Sustainable Print Finishing: How To Be As Environmentally Friendly As Possible

In today’s day and age, there is ever increasing importance being placed on brands being sustainable and eco-friendly. So, how can print finishers ensure their materials and techniques help the environment? Let’s find out how sustainable Print Finishing work.

Embossing and Debossing

One of the easiest ways to ensure that your print finishing is environmentally friendly is to avoid using any additional materials or chemicals. Embossing and debossing use a heated stamp to impress or depress the surface of the design. This is a great way to add texture to printed materials, whilst still ensuring that it is fully recyclable.

However, this does not mean that you need to stay away from any other finishes. There are a few print finishing techniques that can be environmentally friendly, so long as you ensure that the materials being used are sustainable and recyclable. Even better, they can even be used in conjunction with embossing and debossing to make your print pop.

Foiling

Foiling uses a hot metal die to stamp a metallic foil design to your paper. This is a very popular print finishing technique, as it can provide a luxury and premium finish. As the foil is made from metal, you should be able to recycle the waste from the foiling process.

By making the simple switch to recycling foils rather than throwing them away, can have a lasting impact on the environment.

Lamination

laminated paper and cardboard should not stop items from being able to be recycled, as long as the laminate accounts for less than 5% of the product. However, simply producing the plastic itself can require and waste a lot of fossil fuels, making laminate a bit of a grey area.

Instead, wherever possible, you might consider using biodegradable or recycled plastics for your lamination, and ensure that the material is suitable for recycling after use.

UV finishes

UV finishes can be used in place of traditional varnishes. These varnishes are typically petroleum bases, which emit volatile compounds into the atmosphere when they are drying. However, UV finishes do not contribute as much to atmospheric pollution whilst they are drying.

In addition to this, UV finishes are dried using UV light – hence where they get their name. This means that UV finishes do not require heat to dry, and thus use less energy throughout the process.

Use the right machinery (and make sure it is operating efficiently)

Using the wrong machinery, or old and inefficient equipment can result in you inadvertently using and wasting more energy. Instead, make sure that you have the right print finishing equipment for the job at hand, and regularly have it tested and maintained to ensure it is working properly, and as energy-efficient as possible.

Let the world know!

And finally, if you are using sustainable practices and eco-friendly print finishing techniques, let the world know! Consumers are more likely to buy from a brand that shares the same values as them. In fact, 83% of millennials believe value alignment is an important factor in determining their consumer decisions. So, shout it from the rooftops, and make sure it is clearly visible on every product.