As featured in the PITA (Paper Industry Technical Association) Spring Journal 2026
Award-winning livestock bedding manufacturer EnviroSystems is continuing to expand its operations, securing new paper mill contracts and investing in infrastructure to meet growing demand for its recycled paper bedding product, EnviroBed®.
This year marks 25 years since EnviroBed® was first produced, when it became the UK’s first paper bedding product developed specifically for livestock.
The business specialises in processing short fibre waste from tissue paper and newsprint production and transforming it into a consistent, high-quality bedding product for livestock.
As demand from GB farmers continues to rise, EnviroSystems has recently secured a new contract with Northwood Paper, further strengthening its supply chain and supporting the responsible, long-term use of short fibre material from UK paper production.
Founded 25 years ago, EnviroSystems has built long-standing relationships with UK paper mills by offering a reliable, compliant and straightforward outlet for short fibre material.
Carl Shufflebotham, Northwood Disley and Sally Russell, EnviroSystems in front of the EnviroBed paper bedding raw material
Recovered paper crumb is collected directly from mill sites with minimal disruption and processed through EnviroSystems’ UK network, providing mills with a no-fuss, fully compliant and traceable solution.
“Working with paper mills has always been about trust and simplicity,” said founder Liz Russell. “We do what we say we’re going to do, we collect material efficiently, and we make the process easy for our partners.”
That approach has underpinned relationships spanning decades, including one partnership that lasted almost 15 years before the mill closed its doors last year, reflecting EnviroSystems’ reputation as a dependable long-term partner.
Carl Shufflebotham, QHSE Manager at Northwood Paper, Disley, said: “EnviroSystems have consistently been reliable and timely in the collection of our short fibre material. We can depend on them to fulfil their obligations, which supports our wider operational and sustainability objectives and removes any concern about continuity of collections. That reliability is critical for us as a paper manufacturer.”
Growing capacity
Demand for recycled paper bedding has escalated in recent years, driven by consistency of supply and quality, alongside farm benefits such as improved cow comfort, absorbency and lying down times.
“Demand for EnviroBed® is at an all time high,” said Mrs Russell. “That’s why we are continuing to expand both our processing and drying capacity.” This year the company is also looking to increase its fleet of EnviroSystems branded lorries.
Around one third of EnviroSystems’ bedding is now dried through its own dedicated drying plant at Foggs Farm in Lancashire, with the remaining volume processed through a handful of carefully selected third-party drying sites. All drying operations use renewable energy, making EnviroBed® a highly sustainable, low carbon footprint animal bedding product.
The business is also in the process of securing an additional third-party drying facility, which will significantly increase capacity and allow it to take on much larger volumes of paper fibre in the future.
EnviroBed is an Innovative Dairy Cow Bedding made from Waste Paper Crumb
“We’re best known for EnviroBed®, our flagship product made from 100% recycled paper crumble and dried to 95% dry matter using renewable heat,” said Mrs Russell. “It provides farmers with a low-carbon alternative to traditional bedding products such as straw and isn’t reliant on weather conditions, which we’ve seen can significantly affect availability and supply in recent years.”
The company’s environmental performance and commercial success were recognised during an award-winning year in 2025, when it was named Business of the Year at the National Women in Agriculture Awards and received the Green Award at the North West Family Business Awards. This highlights the company’s commitment to sustainability and circular manufacturing.
“I started the business with a blank sheet of paper and a vision to create high-quality bedding for dairy cows using a by-product from the paper industry,” said Mrs Russell. “That invention became EnviroBed®, and it’s still going strong today.”
With 25 years’ experience, EnviroSystems now operates at a scale that reflects both rising agricultural demand and the paper industry’s need for reliable, compliant outlets for short fibre waste.
As capacity continues to expand, EnviroSystems’ paper mill partners can be assured of a resilient, high-quality and sustainable service built for long-term demand.
Written by Sarah Alderton, ABC Communications
