The exact definition of a well-managed forest will be debated as long as there are interest groups that value different sets of attributes available from a forest. Fundamental to all is the premise that forests are recognized as a community of interacting plants, animals, soil, water, air, and people within a major landscape – no longer just a concentration of trees.

The Forest Stewardship Council was created to change the dialogue about and the practice of sustainable forestry worldwide. This impressive goal has in many ways been achieved, yet there is more work to be done. FSC sets forth principles, criteria, and standards that span economic, social, and environmental concerns. The FSC standards represent the world's strongest system for guiding forest management toward sustainable outcomes.

Post-consumer waste (PCW) is paper made out of paper which has been used by the end consumer and then is collected for recycling from various recycling programs. This is the best paper to use, as it creates demand for paper which would normally end up in the landfill and no trees are cut down for making the paper.

Pre-consumer content is paper made out of paper scraps and trimmings left over from the paper manufacturing process. These paper scraps and trimmings are easiest to recycle, as they do not have to be collected, separated, de-inked.

Paper which is designated as "recycled" can be a mixture of virgin wood fiber, pre-consumer waste or post-consumer waste.

Paper manufactured from new pulp or cotton. Does not contain any recycled material.

Die cutting allows special shapes to be cut out from printed cardboard jackets, wallets or discpaks. Special die-cuts can create pockets to hold discs. In this example, a special die cut is created horizontally to hold the disc. Additionally it can be made vertically, in moon, raindrop, thumb and other shapes. Using it creatively can eliminate the use of plastic trays, making the package more environmentally friendly.

The cardboard that is used on printing digipaks, wallets and jackets is generally coated on one side. The opposite side is uncoated (without any coating). Printing on the uncoated side makes the print look rough, and organic because color generally does not go on vibrant as printing on the coated side. The following are some examples:

Other stock coatings available are matte coating, glossy coating and aqueous coating

Woodfree paper stock creates a rustic look that can dramatically change a design. It also contains 25% recycled materials. When desiging for woodfree stock keep in mind that the colors do not come off the same way it does on a regular glossy or card stock.