Eco-friendly printing is a great way to demonstrate your commitment to protecting our planet. Sustainability is not only good for the environment but also good for business. Customers are increasingly aware of their impact on the environment. Green printing is a good way of increasing your product’s marketability to eco-conscious customers. However, there are two mistakes that can cause all your efforts to be wasted:

1) USING NON-RECYCLABLE INK

You may have done a great job by choosing the perfect eco-friendly label printing press, label adhesives, and biodegradable substrates, but completely forgot about the ink you are going to use in printing the labels. Unfortunately, using non-recyclable ink can void the recyclability of the labels, even when a sustainable substrate is used. Additionally, non-recyclable inks are made from petroleum products, emitting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that have been linked to global warming.

By using non-recyclable inks, you may be inadvertently contributing to climate damage and also putting your employee’s health at risk. When choosing your ink, always go for compostable inks such as vegetable and water-based inks.

It is important to note that soy inks aren’t completely made from soy beans but are largely petroleum-based and may not be as eco-friendly as advertised.

2) FAILING TO RECYCLE PACKAGING FOIL

Many types of commercial printing foil are fully recyclable and there is no problem in using it in your label printing. However, how you dispose of your foil waste is what differentiates you from an environmentally unaware business. A study conducted in 2016 showed that up to 85% of label print waste ends up in landfills. It is therefore essential to ensure that your label printing waste, including packaging foil, is recycled by a professional waste handling contractor. Failure to do so risks sending the waste to landfill, either in the UK or – in some cases – overseas.

NEXT STEPS

Switching to eco-friendly labels and practices are just some of the ways to move towards more sustainable practices in the printing industry. At Focus Label Machinery, we are dedicated to designing the most innovative machines using modern technology for the most cost-effective print runs and to minimise wastage. For more information about sustainable label printing, please get in touch with one of our team today, or take a look at one of our label printing machines here.