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Re-Thinking the Design-for-Print Process
Source: http://www.green.net.au/srd/gppg.htm
TEAMWORK
Carefully select designers and printers ensuring they have genuine green credentials. Professionals with a full working knowledge of green design principles can make all the difference ensuring your work is produced with best current practice.
PROJECT TYPE
To reach your target market review the best method for delivery, reach, cost and client understanding? Is print the best vehicle? For example, could a web-based file in a Portable Document Format (PDF) be an alternative? Is there a less resource-intensive way of delivering the message?
PROJECT SIZE
The larger the project is in both the quantity and physical size, the more time and care should go into the production choices. For example, a larger print run of 50,000 annual reports is of significantly greater concern than a small quantity of, say, 200 business cards relating directly to the quantities of resources used. Naturally this has relevance to each jobs' environmental and carbon footprint.
PRINT RUN SIZE
Consider the print run size. The same as last time? Does it need to be this large? Will savings in storage and lower startup costs for reprints allow a smaller just-in-time style print run to be more cost effective as well? Assess the quantity well to select closer to the quantity needed. Gone are the days of "it only costs a few cents to have thousands more" as we now need to account for the loss of greenhouse gas absorbing forests.
PHYSICAL SIZE
Do we need a movie size poster or will a more modest size serve us well? Many properties should be considered here from printed sheet size, stock weight, print storage to mailing size. Multiple opportunities to save exist here also from lower energy to transport, less space to store and reduced weight of course means lower postage costs. Consider the weight of the 'stock'. If for short term use, maybe go lighter; if longevity is required, a heavier stock that's also ph balanced may be more appropriate. Consider the size of the sheet as another job may be planned alongside or a more efficient size may be selected.
PREPRESS
Once it was all film and chemicals with all their associated toxic waste. Now there are several greener options with top results including Direct imaging (DI), Computer to plate (CtP) and Chemical free plates. All are variations of a digital image that's burned or exposed to the printing plate. Proofing and soft-proofing is a continuously improving area with many options with digital proofs are now the norm. Avoid film separations, chromalin proofs or plastic coated stock if at all possible.
PRINT PROCESS
Numerous print styles exist from traditional lithography to waterless to web offset and direct imaging techniques. Several of these may be suitable, dependent on a number of factors noted above. Seek professional graphic assistance here and always remember to verify "Is this process the greenest choice?" There are multiple factors that could be considered here and asking questions is part of that process.
COLOUR SELECTION
The less colours you use the better. However, if you're considering printing with three specials, it may be cleaner and cheaper to print four colour process due to its popularity as some press wash-ups may be avoided.
INK SELECTION
Greener preference goes to Vege based ink (usually linseed or canola oil based), secondly to Soy inks (you may need to check the ingredients, as some labeled soy may be only part soy based with the bulk being petrochemical based) and thirdly traditional or conventional petrochemical based inks. Essentially, petrochemical based inks have a more chemically volatile make-up, require more toxic cleaning processes and are not made from renewable sources. For similar reasons, also avoid or limit the use of metallic and fluorescent inks.
Paper (Stock) Selection :: Consider these simple steps.
If possible, as a first choice select an Uncoated stock. For all stocks generally, for better recyclability, the less coatings the better. The coatings of a stock are not readily recyclable so the more physical coating(s) the lesser the proportional yield of recycled fibre.
HIGH POST-CONSUMER FIBRE CONTENT (PCF)
Ensure the stock selected contains as much Post Consumer Fibre as is available for the task. * Naturally, 100% PCF is the greenest option though 85 to 90% PCF plus 10 to 15% PRE content extends the recycled fibre value. Check the REAP guide for great Free comparative input here. www.srd.org.au/reap.htm (updated with several new stocks)
HIGH PRE-CONSUMER FIBRE CONTENT (PRE)
Second choice that it contains as much Pre-Consumer fibre as possible so the combined recycled content is the highest available. (Please note: For this guide the 'PRE' classification does NOT include Mill Broke. Be aware that Europe uses different standards and some of their paper labeled PRE-consumer FIBRE content may be only Mill Broke or fibre that has never left the manufacturing cycle and as such is NOT really recycled at all. Tougher Australian and US standards specifically disclude this misleading claim).
CONSIDER TREE-FREE OPTIONS
Though less readily available, there are many tree-free alternatives that include kenaf, hemp, bagasse (sugarcane fibre), even banana and other combinations that are all fully recyclable or will nicely decompose in your garden compost or worm farm as well. (Be aware that use the term "Tree Free" is specifically to avoid confusion with the term "WoodFree". This is yet another misleading term that we need to encourage to be changed to the more accurate "Lignin Free" label as this is actually 100% fibre from trees).
BLEACHING
Bleaching should be in order of priority (least environmental cost first): PCF, that's Process Chlorine Free for recycled fibre. Often of an unknown bleach origin but at least it's not bleached again. TCF is Totally Chlorine Free. As it's name suggests only non-chlorinated methods are used. ECF or Elemental Chlorine Free is less expensive to produce than TCF but yields around 2% more fibre. Papers bleached with Chlorine or chlorinated compounds should be avoided entirely as their associated dioxins are highly toxic to marine and terrestrial life. Most chlorinated paper production has been phased out since the 1990s.
FSC CONTENT
The Forest Stewardship Council is one of the few independent bodies capable of accurately determining fibre origin by tracking it from forest to printer. Look for this but also check what percentage is FSC content as well as what type as they label both Virgin and Recycled wood fibre. Naturally we first want highest possible recycled content so High PCF, then High PRE and then high FSC virgin content, then plantation, then managed forest then unspecified origin, in that order.
THE IDEAL from the greener perspective would be locally recycled PCF content with a small amount of fresher PRE fibre to allow continuing recyclability. Minimal bleaching and thus higher in Process Chlorine Free with maybe some TCF bleaching and with minimal other additives, coatings or finishes. Of course the paper mill should have good ISO and Environmental Management Systems plus FSC accreditation.
PRINT FINISHES and EMBELLISHMENTS
What are the greener methods to enhance, protect, project an image or style or achieve a special effect? Simply water soluble coatings, products or processes are far less toxic than other processes and will ultimately compost better as well. Consider whether an embellishment may reduce it's recyclability, or even worse increase it's landfill life?
Embossing, for example, creates far less impact than the addition of petrochemical based lacquer coatings or metallic finishes that have landfill life many generations beyond our own.
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