AF&PA: Packaging Paper Shipments Rise 4% in August, Printing-Writing Demand Falls
Paper Recycling | 2026-09-23 05:58:36
Unbleached bag and sack shipments reached a new monthly record of nearly 119,000 short tons, representing an 8.4% increase year to date.
By Paul Ploumis
SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) reported divergent trends across U.S. paper markets in August 2026. The packaging papers posted solid shipment growth, while printing-writing paper demand declined during the month.
Total packaging papers and specialty packaging shipments rose 4% year over year in August. The cumulative shipments during the first eight months of 2026 were 5% higher when compared with the corresponding period last year.
Unbleached bag and sack shipments reached a new monthly record of nearly 119,000 short tons, representing an 8.4% increase year to date. Meanwhile, the operating rate for bleached packaging papers reached 91.1%. This is the third time this year that the rate has exceeded 90%, AF&PA noted.
Packaging paper inventories also remained elevated. August inventories were 1% above August 2025 levels, touching their highest point in 13 months.
Meanwhile, the total printing-writing paper shipments fell 7% in August from a year earlier, while inventories increased 1% from July.
Trade data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicated a modest increase in U.S. printing-writing paper purchases in July compared with the same month of 2025. The combined net imports of uncoated free sheet (UFS), coated free sheet (CFS), and mechanical paper increased 26% year over year.
UFS net imports climbed 38%, while CFS and mechanical paper imports rose 51% and 13%, respectively, AF&PA data said.
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Which U.S. paper segment recorded shipment growth in August 2026?
Frequently Asked Questions
- How did U.S. packaging paper shipments perform in August 2026?
Total packaging papers and specialty packaging shipments increased 4% compared with August 2025. Shipments for the first eight months of 2026 were also 5% higher than during the corresponding period of 2025.
- Did unbleached bag and sack shipments reach a record in August?
Yes. Unbleached bag and sack shipments reached nearly 119,000 short tons in August, establishing a new monthly record. Shipments for the year to date were 8.4% higher than the comparable period.
- What happened to U.S. printing-writing paper shipments?
Printing-writing paper shipments decreased 7% year over year in August 2026, while inventories increased 1% from July. The decline contrasts with stronger packaging paper shipment performance during the month.
