James Cropper: Reimagining Paper, Colour, and Sustainable Packaging for the Creative World

Partner Member spotlight

For almost two centuries, the story of James Cropper has been intertwined with the Lake District: a place of industrial heritage, craft tradition, and quiet innovation. The Burneside mill, established in 1845, has weathered the shifts of industrial Britain and emerged today as one of the most forward-thinking paper and packaging companies in the world.

While the business has expanded into new technologies and sectors over the years, its Paper & Packaging division remains a beating heart, a place where artistry, material science and environmental responsibility come together in a way that feels both timeless and completely of its moment. Designers, printmakers and global brands turn to James Cropper not simply for paper, but for a depth of craft and innovation that has become increasingly rare.

This is the world that People of Print is proud to celebrate as we welcome them as a Partner Member.

Where Heritage Meets Modern Material Craft

To understand James Cropper today, you have to picture the contrast that defines their work. On one side: a 19th-century mill built from stone, surrounded by the Lake District. On the other, laboratories, fibre-engineering technologies and colour science facilities that rival those of global manufacturing operations.

It is this tension between heritage and innovation that makes their Paper & Packaging division so remarkable. The company’s approach to colour, fibre, texture and sustainability is not simply about meeting specifications; it is about creating materials with character, intention and meaning. Every sheet, every board, every moulded fibre form carries the unmistakable signature of a mill that has spent generations honing its craft while refusing to stand still.

A Global Leader in Colour and Material Expression

If there is a single area where James Cropper’s mastery has become internationally recognised, it is in colour. Long before “brand colour fidelity” became a design industry obsession, the team at Burneside were pioneering colour-matching techniques and archiving thousands of shades. Today, their colour lab holds more than 4,000 tones, many created for global luxury houses seeking hues that cannot be found in any swatch book.

Working with James Cropper means entering a world where colour is treated with near-scientific precision and artistic sensitivity. Designers can bring a mood board, an object, a photograph or even a memory, and the mill can translate that into a paper with pigment depth, surface consistency and lightfastness that sets a benchmark for the sector.

The result is a level of creative expression that simply isn’t available from standard mills. In their Paper & Packaging division, colour is not an afterthought; it is the beginning of the story.

Elevating Luxury Packaging Through Craft and Sustainability

Packaging is often the first point of contact between a brand and its audience, and in the luxury world, that physical encounter has to communicate a level of intention, quality and care. James Cropper has become one of the most respected partners in this space, working with global brands to create papers and boards that feel substantial, elegant and unmistakably premium.

What sets them apart is their refusal to compromise aesthetics in the name of sustainability or vice versa. Their luxury packaging papers combine deep colour saturation with refined textures, structured board performance and the kind of tactile detail that elevates unboxing into a sensory experience.

The Paper & Packaging team understands that packaging is storytelling. It sets tone, expectation, and emotional resonance long before the product is touched. Their materials allow brands to communicate values, craftsmanship, authenticity, creativity, and sustainability in a way that no digital asset ever could.

Pioneering Moulded Fibre for a Plastic-Free Future

One of the most exciting aspects of the Paper & Packaging division is the work happening in their moulded-fibre studio. While much of the world still associates paper pulp moulding with simple trays or low-grade protective packaging, James Cropper has pushed the technology into a completely new realm.

Moulded fibre becomes a premium product. Formed with precision, dyed in rich coordinated tones and engineered to replace plastics in high-end applications, this material represents a genuine step forward in sustainable packaging design. Instead of compromising quality to remove plastic, brands can now create sculptural, beautifully finished forms that match their visual identity while being fully renewable, recyclable and low-impact.

This work places James Cropper at the forefront of the movement towards circular, plastic-free packaging, not as a trend, but as a long-term material strategy.

CupCycling™ and the Future of Circular Paper

Sustainability at James Cropper is not an accessory to the brand; it is embedded in every decision they make. Their industry-leading CupCycling™ initiative is the world’s first process capable of turning used coffee cups into premium paper and is often cited as proof of their commitment, and rightly so. The system recovers the high-quality cellulose from disposable cups, separates the plastic liners, and transforms waste into new paper products with genuine narrative and environmental value.

But CupCycling™ is just the beginning. Across the entire Paper & Packaging operation, the company has embraced a philosophy of circularity, with responsible fibre sourcing, renewable energy commitments and local ecological restoration efforts forming a vital part of how they operate. Their removal of the Bowston Weir, which restored natural river flow near the mill and significantly increased biodiversity, is a rare example of a manufacturer improving the environment in which it operates, not simply mitigating its impact.

This holistic approach resonates strongly with designers and brands who increasingly expect materials to carry ethical weight as well as aesthetic value.

Coloursource and the New Era of British Paper

In recent years, James Cropper has taken another decisive step with the launch of Coloursource, a carefully curated collection of 50 signature colours designed for the next generation of packaging, publishing and brand communication.

Created in partnership with Winter & Company, Coloursource marks a new chapter for the company: a modern, globally accessible range that reflects both the heritage of British papermaking and the evolving needs of design culture. The palette is contemporary, expressive and intentionally crafted to meet the demands of luxury markets while remaining rooted in sustainable fibre choices.

Coloursource demonstrates the confidence of a mill that understands its place in the creative world and its responsibility to lead it forward.

In welcoming James Cropper as a Partner Member, People of Print is aligning with a company whose values mirror our own: a belief in the power of craft, a respect for material culture, and a commitment to pushing creativity in new directions. Their work touches every corner of contemporary design, from packaging and publishing to printmaking, branding and sustainable product development.

For our audience of designers, practitioners and print enthusiasts, this partnership opens doors to inspiration, collaboration and a deeper understanding of how extraordinary paper is made. It gives our community access to a maker whose standards are uncompromising and whose vision continues to shape the future of materials.

James Cropper stands today as one of the most compelling forces in paper and packaging. They honour tradition without being bound by it. They innovate with purpose, not novelty. They bridge craft and industry, luxury and sustainability, art and engineering.

In a digital world, their work reminds us that paper still matters! It carries colour, emotion, texture, narrative and history in a way no screen ever will.

As they join the People of Print ecosystem, we look forward to championing their craft, sharing their innovations and celebrating the extraordinary possibilities that begin with a single sheet of paper.