Leading the Charge in Sustainable Printing

Ex Why Zed Sustainable Printing Facts

• 100% of our jobs are printed onto FSC Papers

• All our litho printed jobs utilise vegetable inks

• We offer FSC and Recycled Paper Choices

• No minimum order quantity means no excess wastage

• Fast press set-up ensures low material and energy usage

In the ever-evolving world of printing, where the demand for quality meets the urgent call for sustainability, three names stand out: Ex Why Zed, HP Indigo and Heidelberg. Together, we are doing our best to change the landscape of sustainable printing in the UK.

What is sustainable printing?

Sustainable printing is an ethos and approach that aims to reduce negative impacts on the environment through eco-friendly methods. This may involve reducing energy use, utilising recycling programs, using renewable resources, and employing environmental management systems for waste reduction.

Sustainable printing is important for several reasons:

What Are The Benefits of Sustainable Printing?

The benefits of sustainable printing are numerous, including:

• Reduced Environmental Impact: Using renewable resources, cutting down on energy usage, and minimising waste are all steps towards protecting the earth.
• Improved Image: Companies that prioritise sustainability often stand out among their competitors, fostering a positive corporate image and boosting customer loyalty.
• Reduced Carbon Footprint: By using less energy and producing less waste, companies can significantly reduce their carbon emissions.
• Business Growth: By tapping into the increasingly eco-conscious consumer market, businesses practising sustainable printing can tap into new growth opportunities.

Overall, sustainable printing provides a pathway for businesses to not only reduce their negative impacts on the environment but also gain competitive advantages and open up new growth potential. 

How to Choose Sustainable Printing Materials

Choosing sustainable printing materials is increasingly at the front of people’s mindsets and an essential requirement for some businesses and projects when they chose which printer to go ahead with. It is a consideration we embrace at Ex Why Zed are passionate about it within our print journey. You see, it’s not just about putting ink on paper; it is about making choices that show we are doing our bit.

When you’re on the hunt for sustainable printing materials, the first thing you’ll notice is the plethora of options. It’s like walking into a candy store, but instead of sweets, you’ve got recycled paper, FSC-certified stocks, and even plant-based inks! Now, you might be thinking, “Blimey, where do I even start?” Don’t fret; we’ve got your back.

Sustainable Paper Choices at Ex Why Zed

The joy of paper! Not just any paper, but the kind that makes you feel good about your paper choices, both creatively and environmentally. Let’s delve into the eco-friendly wonders of our FSC house papers: Image Indigo, Magno Gloss and Silk, Evolution Uncoated, Essential Offset and Revive Offset. ?

Paper Type	Surface Whiteness	Range of Weights (gsm)	Certification	Additional Info
Image Indigo	Bright White	90-350	FSC Certified	Carbon Neutral, Chlorine Free
Magno Silk	Slight 5% Warmth	115-450	FSC & PEFC	Low Emissions, Water-Efficient
Magno Gloss	Slight 5% Warmth	90-400	FSC & PEFC	Low Emissions, Water-Efficient
Evolution Uncoated	10-15% Warmth	90-350	FSC & 100% Recycled	100% reclaimed FSC® certified fibre.
Essential Offset	High Whiteness	80-300	FSC Certified	Biodegradable, Chemical-Free
Revive Offset	Granular Surface	80-350	FSC Recycled	100% PCW, Carbon Balanced

Firstly, let’s shout it from the rooftops: All of our papers are FSC certified!

That’s right, every single sheet that passes through our machines has the Forest Stewardship Council’s seal of approval as bare minimum for its environmental credentials. But what does that mean, you ask? Allow us to enlighten you.

Eco-Friendly Papers at Ex Why Zed

Forget the standard, run-of-the-mill stuff; we’re talking recycled or sustainably sourced paper. These options not only reduce waste but also minimise deforestation. And guess what? They’re just as high-quality as their less eco-friendly counterparts. So, you’re not sacrificing quality for sustainability; you’re getting the best of both worlds!

Image Indigo – Where Creativity Meets Sustainability

Our ‘House’ Uncoated for digital printing is Image Indigo.

