Summary:
To make better choices about the print products you use every day, think about how long each material takes to break down and whether it can be recycled locally. Most uncoated paper decomposes within a few months, while coated paper, plastics, vinyl, banner films, and synthetic sheets take much longer to decompose. Some can last for centuries in the right conditions. Digital printing makes professional printing more accurate and efficient for eco-conscious, small-to-medium print runs.
| Time to Read |
|
| What You’ll Learn |
|
| Next Steps |
|
The printing industry tends to get a bad rap for generating waste, and up until a decade or two ago, that reputation wasn’t entirely unfounded. Older offset and letterpress printers were much less efficient time and material-wise, and often produced significantly more waste.
Today, digital printing is helping print shops like ours reduce the total time and material it takes to get great results on any size run. They’re more accurate, take less time to set up, and give you a greater range of substrate options so you can choose the best possible option for your needs and the planet.
We want to help you make smarter choices about the print products you use day-to-day so you can be a part of the solution and feel good about what you order. Use the free tool below to explore how different materials stack up, which can be recycled, and when paper or synthetics might make more sense.
FAQs About Low-Impact Print Products
1. Is paper always the more eco-friendly choice?
No! It’s easy to assume paper is the greenest option because uncoated paper is widely recycled and made from renewable resources. If your prints need to last or are regularly exposed to moisture, it can actually be a less eco-friendly choice than synthetic because you go through more copies over time.
Paper works best for items like:
- Indoors-only flyers
- Monthly planners
- Envelopes
- Notepads
Products like these live indoors and don’t usually get wet, barring the odd coffee cup catastrophe, and can be tossed into the recycling bin when they’re no longer needed. Vinyl, BOPP, and other synthetics work better for anything that needs to hold up to Canada’s wild weather, condensation, or spills.
2. Does Little Rock™use sustainable printing technology?
At Little Rock™, we use advanced digital printers like the Ricoh Pro C9500. Digital printers like these are more efficient and sustainable for all but the largest runs because there’s no need for harsh chemicals or custom plates on each project.
They also help us:
- Handle projects of any kind without time-consuming setup processes
- Lower the amount of chemicals we need to dispose of after the fact
- Cut and slice materials more accurately, so less substrate ends up in the trash
- Produce clean, consistent prints without ink drift, splotches, and other errors
Making the process more reliable helps the planet, but it also lets us work more efficiently and keep costs reasonable for you. That’s a win for both sides!
3. Does printing less make a difference?
Yes. It might seem sensible to order more than you need “just in case,” but the reality is that copies like these often end up in the trash. Starting with a smaller run helps reduce waste by making sure you’re only producing what you actually need.
It’s also a smart way to:
- Test your design in person or in different lighting
- Get feedback from others before you order a larger run
- Reduce the amount of stock you need to store or dispose of later
- Help you make more responsible choices about using print products
Little Rock’s™ low-minimum print runs give you the flexibility to experiment without committing to thousands of copies first. Use the code FREEPROOF to get the first one on us!
4. Why do some products say “Maybe” for recyclability?
Coroplast signs, PVC banners, BOPP, and other synthetics can technically be recycled, but the process is costly and not widely available yet in some areas of Canada. If your city or town doesn’t have the right infrastructure in place, they might end up in the landfill instead.
Check your municipality’s recycling website or waste app to see what’s accepted at the curb. In some areas, you may have better luck reaching out to a business waste processing company like Miller Waste or TerraCycle.
5. How does Little Rock™ approach sustainability in-house?
At Little Rock™, we make every effort to recycle old ink cartridges, invest in recycled papers, and ensure that equipment like out-of-service printers doesn’t end up in the landfill. Avoiding 100% of all waste in print isn’t realistic, but taking steps like these do help us get closer to that goal.
6. What if I’m not sure which substrate I want?
We can help with that!
Just send us a message and request a Paper Sample Kit. It’s an easy way to get hands-on with different options before you place an order. Let us know in the special instructions or send us a message if you’re looking for samples of any specialty materials, and we’ll do our best to help.
Or, check out how they look in this video:
WATCH: Little Rock Printing: Sample Kits
Lower Your Environmental Impact With Little Rock™
You don’t need to be an environmental expert or printing industry guru to make smarter choices about the way you use print products day-to-day. Learning about common substrates like paper, cardstock, vinyl, and poster board can help you pick options that look great, perform well, and lower your impact, too.
If you’re ready to move forward with your order now, send us your files. Have questions about the sustainability of a material or if our substrates are recycled? Send us a message instead.
