Posted on

March 2, 2023

Graphic Design

The environmental impact of Digital Printing

Printing has come a long way since the invention of printing around 200 AD in China. Printing started out by carving designs into a wooden block. Today Printing is at its peak with digital printing, making it faster and more accessible to everyone. The global digital printing market is projected to exceed 34 billion by 2026,and is expected to be a quarter of the printing market by 2032.

Is Digital printing Eco friendly?

It’s 2023, more and more companies are looking to be more Eco friendly by all means to help fight global warming. In 2021 Nike started using some Eco-friendly materials including organic and recycled cotton, and has water reduction initiatives in its supply chain. This is just one example of how companies are starting to help fight against global warming. Regardless of what type of packaging you decide for your brand, Its essential to take into account the carbon footprint and emissions during production. The great news is that digital printers produce far less CO2 emissions than most traditional  printing presses. In traditional printing it takes a lot of toxic chemicals to produce a printed piece. You need dark room chemicals to produce plates, which are polyester and rubber. You also have to handle the solvents necessary to remove ink from rollers. Digital printing reduces a lot of the physical and chemical waste that was extensive in traditional printing.

Did you know?

Digital printing saved over 40 billion liters of water worldwide in 2018. An efficient solution compared to traditional water usage for screen printing which is in the region of 50-60 liters of water per meter. Digital printing also uses 10% of the volume required for color. Traditional printing emissions often include Volatile Organic Compounds also known as (VOCs). The American lung association states that being around these VOC can cause serious side effects such as difficulty breathing, nausea, and even in some instances cancer. Digital printing does not  produce emissions which mean it does not produce VOCs.

Does Digital printing waste inventory?

With digital printing having the ability to print on demand, place low minimum orders, and print multiple orders at a time, brands never have to worry about throwing away excess inventory, which in return helps the environment. By pushing out the exact amount of pieces and using minimal ink, you will have minimal waste to throw out.If you decide to print on recycled paper, you reduce the raw materials needed. Environmental impacts are reduced when fewer materials are used. It helps that many sustainable packaging options are accessible for brand owners such as, post-consumer recycled, or compostable packaging. Digital printing entirely eliminates the use for bespoke printing plates and the need for them to be disposed of after use.

We at Elite Tinting and Graphics strive to create stunning digital prints for our customers while also taking our part in helping lower green house gases, and lower emissions. To discuss your options and how we can help please contact us at 218-628-3008.