Green Printing Myth’s

There’s a lot of information about green printing online these days, some of which is just not true. Here we explore the top five myths about green printing.

1. Green printing is a lot more expensive.

Although green printing has normally been more expensive, that’s not necessarily the case any longer. At Kestrel Printing, we have been able to lower our prices to make them competitive with traditional printers – in some cases, our prices now can actually be lower.

2. Recycled paper results in lower quality.

This is another myth that might have been true five years ago, but it’s not anymore. Today, a high-quality recycled paper is virtually indistinguishable from its “virgin” counterpart, and our customers regularly tell us that they’re impressed with the quality of our final printed product.  We are more than happy to send out samples of our ‘Green’ papers so that Clients can see what they are getting.

3. All recycled papers are the same.

A paper may be 30% recycled but have zero post consumer waste content. Post-consumer waste is what most of us would consider “recycled” content: Paper that has been used and tossed in the recycle bin. When choosing a paper, it’s good to look at not just the recycled content, but also the post-consumer waste content. Nearly all of the papers we use at Kestrel Printing consist of at least 50% post-consumer waste.

4. Going green means not printing.

Yes, there are times when not printing is a better choice. Most people would much rather have their photos and documents stored on their smartphone, tablet or desktop device. However, there are also times when printing is necessary. Most of us would not show up to a networking event without business cards or go to a trade show without marketing collateral. Banners, signage, labels. the list goes on. On these occasions, printing green is the best way to go.

5. All green printers are the same.

Would you say that there’s a difference between a printer who only provides recycled paper upon request vs. one who carries only recycled paper as the house stock? How about between a printer whose green practices have been independently verified by third-party audits vs. one who hasn’t? These are just some of the ways in which “green printers” can actually be quite different.

Want to know more about sustainable printing and responsible manufacturing? Email us anytime.