Going green is now the trend. Consumers are now looking for more environment-friendly products, and in effect, producers are scampering to make recyclable materials or products made from recycled substances. Even printing companies are resorting to materials that are biodegradable and eco-friendly to create full color prints.

So if you need to advertise with prints, and you strongly support the green movement, you do not have to sacrifice your principles or to bend your ways just so you could accommodate the need to market using print products. You have options on recycled and reprocessed paper, innovative vegetable inks and water-based coatings that you can explore to continue supporting environmental causes and at the same time, to push your product more into the market’s summit.

On paper

As you know, recycling paper was already being done even before the turn of the millennium. However, not so many printing companies have been using it. The cost of recycled paper then was still comparatively high.

Since reprocessing old and used paper has become a rampant practice and new ways to trim down the cost of producing this type of paper have emerged, more printing companies are going for greener solutions too.

Recycled paper is made of waste, some of which include trimmings and printed rejects from printing companies. The quality of recycled paper can match that of new paper due to the improved processing method. If you are worried about the color, some recycled papers have the same white quality as newly produced paper.

Plus, they are not expensive anymore. The enhanced procedure has reduced its cost of production, and hence does not contribute much to the expense of printing.

On inks

There are inks that are vegetable-based which offer a better and natural alternative to other inks like those that are petroleum-based. One of the most popular of these inks is soy ink.

Soy inks are derived from soybeans, a legume that has high protein content. It is a good food choice for those who are veering away from meat. Now, its use has extended beyond human nutrition and has crossed over the printing industry.

The advent of soy inks have provided environment-friendly means to print ads. Aside from its obvious benefit, it produces bright colors and makes paper easier to recycle.

The downside of using soy inks is the longer drying time. This is especially difficult if coated paper is used since the fibrous surface of the paper is not exposed to facilitate drying.

On coatings

As for coatings, there are aqueous coatings that are water-based so they are easier to recycle. These coatings provide a light sheen on the surface. Ultraviolet (UV) cured coatings give out a more intense luster but, as opposed to aqueous coatings, UV coatings are more difficult to recycle.

Not all printing companies, however, have these environment-friendly options. You can contact your printer and inquire about your options on eco-beneficial materials.

You can get both ecological and economical solutions for your advertising needs with recyclable full color prints.