Learn More about Image Indigo

Magno Silk – The Silky Road to a Greener Tomorrow

Choosing our smooth ‘house’ silk for your digital printing? You’ll be treated to Magno Silk on our Indigo press.

Discover Magno Silk

Evolution Uncoated is HP Indigo’s premium uncoated paper for digital printing.

Learn More about Evolution Uncoated

Essential Offset – Essentially, The Green Choice

Our ‘House’ Uncoated for our Heidelberg Litho Printing.

Explore Essential Offset

• Biodegradable: This paper will return to the earth, leaving no trace behind.
• Editorial Note: Biodegradable means that this paper won’t be a permanent resident in a landfill. It breaks down naturally, making it a truly eco-friendly option for your print projects.
• Chemical-Free: Produced without harmful chemicals, it’s as clean as your conscience.
• Editorial Note: No harmful chemicals mean a cleaner, safer environment. Essential Offset is the clean choice, literally and ethically.
• Printability: ⚠️ Litho inks do soak into uncoated paper ⚠️ Expect colours to be muted.
• FSC Certified: Sourced from well-managed forests, it’s a win-win for you and the planet.
• Editorial Note: FSC certification is more than a label; it’s a commitment to responsible forestry. When you choose Essential Offset, you’re casting a vote for sustainable forest management.

Revive Offset – Excellence with Sustainability

Revive Offset is Denmaur’s premium uncoated paper for offset printing. This is our 100% Recycled Paper for Litho Printing.

Learn More about Revive Offset

In summary, Revive Offset is an environmentally sustainable uncoated paper option with excellent print quality, available in a wide range of weights and sizes. Its 100% Post Consumable Waste content (PCW) and carbon balanced production make it a great choice for eco-conscious print jobs.

So, there you have it! Papers that not only make your projects look fantastic but also give you that warm, fuzzy feeling of doing something good for the planet. Ready to print the change you wish to see in the world?

Key Takeaways About Sustainable Papers for Printing:

• Image Indigo: Perfect for those who want a crisp, white paper that’s as eco-friendly as it is beautiful. The range of weights makes it versatile for various print projects.

• Magno Silk: This one’s for the folks who want a touch of luxury without compromising on sustainability. Its medium opacity and silk finish make it ideal for high-end brochures and magazines.

• Magno Gloss: Our super shiny, glossy option. Ideal for brochures, leaflets, look books and dazzling children’s books.

• Evolution Uncoated: The 100% Recycled digital uncoated option for an off white appearance.

• Essential Offset: If you’re looking for a paper that’s as clean as your conscience, this is it. With high whiteness and a range of weights, it’s the go-to for eco-conscious businesses.

• Revive Offset: The 100% recycled choice for longer print runs on our litho machine. Slightly off-white and very susceptible to ink soaking so do expect slightly unpredictable results and for the colour reproduction to not match your screen.

A Deeper Dive into Sustainable Papers

Let us look further into the differences between sustainable and unsustainable papers. In the past, sustainable papers were typically 100% recycled and had a slightly off-white colour with a grainy texture. This was exemplified by a sheet called Cyclus Offset. Now, there are other papers like Revive Offset which are 100% recycled. When printing on these uncoated papers, the ink soaks into the paper instead of sitting on top, resulting in softer colours and less definition in dark shades. This may cause images, for example night photography shots, to appear overall charcoaled or black, losing the definition and quality. For this type of work, it is our recommendation to print on silk or gloss.

In the printed sheet below, the two images on the left are printed onto Image Indigo Uncoated and the two on the right are on Gloss. You can immediately see the difference in brightness, contrast and depth of image. The ink reacts to the finishes differently and gives a softer reproduction of the image on the uncoated. On the coated gloss sheet, the pixels are sharper and the image is more defined. The contrast is more bold on the gloss and this would also be apparent on silk papers.

You will notice that the four example images are monochrome. If this is an approach you are looking to print then we have an in-depth video guide titled The Battle of Printing Black and White Photography It is a crucial video to watch and you will find it helpful for this type of publication.

