# Paper Products Around You

Part of the Pulp and Paper Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/pulp-and-paper/guide/index.md)

*6. Paper at Home*

> **6.** Make a list of 15 pulp or paper products found in your home. Share examples of 10 such products with your counselor.

This requirement sounds easy until you try to build a thoughtful list. "Paper products" includes much more than notebook paper. The best lists show range: writing papers, packaging, tissues, food-service items, and specialty products. If you bring 10 examples that all do the same job, you will miss the real lesson — how many different ways fiber can be engineered.

## Where to Look in Your Home

Paper products show up in almost every room:

- **Kitchen:** cereal boxes, paper towels, napkins, coffee filters, egg cartons, food cartons.
- **Bathroom:** toilet tissue, facial tissue, cardboard tube cores, soap packaging.
- **Bedroom or office:** notebooks, envelopes, printer paper, sticky notes, book pages.
- **Garage or entryway:** shipping boxes, paper mailers, product packaging, tags.

## Build a Strong List of 15

Try to include items from several categories.

**Categories to Include** — Aim for variety, not just quantity

- [ ] **Printing and writing:** notebook paper, envelopes, index cards, books.
- [ ] **Packaging:** corrugated boxes, cereal cartons, shoe boxes, tissue boxes.
- [ ] **Absorbent products:** paper towels, napkins, toilet tissue, tissues.
- [ ] **Food-service and specialty:** coffee filters, cupcake liners, paper plates, labels, freezer cartons.

A strong list might include a cereal box, paper towel roll, school notebook, shipping box, facial tissue box, envelope, toilet paper roll, coffee filter, paper grocery bag, greeting card, recipe card, frozen food carton, sticky note pad, paper plate, and book page.

Notice what each item is designed to do. Is it stiff? Soft? Smooth? Grease-resistant? Printed brightly? Easy to tear? Thinking this way connects Req 6 back to Req 4 and Req 5.

## Choose 10 Examples to Share

For the 10 items you bring or discuss with your counselor, pick examples that show different properties. A paper towel and a glossy carton tell a better story together than two similar cardboard boxes.

For each example, be ready to explain:

- what the product is used for
- what kind of paper or paperboard it seems to be
- what properties it needs most
- whether you think it could be recycled after use

> **Tip**
>
> If you cannot bring the actual product, take a photo or save part of the packaging. Flattened cartons and small box panels are easy to store and compare.

## Compare Products Like an Engineer

A Scout who says "this is a tissue" is only partly done. A Scout who says "this tissue is thin, soft, and absorbent, so it was designed for comfort rather than strength" is showing real understanding.

Try this comparison method:

| Product | Main job | Key property | Likely reason it was made that way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper towel | Absorb spills | High absorbency | Loose, soft structure helps soak up liquid |
| Cereal box | Hold dry food and print branding | Stiffness + printability | Paperboard must stand up and take bright printing |
| Shipping box | Protect contents | Strength | Corrugated structure resists crushing |
| Notebook paper | Writing | Smoothness + flexibility | Surface works well with pencil and pen |

> **Be Prepared! An easy way to organize your counselor discussion**
>
> Sort your 10 examples into small groups before you meet:
>
> - **Absorbent products**
> - **Writing and reading papers**
> - **Packaging papers and paperboard**
> - **Specialty or coated products**
>
> That structure makes it easier to explain what each product is made to do.

![A tabletop with 10 household paper products grouped into absorbent, writing, packaging, and specialty categories, each with simple labels](https://ik.imagekit.io/doulacoop/tr:w-800/mbu-assets/merit-badges/pulp-and-paper/guide/paper-products-sort-table?v=88f8d92d)

You have now worked from forests all the way to products in your own home. Next comes a choose-one requirement where you will explore the industry more directly through a visit or research experience.

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- Previous: [Coatings and Specialty Papers](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/pulp-and-paper/guide/req5/index.md)
- Next: [Choose Your Industry Experience](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/pulp-and-paper/guide/req7/index.md)