Deutsche Post issues Germany’s first recycled stamp
Deutsche Post is issuing its first stamp on recycled paper with the motif “Flower Letter” from the long-running series “World of Letters”.
The paper, which was developed jointly by Deutsche Post and the British paper manufacturer Tullis Russell, saves resources such as wood, water and electricity and reduces CO2 emissions. The wet-adhesive version of this definitive stamp, worth 95 cents for a standard letter or postcard, was produced from 12.8 tonnes of 100% recycled paper. Instead of the usual euro symbol, the stamp bears a green leaf next to the year. It will be published in a circulation of 82.5 million copies as a ten-sheet sheet and wet-adhesive roll and will be available from 3 April in post offices and online in the Deutsche Post shop.
In addition, this stamp is also available as a self-adhesive version, which is currently still produced on conventional paper due to this product feature. In total, the new “Flower Letter” stamp has a circulation of around 680 million copies. It replaces the previous 95-cent stamp “Ballonpost”. The motif was designed by Bettina Walter, stamp designer at Deutsche Post.
From 2026, it is planned to produce all wet-adhesive variants of the definitive series and the special stamps step by step on recycled paper. To make a distinction: In addition to definitive stamps, which are issued by Deutsche Post in unlimited quantities, there are also special stamps that are issued every month on special occasions and in a certain edition. These are published by the Federal Ministry of Finance.
Deutsche Post is the first postal company to plan to completely convert its wet-adhesive stamps to recycled paper – making it a sustainability pioneer in this area. The logistics company is a member of the Pro Recyclingpapier initiative and pursues the goal of further reducing the consumption of raw materials, CO2 emissions and energy consumption in stamp production.
For more information on stamps , visit deutschepost.de/briefmarke.
