Recycled and Green

We have made our digital offset printing process even more environmentally friendly by offering a selection of recycled papers on many of our products, as outlined below.

Greener Technology

The "direct-to-press" technology that we utilize is environmentally advantageous in several ways:

Prepress chemicals and solvents are completely eliminated, since plates are imaged directly on the press, using no chemicals.

Waterless inks eliminate the water, dampening system and isopropyl alcohol used in conventional offset printing, so not only is water conserved, but there is no water being introduced into the waste stream.

Paper waste is reduced by 40-60%. In the direct-to-press workflow, all plates are imaged simultaneously for nearly perfect registration from first to last sheet. This allows us to reduce paper waste when compared with traditional offset. Waterless ink technology also allows us to achieve full color in about 20 sheets, since no dampening system adjustments need to be made.

According to the Waterless Printing Association (www.waterless.org):
"Many printers have been drawn to waterless printing because it eliminates dampening-related volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the printing process. Some VOCs have been linked to the deterioration of the earth's protective ozone layer and, consequently, to global warming. Now, with the release of water-washable inks, the waterless pressroom can be virtually VOC-free. This revolutionary ink technology eliminates the need for solvent-based press and blanket wash solutions, which typically account for a large portion of a printer's VOC output."

Recycled Paper Options

We currently offer recycled options for Data Sheets, Brochures, Posters, Letterhead and #10 Envelopes. We expect to expand these choices as affordable recycled options become available.

Sell / Data Sheets, Brochures, and Posters--We currently offer Endeavour in four weights and two finishes for Sell / Data Sheets, Brochures, and Posters.

Endeavour, from Burgos, is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified and Elemental Chlorine Free, with a recycled content of 50% and post-consumer waste content of 25%. Endeavour is available on the Savoirprint website in 80# and 100# Gloss or Velvet Text, and 100# Gloss or Velvet Cover.

Letterhead and #10 Envelopes--We currently offer Classic Crest Writing 24#, from Neehah, in two shades. The "Solar White" shade is NOT a recycled sheet. The "Recycled Bright White" shade is FSC Certified, Processed Chlorine Free and made with 100% post-consumer recycled fiber. Please note that "Recycled Bright White" is 89 bright, slightly less bright than many offset papers being commonly used today.

Recycled Issues & Terminology

As recycled paper options become a growing concern for print buyers, the decision of which papers to choose becomes more complex. Here are a few definitions to help our users decide which factors are the most important to them in making a paper choice.

Recycled: The EPA defines recycled paper as paper that contains a minimum of 30% post-consumer waste for most papers, and 10% for coated papers. Unprinted trimming and converting scrap from paper mills is not considered recycled.

Postconsumer waste: This is paper that has already been used for its intended purpose and returned for recycling. Office paper waste makes up the majority of post-consumer waste content.

Chlorine and brightness: "Brightness" is measured by the percentage of light reflected back from the paper. In the past few years, the printing paper industry has been moving towards higher brightness levels by bleaching the paper pulp.

Previously, paper mills used chlorine gas in the bleaching process to attain new brightness levels. However, since this process has been found to cause the release of harmful dioxins into the environment, North American paper mills have converted to safer methods, which can be defined in three categories: Elemental chlorine free indicates virgin or recycled fiber that is bleached with chlorine dioxide or other chlorine compounds. This process significantly reduces hazardous dioxins, but does not completely eliminate them. Processed chlorine free refers to recycled paper in which the recycled content is unbleached or bleached without chlorine or chlorine derivatives.Totally chlorine free indicates that 100 percent virgin fiber is unbleached or bleached with non-chlorine compounds.

Environmental Certification: Many papers are now certified according to the management of the forests from which their virgin paper fibers have originated, or for their lack of use of virgin fiber (high post-consumer content). The two most common designations currently are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative). Papers that are FSC and/or SFI certified have been verified through a rigorous "chain of custody" process to have come from responsibly managed forests. Papers that are Ancient Forest Friendly have been manufactured with a high percentage of post-consumer waste and contain no virgin fiber from old-growth forests.

These most commonly used terms represent a beginning understanding of some of the issues related to recycled paper, and to the processes used in paper manufacture that have an impact on the environment. We will present further information on this important industry-wide issue in future months.

Please email or call us if you have any questions about our recycled options, or other green issues.