This year marks 25 years since we launched EnviroBed, the UK’s first paper bedding developed specifically for livestock — and it’s still going strong.
Over the past quarter of a century, we’ve worked hard to transform short fibre paper waste from tissue and newsprint into a high-quality, consistent livestock bedding that helps keep cows comfortable, dry and productive on farms across the UK.
Demand for EnviroBed has never been higher. We’ve recently secured a new supply contract with Northwood Paper and are always interested in speaking to additional paper mills, as supply is now being outstripped by farmer demand.
What Is EnviroBed Livestock Bedding?
EnviroBed is a highly absorbent paper-based livestock bedding made from short fibre material produced during paper manufacturing.
These fibres cannot be recycled into new paper products, so instead we process and dry them using renewable heat to create a clean, consistent and reliable bedding option for livestock farmers.
The result is a comfortable bedding that supports cow cleanliness while providing farmers with a dependable alternative to traditional materials such as straw, sand and sawdust bedding.
How Does Paper Bedding Compare to Straw for Dairy Cows?
According to our founder and Managing Director, Liz Russell, many farmers are now actively looking for alternatives to straw.
“Farmers are increasingly seeing the benefits of EnviroBed for their livestock, thanks to its consistent supply and high product quality,” says Liz.
“In recent years, the variable quantity and quality of straw have encouraged many farmers to explore other bedding options. Once they start using EnviroBed, they rarely go elsewhere, as they quickly recognise the comfort and absorbency it provides.”
What Are the Benefits of EnviroBed for Dairy Cows?
EnviroBed offers a number of practical advantages for livestock farmers:
- 95% dry matter, helping keep cubicles drier for longer
- Highly absorbent, locking away moisture
- pH (7.4), making it gentler on teats than alkaline bedding additives such as lime
- Compatible with slurry systems
- Suitable for use on organic farms
Because of these qualities, EnviroBed is widely used not only for dairy cows but also for beef cattle, youngstock and calf housing.
Many farms also use it in calf hutches, straw yard corners, and as a topper on cubicle mattresses and mats.
Where Is EnviroBed Manufactured?
EnviroSystems is a British family business, based at Foggs Farm in Lancashire and it processes recycled paper crumb short fibres (that can’t be made back into paper) from British Paper Mills to make EnviroBed livestock bedding.
Around a third of EnviroBed is dried at our dedicated processing plant at Foggs Farm in Lancashire, with the remainder processed through carefully selected third-party drying sites across the UK.
All drying operations use renewable energy, helping to create a lower-carbon livestock bedding option that isn’t affected by weather conditions in the same way as straw.
What Does the Future Look Like for EnviroBed?
Over the past 25 years, EnviroBed has grown alongside the farmers who use it.
Liz Russell explains:
“Over 25 years, we’ve grown alongside farmers, continually improving cow comfort, absorbency and reliability. Our mission has always been to provide a dependable and sustainable livestock bedding solution for farms across the UK — and that’s exactly what we plan to continue doing for the next 25 years and beyond.”
Key Facts About EnviroBed Paper Livestock Bedding
- EnviroBed is a paper livestock bedding developed specifically for dairy cows and other farm livestock.
- EnviroBed is produced from short fibre paper material generated during tissue and newsprint manufacturing in UK paper mills.
- The bedding is dried using renewable heat and processed to create a highly absorbent livestock bedding with around 95% dry matter.
- EnviroBed provides a consistent alternative to straw bedding and is used by dairy farmers across the UK for cow cubicles, youngstock housing and calf pens.
- EnviroBed has a pH of 7.4, making it gentle on cows’ skin and teats compared with alkaline bedding additives.
- EnviroSystems, a British family-run business founded in 2001, invented EnviroBed – the UK’s first dried paper-based livestock bedding.
- EnviroBed has been used by farmers for over 25 years to help improve cow comfort, cleanliness and bedding consistency.
About EnviroSystems
EnviroSystems is a British family-run business based in Lancashire, founded in 2001 by Liz Russell. The company specialises in innovative biological and sustainable solutions for livestock farming, including EnviroBed® paper livestock bedding and SlurryBugs® slurry inoculants. EnviroBed received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation in 2006. EnviroSystems has continued to receive recognition for its work supporting farmers, including The Green Award at the NW Family Business Awards 2025 and Business of the Year at the Agricultural Women in Business Awards 2025.
