message about simple, inexpensive, and free things everyone can do to have an immediate positive impact on the environment. The Go Green stamps are:

• A visual reinforcement of the postal service's position as a leader and innovator in the field of sustainability.
• Another means for USPS to communicate its leading position in the field of sustainability to the public.
• Iconographic — a visual representation of the American green movement and the leadership role of the Postal Service in the field of sustainability.

Key messages:

• The postal service is green, and the Go Green stamps help America become greener.
• The Postal Service has been eco-friendly since the 19th century and has issued Go Green stamps to help Americans of all ages and in every community live green in simple, inexpensive, or free ways.
• The Postal Service is the only postal and shipping company in the world whose shipping materials are Cradle to Cradle Certified. This means that they meet the established standards for human and environmental health and for recyclability.
• USPS issues 27 billion Cradle to Cradle Certified stamps, including the Go Green stamps, which encourage environmental awareness and action.
• The Postal Service is a recognized leader and innovator in the field of sustainability. The organization strives to become greener and reduce its carbon footprint. To raise awareness among Americans, they have issued the Go Green stamps.

Stamp design: The Go Green box with 16 commemorative stamps is the theme of the 2011 Social Awareness stamp. The stamps show simple, inexpensive, and free actions that everyone can take to conserve natural resources and promote the health of our environment. The Go Green stamps are issued as Forever stamps. Forever stamps always have the same value as the current First-Class Mail rate. Artist Eli Noyes from San Francisco, California, conveys this point in a colorful and playful way. The artwork depicts both men and women of various ages, from a little girl turning off a light switch to an adult choosing to walk instead of drive. It conveys a positive message: things that everyone can easily do to have a positive impact on air quality and energy consumption. Take for example recycling – an action proposed on one of the stamps. Most people know that recycling cans and bottles reduces the amount of waste in landfills. But how many people also know that it yields an annual energy saving equivalent to billions of liters of gasoline and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking millions of cars off the road? This is because making packaging such as aluminum cans from raw rather than recycled materials is extremely energy-intensive and releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the air. Action points on other stamps include, for example, repairing a leaking faucet, which can save thousands of liters of water per year, and installing the simplest insulation, such as sealant or weatherstrips, which can pay for themselves within a year through lower energy bills. In fact, insulating your home is one of the best things you can do for the environment, since homes consume about a fifth of all energy in the US – more than cars or airplanes – and typically a third of this energy is lost through leakage via cracks and poorly sealed spaces. Other actions mentioned on the stamps include adjusting the thermostat. Energy bills can drop by as much as 10 percent if you turn the thermostat down a few degrees in the winter and up in the summer. Planting a tree next to a house also saves cooling costs because it provides shade in the summer, and reduces heating costs in the winter because a windbreak is present. Many of the pieces of advice on these stamps—such as turning off the light when leaving a room, or cycling instead of driving—people may already be doing. Other tips, such as composting, might require more effort. These stamps show how small steps like those depicted here can lead to significant savings on energy, raw materials, and costs. Just imagine the positive impact it would have on the environment and the lives of future generations if everyone took one or more of these steps. Do your part now and commit to a green future! The Postal Service contributes to a green future by supplying Cradle to Cradle-certified shipping and shipping materials that meet established standards for human and environmental health and recyclability.  

Malaysia

A circular economy promotes responsible consumption and production practices by applying principles such as reduction by design and value preservation (e.g., recycling, reuse, repurposing) and by extending the life cycle of products. Its benefits include lowering emissions, reducing waste production and pollution, reducing the need for raw material extraction, increasing employment, and contributing to various United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The stamps were issued in a sheet of 20 stamps. Above is an example of the first row of stamps with a top sheet margin. The bottom has no sheet margin.