Behind the Scenes: What Makes a Truly Eco-Friendly Printing Company

A single weekly emptied dumpster serves the entirety of a 34,000-square-foot commercial printing facility with over 40 employees operating two shifts on a daily basis.

This isn’t marketing hype—it’s the reality of what happens when a printing company genuinely commits to eco-friendly, green printing practices. While many printers claim to offer “green printing,” the difference between superficial sustainability and true environmental responsibility becomes clear when you look behind the curtain at their daily operations.

 

The Sustainability Puzzle

 

True sustainability in printing isn’t achieved through a single eco-friendly initiative. Instead, it requires what industry veteran Mike Ribaudo of Kase Printing describes as a “puzzle” with multiple interconnected pieces.

“Sustainability isn’t just one thing—it’s like putting together a puzzle with many essential pieces,” Ribaudo explains. “Sourcing responsible papers is one piece. Another is team commitment throughout the entire organization, from ownership and management to press operators. Even vendor partnerships form a crucial piece. True sustainability happens when everyone works together with a shared environmental purpose.”

This comprehensive approach means that environmentally friendly printing companies address sustainability at every stage of the printing process:

• Responsible sourcing of recycled paper and materials
• Energy-efficient presses and equipment
• Vegetable-based and soy-based inks
• Water-based coatings instead of high-VOC alternatives
• Comprehensive recycling systems
• Digital workflows that reduce waste
• Staff training and environmental awareness

When evaluating green printing companies, this holistic approach separates genuine sustainability leaders from those making superficial claims. A truly eco-friendly print services provider demonstrates environmental commitment throughout their operation, not just in their marketing materials.

 

Waste Management Systems That Make a Difference

 

Perhaps nothing reveals a printer’s environmental commitment more clearly than their waste management practices. In conventional printing facilities, waste often ends up in landfills. By contrast, eco-friendly printing companies implement sophisticated recycling systems.

“We have three different compactors. We have a coated paper compactor, we have an uncoated paper compactor, and we have a trim waste compactor,” Ribaudo describes. “Each of those three separate containers is put into three separate channels in the recycling stream.”

This careful separation means each type of paper gets recycled the right way and to the correct recycling channel, cutting down the environmental impact of every job that runs through the shop.

 The system extends beyond paper to include:

• Aluminum printing plates collected and sent to metal recyclers
• Ink containers cleaned and reused
• Binding “grind” (paper dust from book trimming) collected for recycling
• Pallets are either reused or sent to wood recyclers
• Cardboard packaging is broken down and recycled

The result? “We have 34,000 square feet. We have 40-45 employees,” Ribaudo points out. “And we have one dumpster that gets picked up just once a week…and it’s never overflowing with anything.”

This minimal landfill waste represents the gold standard for eco-friendly printing companies. When considering a green printer for your books, brochures, or other printing needs, asking about their waste management practices can reveal their true commitment to sustainability.

 

Technological Evolution and Environmental Impact

 

The printing industry has undergone a remarkable technological transformation that has dramatically reduced its environmental impact. Modern eco-friendly printing services utilize technologies that eliminate many of the harmful chemicals once common in the printing process.

“Back when I started, it was very common to do a four-color printed cover on an offset press. And in order to proof that cover, you had to produce this thing called the 3M Matchprint, which used multiple layers of plastic and wasn’t very environmentally friendly at all,” Ribaudo recalls.

Today’s digital printing presses and inkjet proofing systems have eliminated these environmentally harmful processes:

• Digital proofing replaces chemical-based proofs
• Water-based inkjet technology eliminates harmful solvents
• Laser-imaged printing plates eliminate film negatives containing plastic and silver metals
• Process-free plate technology eliminates developer chemicals
• Vegetable-based and soy-based inks replace petroleum-based products

Perhaps the most significant technological advancement is the shift to on-screen proofing. “The most sustainable proofing option is viewing proofs on screen,” Ribaudo explains. “If you’re a regular client, you’ve experienced how accurately our color printing matches your files, so you can confidently skip the hard proof altogether and approve your proofs instantly online.”

This transition has dramatically reduced material consumption: “Two-thirds of our jobs used to require hard copy proofs. Now, literally like 5% of our jobs require a hard-copy proof.”

For businesses seeking eco-friendly printing services, working with companies that embrace these technologies ensures their printing projects have the smallest possible environmental footprint.

 

The Human Element Means Staff and Management Commitment to Green Printing

 

Walk through a truly eco-friendly print shop and you’ll notice something that technology alone can’t create—a culture of environmental responsibility that touches every corner of the operation.

“It’s 7:30 in the morning and I’m watching our press operator finish a job on one of our large format presses,” Ribaudo recalls. “He’s carefully separating the make-ready sheets from the good job sheets, placing the extra make-ready sheets he pulled into the appropriate bin for depositing in the correct compactor. Nobody’s watching him—he just knows it matters.  And, as you walk through the pressroom, gone are the offensive odors of the high VOC chemicals that were once used in the printing process of the old days.”

This scene repeats throughout the day across the facility. In the bindery, where hard cover and softcover books and booklets take their final form, workers collect the fine paper dust—known as “grind”—that results from trimming perfect-bound books. This powder-like material would be easy to sweep into the trash, but instead, it’s gathered and recycled.

“The grind gets collected in special containers,” Ribaudo explains. “It looks like powder, but it doesn’t go in our dumpster. Our recycling partner takes it for entering into the recycling process downstream.”

