What is the Future of Sustainable Printing?

The print industry has been working to decrease its impact on the environment for a long time, but increased brand demands for sustainability is a recent shift. Consumers are pressuring vendors, who are also focusing on sustainability and low environmental impact across the entire supply chain.

Before we go further let’s define “What is Sustainable Printing?”.
Sustainable Printing, Green Printing or Eco-Friendly Printing refers to the process of using renewable energy and resources to create printed collateral. It reduces the use of energy, waste and limits the release of greenhouse emissions which reduces carbon footprint.

Sustainable printing is one of our main business goals at Qualprint, but it’s also very close to our customers’ hearts. Consumers want to buy and use products that are environmentally friendly, giving everyone in the printing industry a big incentive to go green. In this blog, we dive into three ways print companies can move toward a more sustainable future going into each new quarter or new year.

Energy Efficient Print Equipment

An important step printers need to take toward sustainability is to switch to more energy efficient equipment. Utilize presses, cutters, finishers, folders and other equipment that require minimal electricity to operate.

At Qualprint, we use LED-UV printing presses which use up to 20% less ink and dries faster than traditional presses, which further reduces energy demands.

Solar panels line the roof of our facility, allowing us to capture 25% of the energy we use every day. This has one of the biggest impacts on our ability to remain sustainable now and in the future.

Other easy ways to  switch to a more sustainable print operation include changing out standard light bulbs for more efficient bulbs, and turning off non-essential equipment when not in use. Office computers and desktop printers, decorative lighting, and other non-essential items should be turned off when not in use. Small changes are incremental for each site and, over time, can have a big impact on the environment.

Sustainable Materials in Print

Using recycled materials and paper from sustainable sources is an effective way of reducing waste and ensuring that our business isn’t contributing to global deforestation. At Qualprint, we use paper products sourced from responsibly managed forests.

Inks and ink consumption are also large factors contributing to sustainable operations. The digital printing process is inherently more efficient than traditional offset or web presses, as they produce less waste by printing with less “make ready” waste and no need for overprints. In addition, because digital inkjet presses are water-based, they don’t require harsh chemicals for clean-up. This keeps potentially harmful substances out of our waste stream and water supply.

Utilizing aluminum plates for our presses that can be recycled furthers our ability to remain a sustainable print operation.

Sustainably Printed Packaging

Another major area to shine when it comes to the future of sustainability in print is optimizing product packaging. Below are a few of the ways that print companies like ours as well as brands are making packaging more environmentally friendly…

• Using sustainable resources that extend the life of the packaging
• Manufacturing & printing the packaging with non-toxic materials
• Eliminating waste throughout the entire packaging process
• Digital printing has also allowed the industry to improve the printing process for packaging by reducing the need for minimum order quantities, improving color quality while needing less ink and cleaning products – all of which are better for the environment.

It’s important for the print industry to take responsibility and do more to reduce the impact it has on the planet. We need to constantly focus on reducing waste, and only produce what is needed so we aren’t unnecessarily adding to landfills or introducing trash & debris into natural habitats.

So, what does the future of print sustainability look like? It’s up to all of us: Designers, Brands, Manufacturers, Logistics Providers, and Consumers – to work together to reduce waste, use green practices, and source eco-friendly materials for our operations.