Green printing tip #9: What to look for when selecting a green print vendor?

We're happy to bring you today a new tip on our weekly series of green printing tips, where we bring you in collaboration with Greg Barber, an experienced eco-friendly printer.

Today Greg is answering a question we received from one of our readers. We believe this is a question shared by many businesses and organizations that are looking for a green printer: how to identify one and how to compare between two or more printers with "green" practices.

What to look for when selecting a “green” print vendor?

Tip #9

Here are the questions you should ask:

1. Is the printer FSC certified? That will narrow your search. It takes a lot to be certified.

2. Does the printer stock Environmental paper, and if yes, what grades? If the house stock includes 100% post-consumer waste recycled, that is a strong indication of being environmental.

3. Does the printer use Soy Based or Vegetable Based Inks?

4. Does the printer use 100% non toxic toner for digital?

5. Ask the printer to show you jobs where the FSC emblem was added.

6. Ask the printer iF they are Carbon Neutral. Ask them if they know what that means.

7. Ask the printer if they are Green E certified. That certifies the plants use Wind, Solar or BioGas energy.

If you are not sure of their answers, please consider sending them to me. I am happy to help you pick the right environmental printer for your next job.

If you have any further questions following our tips, or you have a specific question you want us to address, please email us to info@ecolibris.net .

Links to the last three green printing tips:

Green Printing Tip #8 - Does it cost more to print my book on recycled paper?

Green Printing Tip #7 - What is the best alternative if you can't afford to buy Seed paper?

Green Printing Tip #6 - Is Spot Color printing environmentally friendly?

You can find links to all the tips we published so far on our green printing tips page, which is part of our green printing tools & resources.

You can also find further valuable information on Greg Barber Company's website - http://www.gregbarberco.com.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting green printing