Wood pulp is in short supply lately, and shortages and soaring demand has caused prices for everything from toilet paper to lumber to jump in the past year. The price of wood pulp has risen 50.2 percent over the past year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The price of paper rose 14.2 percent in the same time period.

In a recent blog post, the Dot Corp., a one-stop shop for printing, fulfilment and distribution, direct mail, large format displays, digital apps, and creative services, noted, “Across the nation, printers and direct mail houses are experiencing a massive paper shortage. Some stocks are simply no longer available, while others are taking much longer to be delivered. Paper that is available is dramatically rising in price. Consequently, clients who use print and direct mail are experiencing longer project production times as well as increased costs.

“Like most industries, many of the supply issues facing the paper industry are caused by massive disruptions to the global supply chain during the pandemic. A decrease in domestic production, combined with a decrease in foreign supply, is causing a struggle to stock the shelves.”

Dot Corp. believes that these issues, though serious, are not insurmountable. Their accompanying infographic from illustrates the situation and offers solutions.