Some Features Of Digital Printing That Is Eco Friendly

By Mattie Knight


There is pressure from all quarters to adopt manufacturing techniques which promote environmental conservation. Fabric printing is one of the areas which has been put in the spotlight due to the damage which has long been attributed to the use of inks. The good news is that there are many alternative materials and processes which can be adopted. We will look at some of the characteristics of digital printing that is eco friendly.

Selecting ink requires which you take a number of things into consideration. The ink selected should be free from the harmful metallic elements or have them in very little quantities. In addition they should have great versatility as to be used with any type of materials such as cotton, nylon, rayon and silk. Ensure the ink can be used for a wide range of colors so as to improve on the efficiency.

When selecting ink, you need to consider a number of factors. The ink should not have the heavy metals which degrade the environment. The best type of ink is one which has great versatility such that it usable with a wide range of materials which include nylon, cotton, silk and rayon among others. Additionally, it can produce high quality imprints on any color of fabric.

Water is without a doubt one of the biggest raw materials which go into the printing process. In an inefficient system, most of it ends up as waste. Being conscious about the environment means recycling and reusing this water. Research has established that slightly over 60% of water can be recycled and reused at various levels of the process. Such a move will reduce operating costs significantly.

The next area you need to evaluate is the type of machine used. Two types of printers exist: the conventional printer and the digital printer. The former has been known to be rather inefficient with regard to the use of energy, ink and water. Modern digital machines use only a fraction of these raw materials and end up with superior quality impressions on the fabrics.

Quite a number of chemicals are used during pre-treatment. Urea is the most important chemical here. As the urea is broken down during steaming carbon dioxide is released into the environment. The gas has well-known effects on the ozone and its reduction should be minimized as much as possible. There is a special foam available to be used in place of the urea. This foam is more eco-friendly.

During engraving, a significant amount of energy is utilized. When using digital techniques, it is possible to considerably reduce this amount of energy. The other option which can be considered at this stage is the use of pigments as an alternative. Pigments are more efficient because they do not require pre-treatment and can be used for any medium.

Using sustainable techniques should be looked at as a win-win situations for the environment and the business. Many consumers are wary of products which have potential harmful effects on their health and will for this reason avoid them. Many governments are providing incentives for eco-friendly industries and increasing the taxes. It is increasingly becoming expensive not to go green.




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