Industry Trends

International Paper Purchasing FAQ: Login, UK Closures, and Packaging Answers

About This FAQ

I’m an office administrator for a mid-size B2B company. I manage our packaging and paper supply—roughly $60,000 a year across eight vendors. I report to both operations and finance. This article is the FAQ I’d hand to a new employee, a new vendor, or anyone who asks, “Wait, how does International Paper actually work?”

One note before the list: if you’re here searching for “how to start a credit card processing business,” this isn’t that article. I handle the buying side, not merchant services. For everything else, here are the questions I get most often.

Questions I Get Most Often

• What does International Paper actually make?
• How do I set up or use my International Paper login?
• Are the International Paper UK packaging site closures going to affect my orders?
• What do paper weight numbers actually mean?
• What packaging should I use for a bottle brush for water bottles?
• How do I ship fragile items like a Lenox jewelry box?
• Can a small business order from International Paper, or are there minimums?

What does International Paper actually make?

Quick answer: a lot more than copy paper. International Paper is one of the bigger names in industrial paper and packaging. Their product line covers containerboard, corrugated boxes, paper bags, folding cartons, and printing papers. If you buy packaging for products, you’re probably using something close to their material every week.

For me, that means I can order standard shipping boxes, custom printed mailers, and protective paper elements from one supplier instead of chasing different vendors. For you, it might mean a catalog full of options you didn’t think a paper mill could provide.

How do I set up or use my International Paper login?

The customer portal is sometimes labeled “My International Paper,” and it’s the easiest way to check orders, download invoices, and reorder a spec without writing to a rep. The exact sign-in area is usually under “Customer Portal” or “Sign In” on the International Paper website. If you don’t have access, ask your account manager—that’s how I got ours, and I haven’t had to call around since (thankfully).

One thing to know: the login is tied to a business account and an approved email domain. In 2024, we switched offices to a new entity, and I had to get legal paperwork to transfer the account before I could log in again. A headache, but an understandable one. If you’re trying to buy as a side business, set up your business account first, then ask for portal access.

Are the International Paper UK packaging site closures going to affect my orders?

When I first saw headlines about International Paper UK packaging sites closures, I had the same reaction. Then I called our rep. The answer, as of early 2025: some UK packaging operations have been restructured, and exactly what that means depends on what you order and where your plant is. I can only speak to my own situation. Our orders are mostly standard corrugated that’s also produced in other plants, so the impact is limited—so far.

This is a time to ask your supplier directly: Which catalog items are made there? What’s your backup plan? If they can’t give you a direct answer, build a second-source relationship. That approach worked for us, but our volume is steady. If your model is all short-run orders, the calculus might be different.

This was accurate as of early 2025. The situation changes fast, so verify current status before budgeting.

What do paper weight numbers actually mean?

The most frustrating part of paper specs: “80 lb” doesn’t mean 80 pounds per ream of the sheet you’re holding. It’s tied to a basis size, so 80 lb text and 80 lb cover are different thicknesses. You’d think a number would be a number, but no.

Here are the rough equivalents I keep in my office file:

• 20 lb bond = 75 gsm (standard copy paper)
• 24 lb bond = 90 gsm (premium letterhead)
• 80 lb text = 120 gsm (flyer or brochure text)
• 80 lb cover = 216 gsm (business card weight)
• 100 lb cover = 270 gsm (heavy business cards)

The main rule: ask for text or cover by name, then confirm the gsm. It saves a phone call. A lesson learned the hard way.

What packaging should I use for a bottle brush for water bottles?

I use a bottle brush for water bottles as an example because the length makes people forget about packaging. A brush has a handle, head, and sometimes a hanging loop—it’s not a simple cube. You can put it in a polybag with a paper header card, but if you want all-paper packaging, a straight tuck box with a small display window works. Measure the full product length, add at least 6–10 mm, and check that the box depth gives you room for the bristles without crushing them.

For retail-ready packaging, the closure method matters too. A self-locking tab is better than glue if you want customers to touch the product in the store. Tape on the box? Not ideal, but workable. If the brush is for kitchen use, ask whether the paperboard is food-safe.

How do I ship fragile items like a Lenox jewelry box?

A Lenox jewelry box is heavier than it looks, so a plain box isn’t enough. I’d use a corrugated shipper with at least five centimeters of clearance on every side and an inner cradle—either a molded pulp tray or a die-cut corrugated insert. That gap is what absorbs impact. Then wrap the item in tissue paper to avoid surface scratches. Exactly what we needed.

What I’d avoid: leaving the item in a one-piece gift box and dropping that into a mailer with no cushioning. That’s how you get damaged returns, and damaged returns are worse than late ones.

Can a small business order from International Paper, or are there minimums?

Yes, but the product determines the minimum. Standard corrugated boxes are available in small quantities through distribution partners; I’ve run across minimums as low as 50 units for common sizes. Custom printed boxes are a different story—setting up print plates and dies usually means you’re looking at 1,000 or more, or you’ll pay a per-unit premium.

When you get a quote, ask for setup fees in writing. For offset printing, plate making can run $15–50 per color. Die cutting is $50–200 depending on complexity. Digital setup is often free. Based on publicly listed prices, January 2025—verify those before you budget.

And if your question is about taking payments as a new business, that’s the other rabbit hole. “How to start a credit card processing business” is a different guide entirely. I just buy the boxes.