The magazine and environmental organization Markets Initiative partnered with ARC in a test of the commercial viability of paper made from wheat waste, the organizations said yesterday.

The June edition, produced by Ottawa-based Dollco Printing, is described as the first North American magazine printed on wheat-straw paper.

"The paper, known as wheat sheet, demonstrates that high-quality magazine-grade paper can be made from fibre other than wood pulp, which is the only fibre that pulp and paper mills in Canada currently use," the news release said.

The paper contains 20 per cent wheat straw, 40 per cent recycled fibre content and 40 per cent wood pulp.

"Our June issue uses 60 per cent less trees but looks and feels just like any other issue of Canadian Geographic," said editor-in-chief Rick Boychuk. "We're delighted by this paper's performance and hope it will be more widely available for North American publishers soon."

http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/business/story.html?id=ce18d24a-08d0-4d47-b563-20389a7f5bc2