In the prepress department, technicians have transformed their workflows to reduce waste before printing even begins.  Gone are the layers of plastic material, masking tape, clear and colored ruby overlays, harmful spray mount adhesives, film flats, and film and printing plate processing chemicals that were once synonymous with offset printing of decades now passed.

Digital printing presses now allow for precise print runs that eliminate the excess copies once the production standard operating procedure in offset printing. This reduction in paper waste saves thousands of pounds of paper annually from being entered into the recycling stream, plus it saves the wasted labor and wasted energy required to produce those excess materials.

The company’s management demonstrates commitment by investing in energy-efficient equipment that uses less energy and produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions. These decisions often come with higher upfront costs but align with the company’s environmental goals.

Even the sales team contributes to this environmental ecosystem. When clients call about custom printed folders, calendars, or brochures, representatives don’t just quote prices—they educate customers about eco-friendly options like uncoated FSC® Certified paper, chlorine-free processing, and paper stocks that contain pre-and-post consumer recycled fiber.

We had a client who wanted to print 5,000 calendars,” Ribaudo shares. “Our sales rep suggested using and FSC Certified, post-consumer waste paper stock and soy and vegetable-based inks. The client was worried about quality, so we showed them samples. They couldn’t tell the difference but loved knowing their project would save gallons of water and reduce toxic chemicals in the environment.”

When press operators take pride in their environmentally conscious company, when the entire print production team understands their role in sustainability, the result is print services that truly deserve the label “eco-friendly.”

 

Certification and Accountability

 

Third-party certifications provide accountability and verification that a printer’s environmental claims are legitimate. For eco-friendly printing companies, these certifications demonstrate their commitment to sustainable practices.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) certification stands as one of the most recognized environmental credentials in the printing industry. Maintaining this certification requires rigorous documentation and regular audits.

“It’s an exhaustive, no-stone-unturned audit,” Ribaudo describes. “They conduct a thorough on-site inspection at our facility that lasts an entire day. They meticulously examine all our paperwork and scrutinize every piece of documentation they request.”

This certification process creates accountability throughout the production workflow:

• Paper sourcing must be documented and verified
• Production tickets must track FSC materials
• The FSC logo must be used according to strict guidelines
• Staff must be trained on proper procedures
• Records must be maintained for annual audits

“If you fail to adhere to these guidelines, there are serious compliance consequences,” Ribaudo warns.

 

Wastewater Testing

 

Beyond paper certification, truly eco-friendly printing companies often pursue additional environmental verifications. Some undergo regular testing of their wastewater by local authorities to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.

Kase Printing is located in Hudson, New Hampshire. “Any material that’s gone through a production process, if it’s a fluid, it is checked and approved  by the City of Hudson, New Hampshire, and it’s audited quarterly,” Ribaudo explains. “They come in, they check it, they take the MSDS sheet, they go back, they confer, and they say that is fine to put down the drains of the building.  That would never happen (at least not legally) with the chemicals used in the printing processes of the olden days.”

These accountability measures ensure that environmental claims are backed by verified practices, not just marketing rhetoric.

 

Evaluating an Eco-Friendly Printing Company & Checklist What to Look For

 

Looking beyond marketing claims requires asking the right questions. We’ve put together this guide to eco-friendly printing services. When evaluating green printing companies, consider these key indicators of genuine environmental commitment:

1.     Comprehensive waste management systems

• • How do they handle different types of paper waste?
  • What happens to used printing plates, ink containers, and other materials?
  • How much waste actually goes to landfill?

2.     Modern, eco-friendly technology

• • Do they offer the option of using digital printing presses that reduce waste?
  • Have they eliminated chemical-heavy processes?
  • Do they offer digital proofing options?

3.     Ink and coating choices

• • Do they use vegetable-based or soy-based inks?
  • Have they eliminated high-VOC coatings?
  • Are their processes designed to reduce volatile organic compounds?

4.     Staff knowledge and commitment

• • Can employees speak knowledgeably about sustainability practices?
  • Is recycling clearly implemented throughout the facility?
  • Does management demonstrate commitment to environmental goals?

5.     Third-party certifications

• • Do they maintain FSC or other environmental certifications?
  • Can they provide documentation of their sustainable practices?
  • Are they transparent about their environmental impact?

6.     Client education

• • Do they proactively discuss sustainable printing options?
  • Can they suggest ways to reduce the environmental footprint of your project?
  • Do they help clients balance cost considerations with environmental goals?

 

A printer that excels in these areas demonstrates genuine commitment to eco-friendly printing practices, not just superficial “green” marketing.

 

Finding Environmentally Sustainable Print Services

 

The most sustainable printing companies approach environmental responsibility as a puzzle with many interconnected pieces. By addressing sustainability throughout their operations—from paper sourcing to waste management—they minimize their environmental footprint while delivering exceptional print quality.

Look beyond marketing claims to examine actual practices reveals which printing companies genuinely deserve the label “eco-friendly.” Partner with these environmentally conscious printers to produce beautiful, high-quality print materials while supporting responsible environmental practices.

In the words of Mike Ribaudo, sustainability requires that “everybody works together in a concerted way”—printers, clients, suppliers, and staff all contributing to a more environmentally responsible printing industry.

Partner with a truly eco-friendly printer for your next project. Kase Printing’s comprehensive sustainability program includes specialized recycling systems, vegetable-based inks, and energy-efficient presses.