The next showcase image is a photographic fashion brochure printed with exactly the same artwork on to both recycled uncoated and FSC silk. This was litho printed and really highlights the way litho ink absorbs into the surface of uncoated paper producing quite startling results.

This is the crux of the issue – choosing between uncoated or silk

There are no right or wrong answers here. The decision is, do you prefer the tactile, softer aesthetic of uncoated or the sharpness and vibrancy of silk or gloss? The shades in the background have drifted towards brown on uncoated but maintain their crisp detail on the silk.

Choose FSC Papers For More Consistency

To avoid the erratic results of image reproduction on recycled paper, we can print onto FSC papers. FSC stands for Forestry Stewardship Council, an environmental body. There is a range of papers in silk, gloss and uncoated finishes.

• Quality Assurance: FSC certification is not just a label; it’s a promise of quality. You’re getting top-notch paper that meets rigorous environmental and social standards.

• Traceability: Each FSC-certified product comes with a ‘chain of custody’ that tracks its journey from the forest to your hands. It’s like your paper’s biography!

• Consumer Trust: When people see the FSC logo, they know they’re buying into sustainability. It’s a badge of honour in the eco-conscious community. Printing on FSC papers allows you to announce that your publication is printed on FSC papers so do include the line ‘Printed on FSC Papers’. 

Silk, gloss, or uncoated papers are good alternatives to old-school 100% recycled sheets because they are brighter white and have a smooth coating that allows for crisp reproduction of artwork. The colours on gloss papers will be super shiny, while those on silk papers will have a slight sheen.

Additionally, FSC papers are arguably better for the environment because for every tree chopped down to make the paper, a new one gets planted. They are also cheaper. Both our digital press and LIFO machine can use FSC papers.

Where Do FSC Papers Come From?

FSC-certified papers originate from forests that are managed with 10 key principles, ranging from environmental impact to community relations. These forests are audited by independent third parties to ensure they meet FSC’s stringent guidelines. So, you’re not just getting paper; you’re getting paper with a pedigree.

So, whether you’re printing a self-published book or concertina folded leaflet, we’ve got a paper that not only meets your creative needs but also aligns with your values.

In a nutshell, FSC-certified papers are the future of sustainable printing. They’re not just good for you; they’re good for the planet. So, the next time you print with Ex Why Zed, know that you’re making a choice that counts.

Sustainable Ink Solutions

Inks are the next big thing. Traditional petroleum-based inks are so last century. At Ex Why Zed, we’re all about plant-based inks. They’re vibrant, durable, and—drumroll, please—far less harmful to the environment. It’s like choosing a veggie burger that tastes just like the real thing; you won’t even notice the difference, but the Earth certainly will.

Painting a Greener Picture

Vegetable inks are a game-changer. As we switch from petroleum-based to vegetable-based options on presses like our litho, we aren’t just making a cost-effective choice for larger runs; we’re investing in our planet’s future. These inks reduce harmful VOC emissions, making your print job a friend to both the reader and the environment.

Embracing Technology: HP Indigo and Heidelberg Litho Printing

We appreciate that sustainability and the environment are increasingly on everybody’s agenda, making these issues of key importance for companies, designers and agencies when choosing their ideal print supplier. 

Transformative Sustainable Practices of HP Indigo:

Brands that have integrated HP Indigo into their supply chain are not just benefiting from top-notch print quality. They’re diving head-first into just-in-time inventory management, reducing up to 26% of packaging waste and cutting down CO2 emissions by a staggering 65-80%! With every print job through HP Indigo, brands edge closer to their ESG goals, reducing waste and energy consumption.

Amplifying Sustainability and Social Impact:

HP Indigo isn’t just about printing; it’s about storytelling. Through their unique communication framework, the HP Personalisation Pinwheel, brands can create purpose-led campaigns that drive social impact. A shining example is the #HerShe campaign in Brazil, which turned Hershey’s iconic chocolate wrappers into a canvas for female artists, celebrating women’s stories and voices. The power of variable data within the Indigo printing process is a strong addition meaning each printed piece can be fine tuned with an individual name just by supplying us with a spreadsheet of your data.

