About Onward Paper Press
Onward Paper Press is the publishing imprint of Fashion Vocabulary, established to produce reference works that improve understanding of sustainability, fashion, and the systems shaping our world.
The name Onward is used under licence from Onward Paper Mill, Nigeria. Founded in 1953, Onward Paper Mill has played an important role in supporting paper production and literacy across the country. Through a licensing partnership, we are proud to honour that legacy while supporting the mill's continued development toward more circular paper production and printing systems.
We believe publishing carries responsibilities beyond producing books. Every decision—from how knowledge is researched and communicated to how books are printed and distributed—has environmental and social implications. Our aim is to continually improve those decisions through evidence, transparency, and long-term investment.
As part of this commitment, we are developing a comprehensive sustainability report covering our publishing operations, supply chain, and digital infrastructure, to be published by the end of 2026.
Rather than relying solely on carbon offsetting, we invest in organisations working to strengthen the natural and industrial systems that make publishing possible.
A portion of our annual profits supports The Nature Conservancy, helping protect oceans, freshwater ecosystems, and terrestrial landscapes. These initiatives contribute to the long-term resilience of the natural systems upon which both digital and physical publishing ultimately depend.
We also support Onward Paper Mill as it develops infrastructure for more circular paper manufacturing and printing. By investing in an established paper producer with deep historical roots, we aim to contribute to the long-term resilience of sustainable publishing capacity for future generations.
These partnerships reflect our belief that meaningful sustainability is achieved through long-term investment in institutions that strengthen knowledge, literacy, environmental stewardship, and the infrastructure that underpins responsible publishing.
Learn more about our partner organisations: