The "Do's" (not "Don'ts) of environmental printing

Just the “Do’s”, keeping it positive . . .

“Environmental printing” is a term used for printing in an eco-friendly way. It is a mindset as well as a practical roadmap to leaving as little impact on our world as a result of printing our brochures, flyers or banners.

We have to start by acknowledging the fact that printing is a very wasteful process. From the production of paper (trees are mostly replanted, so not going into that) even accounting for carbon-free, renewable-energy-using paper mills, there still is a considerable amount of water, energy, chemicals, transportation and other expenditures that go into it and into the end-to-end printing process itself.

While printing may never be 100% carbon-neutral, there are things that can be done, and thought that can be applied to help reduce its impact to a minimum, as designers, producers, suppliers and consumers of print.

That said, this is a complex subject, and this piece is by no means meant to be all-encompassing. We can but hope to increase awareness, provoke thought and initiate debate, while trying to improve our own processes and be mindful of our own actions.

The highlights are:

Presses

Be sure that your printer is using energy-efficient presses. Today’s Digital-offset presses are significantly more eco-friendly than their behemoth offset-press older siblings

Paper

Always use uncoated stock. Up to 2/3 of coated papers consist of clays and other non-recyclable substances designed to give shine and luster to the sheet, leaving only 1/3 that is actual paper fiber and can be recycled. 100% of uncoated stock can be utilized as paper pulp. Alternatives to consider: bamboo and hemp stock, which are becoming more and more available.

Ink

 Plan on using less ink in the design and where possible, ask for vegetable or soy-based inks and try to avoid metallic or fluorescent inks.

Design

Keeping layouts and designs simple helps reduce power and energy consumption. Complex folds, cuts and other processes add to the consumption of energy and more waste. The more steps in the production process, the more extra sheets need to be printed for set-up at each machine. This can double the paper usage very quickly

Binding

Try to minimize. Even seemingly minimum-impact saddle-stitched booklets will need those staples removed before they can be used for pulp. Plastic or metal spiral bindings need to be separated from the paper.

Special Effects

Not all are bad. Foils are an effective way to apply a design, a logo, or even text to paper or board and after use, many brands can be removed in the de-inking process prior to recycling.  All of the unused portion of the foil sheets are picked up by the supplier and recycled.  Check with your printer or foil vendor to make sure you are making an eco-friendly choice.

Process

Economize on page count. Less paper means less waste and less impact. Keep to the same paper throughout the document. Selecting a different paper for the cover adds processes, setup waste and time. Use aqueous coating when a protective coating is needed. Avoid UV and laminates.

Usage

Print less. (Yes, we are advocating that). Information (and printed pieces) rapidly become obsolete  in our ever-changing, ever-accelerating technology age. Printing large quantities of material is wasteful and rapidly cuts into a company’s bottom line. The opportunity costs on warehousing fees and obsolescence are high. Print-on-demand helps reduce those costs.

Shipping

Be sure to produce closest to where the print is needed. Paper is heavy and shipping it long distance is a significant contributor to your carbon footprint.

And all this can be achieved while maintaining high quality and preserving the integrity of your brand!

Global Environmentally-Sound Printing Services 

There are many more opportunities for minimizing the impact on the environment in this industry. It is a complex matter and not all that seems simple and straightforward really is. We welcome your ideas and thoughts.

AA Global Printing Inc. has a holistic approach: Using recycled (and FSC) papers, printing closest to where print is needed through our global network of energy-efficient presses and are part of printreleaf, planting trees to compensate for every single piece of paper used in our print projects

AA Global Printing Inc. can help with all your printing needs. We print what you need, where you need it, when you need it. We are happy to give advice and are ready to assist you on your eco-friendly print journey. If you’re interested in learning more, get in touch with us today to get started!