April 28, 2026
J.S. McCarthy Packaging + Print Achieves SFI® Chain of Custody Certification
SFI Certification reinforces commitment to responsibly sourced folding carton packaging
J.S. McCarthy Packaging + Print, a folding carton manufacturer based in Augusta, Maine, is proud to announce that we have officially achieved Chain of Custody Certification under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) 2022 Standard. The certification, audited and issued by Preferred by Nature, covers both Section 4 (Chain-of-Custody Standard) and Section 6 (Rules for Use of SFI® On-Product Labels and Off-Product Marks).
J.S. McCarthy was founded in 1947 and spent decades building a reputation as a leading commercial printer in Maine. Over the last 15-plus years, that expertise evolved into a focused folding carton manufacturing operation, and today, folding cartons are where we've put our energy, our equipment, and our attention.
That history matters. The precision and craft that made J.S. McCarthy a trusted commercial printer for decades are the same qualities that now go into every folding carton we produce. Folding cartons carry different demands than commercial print work, they have to perform on the shelf, protect what's inside, and increasingly, answer questions about where the material came from in the first place. That last piece is exactly what SFI® Chain of Custody Certification speaks to.
SFI® Chain of Custody Certification is a tracking system that follows wood-based and non-wood-based forest material fromthe forest all the way to the finished product. For a folding carton printer like J.S. McCarthy, that means every stage of our process, from receiving raw material to production, storage, and shipping, is documented and verifiable.
With this certification, we can now offer our folding carton customers products carrying SFI® claims, including Certified Forest Content, Recycled Content, and Certified Sourcing designations, using the Physical Separation Method. This method ensures certified materials remain clearly identifiable and are never mixed with non-certified or uncontrolled inputs at any point in our process, from the paperboard we receive to the cartons that leave our dock.
This certification adds to our existing FSC® Chain of Custody certification, giving our folding carton customers two internationally recognized frameworks to choose from when sustainability credentials matter for their packaging.
J.S. McCarthy has been a privately held company for nearly 80 years, and is now 100% employee-owned. That ownership structure shapes how we think about long-term responsibility, not just to our customers and each other, but to the communities and resources we depend on to make every carton.
Brand owners choosing folding carton packaging are increasingly expected to answer for the materials behind their boxes, whether that's a food package, a cosmetics carton, or retail packaging on a shelf. Sustainable forestry certifications like SFI® and FSC® exist to ensure that the paperboard behind those cartons comes from forests that are responsibly managed, protecting habitat, water quality, and the long-term health of working forests. Achieving SFI® Chain of Custody Certification is one more way we can back up our commitment to responsible sourcing, on every folding carton we produce, with a system that's independently audited and verified.
Our certification process included a full evaluation of our documented procedures, material tracking systems, supplier verification processes, and staff training records, all specific to how paperboard and folding carton materials move through our facility. The audit, conducted by a Preferred by Nature auditor, involved a detailed review of our Chain of Custody management system, including how we identify, separate, and track certified content from receiving through to final shipment of finished cartons.
Our SFI® Coordinator led the certification effort alongside our Receiving team, ensuring our processes met the full scope of the SFI® 2022 Standard.
Our SFI® Chain of Custody certificate (registration code PBN-SFI/COC-039774) is valid from July 8, 2026 through July7, 2031, with annual surveillance audits to ensure continued compliance. Going forward, folding carton customers can request SFI-certified packaging alongside our existing FSC-certified offerings.
If sustainability credentials are important f or your next folding carton packaging project, reach out to our team to learn more about our certified options.
SFI marks are registered marks owned by theSustainable Forestry Initiative Inc.
