Opting For Digital Printing That Is Eco Friendly

By Cornelia White


There has been a dramatic revolution in the print process since the introduction of digital presses. No longer does the process require offset presses, toxic chemicals and inks, much paper wastage and hazardous waste disposal. The process has changed from an industrial one to a computerized one and digital printing that is eco friendly takes this one step further with machines and materials designed not to be harmful to the environment.

Offset printers use plates photo-engraved with text and images. Ink is rolled onto the plate and the image is then transferred onto rubber blankets. From there it is transferred onto the paper to produce top quality prints. However, there is much wastage of time, energy and resources involved in the process. For example, it takes time and much wastage of paper to get the presses ready for a print run. Liquid and solid waste as well as fumes are produced as by products requiring special disposal methods.

The new plate-free technology means less chemicals are used and less pollutants or hazardous waste is produced as a byproduct. Pleasing color prints are produced. This process is generally better for smaller print runs and offers fast turn around times. It works well for full color business cards, stationery, promotional material and other personalized print work involving fewer than a thousand sheets.

Not all presses offer the same quality of color and clarity. It is important for customers to find out exactly what presses are being used and what they are capable of producing. Some of the newer presses are more suitable for certain applications than others. One machine may be better for a particular job than another, depending on cost, quality and size of a run.

Customers need to be discerning when looking for printers like this. Going green is so popular that many businesses use it as a catch phrase without much substance behind it. Some printers go the whole way, using only 100% recycled paper, vegetable inks and so on while others allow the client to choose the extent to which they want to go green.

Vegetable based inks are becoming more popular as they emit fewer volatile organic compounds than traditional petroleum-based inks. Initially it was expensive to use these inks but costs are beginning to go down as demand goes up. Soy based ink is one of the inks used and it produces good color.

The paper used by these printers varies considerably and choice of what paper to use is essentially up to the customer. A customer may select 100% recycled content or a lower percentage. Some of the paper is manufactured with wind generated electricity and is processed chlorine and acid free.

Everyone wants to show their commitment to protecting the environment and opting for this type of printing is one way to do so. However, most customers are not prepared to compromise on quality. Today, this is not as much of a problem as technology has grown in such leaps and bounds. Even if one chooses to use digital printing that is eco friendly, is is not necessary to have to accept inferior quality. Brilliant colors and clarity are possible.




About the Author:



Aucun commentaire:

Enregistrer un commentaire