Greener Design for Print
There are several ways you can make your design project more environmentally friendly and I'd be happy to advise you on some low cost options that dont cost the earth.
- • Carefully consider print run quantities. Will you be left with boxes of excess printed materials that cost money and resources or can you reduce the print run and save on paper, ink and energy waste.
- • Printers generally use standard size sheets of paper for all print jobs. By carefully planning your design job we can reduce the amount of cut off waste paper and get more value for money.
- • Aim to use 100% post-consumer waste (PCW) recycled content paper like Mowhawk Options - PC100. It's 100% PCW, made carbon neutral and is available through GF Smith paper suppliers in Ireland.
- • Choose paper manufactured using renewable energy, or offset by legitimate renewable energy credit programs.
- • Use vegetable-based, low-VOC inks on press. Some printers may be using vegetable based inks without even realising it.
- • Avoid additives or excess finishing like foil stamps, varnishes, and laminates. They look nice but laminates and foils make the paper un-recyclable so best avoid it or enquire about bio-degradable laminates.
- • Design your printed material either to last or to be easily recyclable. Uncoated paper can be recycled easier than gloss finish or coated papers.
- • If your work is printed on recycled paper or has other environmentally friendlier credentials tell people by including this information somewhere on the design.