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Love Your Planet with Eco-Friendly Print Practices

Love Your Planet with Eco-Friendly Print Practices

Sunday, October 20, 2019

As technology has progressed, so has the need to reduce waste. Sustainable solutions are not new to our industry, and environmentally-friendly practices are something to value significantly.  Design, first and foremost, is concerned with solving problems, including how we partner with you to create sustainable print solutions for the future.

Here are a few real-life examples of how you can reduce your environmental impact with your print project:

1. Paper Preferences

Want to reduce your personal or corporate waste? The range of paper options has substantially increased in recent years. From recycled wood pulp to “tree-free” papers (made from bamboo, sugarcane, and mango, to name a few), you can now choose from an array of possibilities. If you want to know more about recycled paper options, we’d be happy to share them with you.

2. Ink Selection

As companies have worked to create eco-friendly products, printing processes and types of ink have been part of that experiment. Non-toxic toners and soy and vegetable-based inks have matured in quality, improving in saturation, density, and brilliance. A 2005 Earth Day ad perfectly demonstrated this message, speaking out against chlorine-processed paper on an exceptional-quality poster that employed soy-based inks and recycled paper.

3. Products and Packaging

Environmental improvements in print also include finishes and packaging techniques. Consider simple options for reducing waste, increasing the longevity of a product, or using organic materials to reduce your footprint.

For example, adhesive labels offer an efficient method for delivering product information without coating an entire packaging surface. Hangtags (versus boxes or containers) significantly reduce the quantity of disposed material you produce. Biodegradable or 100 percent recycled materials can be used for boxes, bags, and more. Even the choice to print a fold-over flyer (versus traditional letter and envelope format) can reduce unnecessary waste.

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Keep the Creativity Flowing

While we don’t know what the future holds, everyday choices can make a collective impact. Remember, you can make a difference, even in your design and print decisions!