The impact of commercial decoration methods within the promotional products industry, including ink, embroidery, foil, vinyl, etc. are often overlooked. Not all deco methods are the same and some leave a heavy environmental impact. In this post, we’re looking specifically at ‘printing’ methods.
The most commonly used printing methods are offset, digital, and screen printing.
USES
Offset Printing
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Digital Printing
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Screen Printing
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NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
Offset Printing
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Digital Printing
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Screen Printing
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How to mitigate these issues when buying custom-PRINTED promo merch?
Find a promo merch supplier that can provide you with products that are custom-printed in factories that…
Eco-friendly/Sustainable Ink: Use water-based, vegetable-based, or soy-based inks, which have a lower VOC content and are less harmful to the environment.
Efficient Waste Management: Implement proper waste disposal and recycling programs for paper waste and chemicals such as inks, solvents, and screens while encouraging responsible printing practices to minimize overproduction.
Energy Efficiency: Use renewable energy sources and energy-efficient machines. For example, there are energy-efficient drying and curing systems, such as UV curing, which can reduce energy consumption.
Water Conservation/Water Recycling: Invest in water recycling systems to reduce water consumption and treat wastewater before discharge.
Responsible Sourcing: Use recycled paper or paper from sustainably managed forests certified by organizations such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
Recycling Programs: Implement recycling programs for ink cartridges and printing materials.
Chemical Substitution: Replace hazardous chemicals with safer alternatives wherever possible.
Training and Safety: Provide adequate training for workers on the safe handling and disposal of chemicals and waste.
By addressing these environmental impacts, the commercial printing industry can reduce its ecological footprint and contribute to more sustainable printing practices.
There are also green highlights to digital and screen printing machines that are worth mentioning.
Many modern digital machines are designed to be energy efficient. They also produce less waste compared to traditional printing methods because it eliminates the need for plates and pre-press setup as well as reduces excess inventory, as digital printers print only the required amount, on-demand.
Screen printing also has green advantages as some setups use recycled or reclaimed screens. Additionally, screen printing is very compatible with eco-friendly ink such as water-based and PVC-free ink. Using water-based ink reduces the use of harmful chemicals while PVC-free ink avoids the environmental and health risks associated with polyvinyl chloride.
*Other innovative and earth-friendly inks are UV-Curable Inks, Aqueous Inks, Latex Inks, and Algae Inks.
Choosing eco-friendly print methods involves considering factors such as energy consumption, type of inks used, waste generation, and the sustainability of the materials and processes. By opting for methods that prioritize environmental sustainability, businesses and individuals can significantly reduce their ecological footprint while maintaining high-quality printing capabilities.
EcoBranders puts forth a lot of effort to offer our customers the most eco-friendly decoration methods available. In fact, each product page calls out the most environmentally friendly decoration method available for that particular product.
To learn more about our printing methods at EcoBranders please reach out to us.
