Every year, millions of people from all around the globe recognize Earth Day as a day of environmental awareness. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the day, motivating people to evaluate their daily practices and the impact they have on the environment. Today, it is easier to go green than ever before. Small changes in your everyday life, like bringing a water bottle to work instead of a disposable bottle, can make a significant impact on your carbon foot print.
The printing industry is not normally recognized as a leader in conservation, but there are practices that we use everyday at Kopytek that drastically cut down on waste and often lead to extra savings for the customer. Since 1986, we have been a leader in digital printing and have always stressed the advantages that it can offer. Digital printing cuts down on waste by allowing for cost-effective short print runs. In the past with offset printing, the only cost-effective way of printing was to order a large print run, even if there was only a small quantity needed. In many cases, this meant that a stock of the printed pieces were often never used, because they became outdated waiting to be distributed.
Beyond allowing for shorter print runs, digital printing presses also allow for variable data or as we sometimes describe it, “mass customization.” With variable data we are able to customize every printed piece to its recipient’s preferences, like their favorite vacation destination or clothing label. By doing so the printed pieces are more targeted and have a much higher response rate than a static piece, this means that you can print smaller quantities that are highly targeted, and get a better response rate.
At Kopytek we also keep all of the services you need in-house. Keeping services like our mailing department in-house cuts down on the gas and time often associated with moving mail from one facility to the next. In fact when we were constructing our new facility we kept work flow at the forefront of the design. This allowed for maximum efficiency, minimal waste and faster turns around times. We even store paper near the printing press where it will be used to cut down on the energy associated with maintaining a large storehouse.
While we do offer many of the green options like voc free ink, soy-based ink or special types of paper, we provide everyday common sense solutions to be eco-friendly. We can help you make decisions with the design of your piece so it can be sized to reduce paper waste. If you have any further questions about printing and how simple changes can make your project more eco-friendly, we are happy to assist.
