Green Printing | Recycled Paper | Environmental Printing

Whichever offset printer you choose to print your job, make sure you pick one who is environmental sensitive. A lot of technological innovations in the last twenty years reduce the ecological footprint of printing AND help cut costs. So really, there is no excuse. The following checklist will help you decide whether your printer cares about the environment AND is a good businessperson, or not.

 

1. Computer-to-plate (CTP) installed in prepress?

The old style of prepress involved sending files to a device called an image setter, which would burn (a lot) of film, which would then have to be processed (using chemicals). Then plates would be burned with the film and hung on the press.

Remarkably, some printers in Vancouver still use this procedure even though it was obsolete more than 10 years.

At Printcraft, we have invested in a modern automated Kodak thermal computer-to-plate system where your PDF file enters the workflow and plates are made ready to hang on the press. No film.

It’s not just better for the environment too. A CTP workflow is so inherently superior to a film-based workflow that any printer that doesn’t have CTP is a printer that hasn’t invested in the business for at least ten years. And maybe you should ask him where he is disposing the chemicals that are used to process the film.

2. Environmentally sensitive plates?

There are plates and then there are plates. A high-quality thermal plate reduces make-ready even further, and allows for longer print runs, AND can be processed with chemicals that are not harmful to the environment. A really good question to ask your printer is what do they do with their waste chemicals. You should expect a good answer.

We use high-quality plates from Kodak and we take special steps to neutralize our developer before we dispose of it. We go over and above what is legislated in treating our chemicals.

3. Do they download ink profiles to the press?

Whenever the press is started up with a new job, sheets of paper are always wasted while the pressmen get the press “up to colour.” Essentially, pressmen have to adjust the ink keys so that the color is correct.

There is an electronic way to do this. An open standard called CIP3 allows inkprofiles to be digitally downloaded to the press so that ink keys are automatically adjusted. In most cases, only minor adjustments are needed after the inkprofiles are loaded.

Control panels that allow for CIP3 implementation have been around for more than 10 years, but a lot of offset printers still adjust their ink keys manually. This is a shame as implementing CIP3 can allow a printer to save TONS of paper over the course of a year and incidentally, save lots of money.

Needless to say, Printcraft has implement CIPS3 for printing to our six-colour Komori press.

4. How can you proof your job?

A modern workflow system has the capacity to generate a PDF file that will have the exact same content and formatting as what will appear on the printing press. You should only have to sign off on hard copy if your job is colour-sensitive.

If a printer insists on multiple rounds of proofing, then it’s a sign that the workflow is not too be trusted. Plus, it’s a waste of paper.

5. Where is the Printer Getting the Paper?

Does he or she promote the use of recycled and/or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper? Have they heard about “Markets Initiative Ancient Forest Friendly” policy? Does their paper supplier use pulp from old-growth forests? Have they tightened up their printing processes so they can print on thinner paper?

Paper is one of the biggest costs for a printer. They spend a LOT of time thinking about paper (specifically, how to use less of it).

Needless to say, at Printcraft we can print your job on stock that is either recycled paper or FSC. Give us a call to talk over the options.

 

Note: A lot of print buyers and designers come from an background in Internet design and marketing and may hesitate to ask deep technical question about the printing process. Don’t be intimidated.

There are printers in every city who are deeply interested in minimizing their ecological footprint, but it’s up to you to find them.