Connections
How to Choose an Eco-Friendly Printer
Ecofollower.com has a great story on their website about why we should choose an eco-friendly printing company.
Although we’re reducing the amount of paper we use, partly because of the Internet and email, partly because of conservation, there’s still plenty of ink being applied to plenty of paper. Direct mail, catalogs, product packaging, office paper, etc. It’s all still there.
Yes, these things are decreasing in use. Direct mail is dropping, people are reducing the number of catalogs they receive, but that doesn’t mean they’re gone. We’re still printing lots and lots of mail, catalogs, flyers, coupons, and brochures.
So it’s important that we use eco-friendly printing services whenever possible.
I don’t know a single printer who doesn’t recycle their paper waste, so that’s not going to be an issue. But a lot of printers are still using inks with high VOCs (volatile organic compounds), the chemicals found in most inks and laminates.
There are a few things to consider when you want to use eco-friendly printing.
- Look for a printer that uses sustainable — that is, FSC or SFI certified — paper. This is paper that has been certified to come from managed forests, has minimal energy consumption, uses no hazardous chemicals, and other green practices. Note: You do have to ask for this paper.
- Ask for ultraviolet ink. Ultraviolet ink is water-based, and has no VOCs, which means it’s safer for the print shop workers and the environment. And it has a wide color and opacity range, so you can get great color output, and your printed piece will look great.
- Even your signs can be green. Find a sign printer that can print with ultraviolet inks rather than vinyl or petroleum-based inks.
- Make sure your own design is green. Stick with standard paper sizes, like 8.5. x 11 or 11 x 17. Use solid colors, not patterns, for a background if your piece has a bleed (color that extends all the way to the edge). And avoid weird designs that require a lot of cutting and paper waste.
Green printing is the wave of the future, and pretty soon any printer who wants to grow and thrive in the coming years will embrace green technology.
Why Some Print Houses Don’t Go Green
In today’s age of recycling and “going green,” several industries and businesses are taking note and doing business differently than 20, 10 even five years ago.
The printing industry is no different and have been going green with not only the bio-friendly inks we use, but also using more bio-degradable products and recyclable paper. Going green is not just the latest fad, but something that is here to stay in these times.
However some printing professionals have yet to explore this alternative route. Whether it’s from a non-concern, ignorance, or financial reasons, going green as not been embraced by everyone in our industry. Some don’t see the need for it. Some don’t understand it. And some printers simply don’t have the finances to change their equipment.
There are grants available to help businesses focus on green upgrades and for some that’s the only way to get an upgrade. However, many companies may be forced to go green, not because it’s the modern way, but because more customers are demanding it. Should companies not move with the times, it’s quite possible they’ll lose customers, and worse, lose their business.
But even in the face of the increased demand and need for green printers, there are still many questions to the issue. What else would cause some printers to make the move to green? Aside from a grant, could they get a subsidy? Would it really take customers to do this? Should we wait for the customers to ask, or should we take the first step?
The Government is already going green and as a result, making the rules on this.
If businesses do go green, it’s entirely possible they would receive more business. That window of opportunity is there. The companies who have jumped on the environmental bandwagon have the advantage; those who haven’t, don’t.
In my own business, customers are asking whether we can provide green ink and recycled paper products. They want to make a difference, and are asking about it, sometimes before they ask us about the price. Now, they’re not only checking the prices, but to see if this guy is greener than that guy. It’s not always who’s cheaper, it’s who’s also greener.
This scenario will be played out in the future, more often than not. That’s where green is going. Realistically, it won’t win you an automatic bid, but it will be a tiebreaker with a competitor. In today’s economy, it’s more competitive and certainly there will be more ties to break.
The question is, which printer will hold the tie-breaking advantage? Will the tiebreaker be a greener product a greener service or both?