Here you will find blogs from Digital Dots and Verdigris covering technology and sustainability advances in the graphics industry over the last 25 years.
Print buyers are becoming increasingly aware of the environmental impact of print. For the most part they understand that print is a more sustainable option than electronic media, but how do they decide which printing method to use? Is conventional offset more environmentally friendly than digital printing? Or is it the other way around? A … Read more
With eco-friendly alternatives, a colourful range and glow in the dark coated book binding wires- Bekaert participated for the first time ever in Europe’s largest English-speaking printing event – IPEX 2010, Birmingham, UK. The positive and responsive feedback from visiting customers has generated a lot of sales leads and idea pitches for the future. With … Read more
A new report that examines the environmental implications of ‘green’ strategies for newspaper companies has just been published by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA). Going Green, from the WAN-IFRA Shaping the Future of the Newspaper project, studies the impact of the daily newspaper business on the environment, from electricity consumption to … Read more
One of the biggest ways in which printers and publishers can make a difference to the environment is through the paper they use. Wood is a renewable resource but some wood is more sustainable than others so responsible sourcing of wood, and by extension paper, can make a big difference. The paper industry relies heavily … Read more
The Digital Print Deinking Alliance (DPDA) shared the first of a series of scientific research investigations into the deinkability of inkjet printed papers at the PTS/CTP Deinking Symposium held in Munich, Germany on April 29, 2010. In a study conducted by Centre Technique du Papier, (CTP) of Grenoble, France, a leading research organization and expert … Read more
Following the recently announced intensified collaboration, the leaders the world’s label industry associations (*) held their second summit at the FINAT Technical Seminar in Barcelona early this month. As a result of this meeting they unite in endorsing the industry’s commitment to a more sustainable and environmentally responsible future. They also wish to support the … Read more
PrintCity Alliance members Leonhard Kurz, manroland, MEGTEC, Merck, Océ, Sappi, Tolerans, UPM and Weilburger Graphics are exhibiting at Ipex 2010, focusing on three leading ‘themes’ PRINT: LEAN.GREEN.SEEN. Of these three hot topics, ‘GREEN’ is possibly the issue most talked about, but least fully understood by many in our industry. Since 2008 the PrintCity Alliance has … Read more
Businesses and consumers can now use more eco-friendly stationery thanks to the launch of Ecobind®. This coloured eco-friendly coating is made from the so-called ‘green polymer’, which means it is completely derived from natural resources, compostable and CO2 neutral. Ecobind® coating for bookbinding wire is the ideal complement to environmentally sound stationery, such as– exercise … Read more
Can it really be true, as so many tree huggers believe, that pulp and paper production are major contributors to global warming? At a UN conference in 1987, sustainability was defined as developments that “meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs”. This roughly means that we should look … Read more
The PrintCity Alliance completed a successful first Graphic Industry Supply Chain Workshop on the subject Carbon Footprint & Energy Efficiency during February 2010 in Munich. The keynote speaker was Gary Marshall from the UK printing group Polestar, an early adopter of a proactive carbon and energy reduction programme. “We must look at the whole picture … Read more