Key highlights of HP Indigo’s sustainability journey and their efforts in reducing carbon emissions.

A notable statistic is the 12,650 tonnes of CO₂e avoided through offsets for all HP Indigo presses.

HP Indigo’s Brand Strategic Adoption Journey:
– Step 1: Create efficiencies via short-run printing
– Step 2: Expand to accelerate brand sustainability goals
– Step 3: Amplify sustainability and social impact messaging via consumers

Carbon Emissions Reduction:
– Supply chain emission reduction
– 16% energy reduction at sites

Efficiencies via Short-Run Printing: Highlighting the initial phase where HP Indigo focuses on efficiency.

Accelerate Sustainability Goals: The next phase where the emphasis shifts to pushing sustainability objectives.

Amplify Impact Messaging: The final phase, underscoring the importance of amplifying sustainability and social impact messages to consumers.

Supply Chain Emission Reduction: Represented as a full commitment to reducing emissions in the supply chain.

These insights help emphasise the concrete steps HP Indigo is taking towards sustainability, further cementing Ex Why Zed’s decision to align with such a forward-thinking partner in the print industry.

Source: This content is based on the expanded details provided from the HP Indigo Sustainable Impact Overview.

Sustainable Printing on Heidelberg Litho Press

Cost-effective and eco-friendly innovations: reducing printing’s carbon footprint. Enjoy an insightful Q&A with Kerstin Haas, Head of Business Development Packaging at Heidelberger Druckssmachinen and Harald Woerner, Product Management Sustainability at Heidelberger Druckssmachinen.

Q. Where do the emissions come from in the printing process?

A. Without doubt, most emissions come from paper and cardboard, which are responsible for up to 90% of carbon dioxide emissions. 

Q. So that means saving paper and board weight, protects the environment, and saves costs. 

A. That’s perfect, isn’t it? So, many of our innovations achieve these two things at the same time: cost-effectiveness and eco-friendliness. 

Assessing our workload and running like-for-like jobs to minimise wastage.

Q. What are the benefits of this procedure? 

A. Producing print jobs with similar properties in terms of substrate, coating, inks, etc. One after the other. So if we have ten jobs to be printed onto 300gsm Silk in a day, these get printed one after the other to significantly reduce the press set-up time involved with swapping paper stacks and changing substrates. This saves operating steps by up to 70%, reduces potential errors and the amount of resources being used. This is an extremely sustainable process. 

Q. Saving resources is a key element and choosing the right consumables can have a big effect on the company’s environmental impact. 

A. Exactly. Companies can choose environmentally friendly products like the ones in our Saphira Eco product line. These products meet many sustainability criteria. They are low in emissions, and wherever possible, they are based on renewable raw materials, and they are good for recycling the end product. Yet again, ecology and economy go hand in hand. 

There are many ways to reduce the carbon footprint in our Heidelberg printing process and reduce the environmental impact. 

Enjoy the full video walk through of the Heidelberg Sustainable Printing Q&A.

The Dilemma of Cover Lamination

The Final Coat: Protection vs. Purity. Let’s move on to a conversation about cover lamination. We always recommend cover lamination if the cover of your book or booklet has ink coverage where the card is folded during the binding process. For wire-stitched booklets, the larger sheet is folded in half then staple bound (saddle stitched). For perfect bound books, the cover is scored and creased twice before being glued to the text block to create a soft back book with a square spine.

Is Book Cover Lamination Recyclable?

The reason we are discussing cover lamination in our sustainable printing article is because it is made of plastic. You can go for a 100% recycled card as a cover and laminate it. However, the laminated part of the cover will then not be recyclable. 

If your publication is wire stitched and bound with two staples then these would have to be removed before the paper can be recycled. Of course, you could re-use the staples in a new publication which does mean they are not just for one use.

