Caring for the Environment is Fundamental to Everything we do...
Our business works because we're as efficient as possible. We use as few resources as we can. Fewer resources mean less waste. But we're never content...
All our processes are constantly refined to ensure that we minimise waste. What waste we do produce, we separate into seventeen distinct streams for easy recycling or reprocessing. We compact all of our waste paper to minimise transportation, prior to being recycled. Our printing plates are recycled and our used chemicals are disposed of responsibly.
We use vegetable-based inks, pumped straight from large drums, rather than smaller cartridges in wasteful packaging. And talking of packaging, we've drastically reduced the volume of waste we pass onto you too. All of our cartons are produced from unbleached board.
More choice of
recycled paper
than ever!
We've changed our product base materials this year to include more recycled elements. Our 400gsm artboard, this is now 50% recycled, so that's your business cards, showcards and folders!
We have also added new low-cost products like our Saver Recycled Leaflets and Folded Leaflets giving you more choice. And remember, by choosing our Echo Recycled Letterheads and Compliment Slips which are made from 100% post-consumer waste you can be assured you're doing your bit.
Buying print
responsibly – buy FSC:
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an independent, non-governmental, not for profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests.
By choosing paper carrying the FSC certification gives you the assurances that they come from forests that
are managed to meet the social,
economic and ecological needs of
present and future generations
Our printing.com store offers
a wide range of FSC products
certified under FSC's
Chain-of-Custody programme.
Reading online - or printed paper?
The National Association of Paper Merchants (NAPM) have additional support that compared to reading online, paper wins hands down too. For instance, to produce 20Kg of paper, the average each of us consumes per year, takes 500 kWh of electricity; powering a computer continuously for just five months uses the same amount of electricity; whilst reading a newspaper consumes 20% less carbon than reading news online.
NAPM have produced information booklets and launched a new website dedicated to dispelling many of the myths around paper. Visit www.twosides.info.
Recycling - The Facts
WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) publish results from a study that found 50% less energy was used when recycling paper (instead of incinerating it) over its entire life-cycle. In other words, virgin paper followed by incineration consumed twice as much energy as recycling. WRAP conclude that recycled paper is better for the environment than virgin paper, firstly it diverts waste from landfill, the recycling of waste paper has a lower environmental impact than the virgin alternative. To make up your own mind, see www.wrap.org.uk. Going to recycled paper, too expensive? Wrong. We've got leaflets and letterheads which cost less than unrecycled, so there's no excuse.
What's more, every order you place contributes to our great big goal of planting 50,000 trees with David Bellamy and Tree Appeal.
Our management systems have been assessed by BSI Management Systems and we're pleased that they fulfill the requirements of the Environmental standards ISO 14001: 2004.
If you think there's anything else we should be doing to act responsibly, please email lovething@printing.com.