Eco-Friendly Case Studies

Enjoy the Eco-Friendly Case Studies page of our Sustainable Printing cluster at Ex Why Zed. Here, we proudly showcase a collection of recent projects that brilliantly exemplify the use of environmentally conscious materials like FSC and Recycled papers. Our goal is to not just display our work but to spark creativity and provide tangible inspiration for your next publication. Each featured project is a testament to the possibilities in sustainable printing, complete with detailed print specifications to guide and inspire. From the wholesome photography and creative flair of Finland…. to the compelling narratives of “Sean McDonnell – Life in Lockdown 4,” these case studies are more than just projects; they’re a journey into the heart of eco-friendly printing. Discover the varied textures, sizes, and finishes, and let the ingenuity behind these works embolden your approach to printing in a way that respects our planet. At Ex Why Zed, we’re committed to leading by example, showcasing that sustainability and high-quality printing are not just compatible, but they are the future. Join us on this print journey, where every page turned is a step towards a greener world.

Alternatives to FSC Certification

We continue our guide by exploring further green avenues. While FSC certification is the gold standard in sustainable forestry, there are a few other certifications and initiatives that are also making waves in the eco-conscious world.

PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification)

• What It Is: Like FSC, PEFC is an international non-profit that promotes sustainable forest management.
• How It Differs: PEFC is more focused on small, family-owned forests, making it more accessible for smaller operations.
• Why Choose It: If you’re keen on supporting local, small-scale forestry, PEFC is a great choice.

SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative)

• What It Is: A North American certification system that promotes responsible forestry.
• How It Differs: SFI has a strong focus on North America, though it’s recognized globally.
• Why Choose It: If your operations are primarily in North America, SFI might align better with your supply chain.

Rainforest Alliance Certification

• What It Is: A certification that not only focuses on sustainable forestry but also includes social and economic factors.
• How It Differs: It’s broader in scope, covering agricultural and tourism sectors as well.
• Why Choose It: If you’re looking for a more holistic approach to sustainability, this is your go-to.

ISO 14001

• What It Is: An international standard for environmental management systems.
• How It Differs: It’s not forestry-specific but can apply to any organisation looking to manage its environmental responsibilities.
• Why Choose It: If you’re already ISO-certified in other areas, adding ISO 14001 can streamline your processes.

Each of these alternatives offers its own unique benefits and challenges. The key is to choose the one that aligns best with your sustainability goals and operational needs. So, whether it’s FSC, PEFC, or any other certification, rest assured that you’re making a positive impact.

We Are Your Sustainable Printing Partner

Why choose Ex Why Zed for sustainable printing? By aligning with industry pioneers, we ensure that our printing is not only of exceptional quality but also eco-friendly. As the go-to UK sustainable printer, we’re dedicated to eco-friendly digital and litho printing, making a tangible difference with every print job.

Sustainable Printing FAQs

Q: What is Ex Why Zed’s commitment to sustainable printing?

A: At Ex Why Zed, we are dedicated to providing the most sustainable print solutions. Our commitment extends from using paper stock from responsible paper production practices to partnering with the World Land Trust and Woodland Trust. We ensure that new trees are planted and natural resources are conserved in every step of our printing process.

Q: How does Ex Why Zed ensure its printing process is environmentally friendly?

A: We focus on several key areas:

• Paper: We use uncoated recycled paper and kraft paper, which contain tiny little flecks of all shapes, adding character while being eco-friendly.
• Inks and Chemicals: Our printing uses friendly ink and fewer chemicals, avoiding the use of optical bleaching agents to reduce environmental impact.
• Energy Use: Our digital printers and UV printing methods are powered by green energy, and we’re careful about reducing standby consumption.

Q: Can Ex Why Zed handle large-scale printing jobs sustainably?

A: Absolutely! Whether it’s for large or small projects, our approach remains consistent. For larger jobs, we ensure that our sustainable practices, such as recycling processes for materials like coffee cups and the efficient use of inks and printing plates, are scaled appropriately. This ensures high quality with minimal environmental impact.

Q: What are the options for paper and finish in sustainable printing?

A: We offer a variety of paper types, each selected for its environmental credentials and quality. This includes the most environmentally friendly paper with a glossy finish for high-resolution images and high amounts of ink, or a more natural look with uneven areas characteristic of recycled paper. Whether you need single pages or a complete set, we ensure the safe area and outside edge of your page are perfectly aligned with your design.