When it comes to making labels that are better for the planet, your choice of ink makes all the difference. From colour strength to formulation specifics, there is a long list of factors to consider if you want to inject a splash of green into your CMYK.
Almost any resource that is used in industry impacts the environment. From consuming raw materials, to the energy used in the manufacturing process, or the fuels burned to transport it to your premises, basically everything we do in business produces greenhouse gases in some form or another.
In labelling, the equation is simple: the less ink and substrate you use unnecessarily, the lower your overall environmental impact. However, finding ways to reduce ink consumption and minimise waste while maintaining quality standards is a problem facing label printers worldwide.
The answer lies in using high-strength inks that achieve the desired coverage and brightness at a lower quantity.
PureTone® provides the solution you’ve been searching for. With its high-strength, mono-pigmented series of bases, our flagship UV flexo ink system can achieve cleaner, brighter colours at lower film weights. Essentially, you can use less ink to achieve the outstanding results you expect – saving you money and benefitting the environment by reducing unnecessary consumption.
Similarly, PureTone’s strength makes colour matching simple. When used alongside our bespoke mixing database, the reduced pigment content in the ink provides easy colour control, optimising strength and producing cleaner colours with reduced risk of metamerism. Using PureTone, it’s simple to produce a Delta E of less than two, resulting in less ink being wasted.
The unique strength and boldness of PureTone is the secret behind Fixed Anilox Printing. This revolutionary process uses PureTone alongside our database to help printers produce any spot colour off just one anilox volume. As a result, a fixed anilox set can be installed, allowing presses to run continuously.
Among other benefits, using Fixed Anilox Printing can reduce your ink consumption by up to 30%. Using less ink means less needs to be made – conserving resources, and reducing energy used in manufacturing and transportation, ultimately lowering your carbon footprint.
Reducing waste and consumption is not only limited to UV flexo inks. Water-based inks, like PureAqua®, have a reputation for being more environmentally friendly than the alternatives, and in PureAqua’s case, this is true. Whereas printers using other water-based inks may need multiple ink sets to print on different substrates, PureAqua’s fast-drying, high strength formulation offers a one-ink system that provides a total colour management solution suitable for coated and uncoated papers, thermal papers, and films alike.
This means PureAqua can help you reduce waste and minimise print downtime – benefitting your business and the planet.
It’s becoming easier than ever for printers to make sustainable choices in the ink they use. Using the right solution helps you minimise waste and lower unnecessary consumption. By making your business more resource efficient, you can shrink your environmental impact and set yourself up for a more sustainable 2023.
Partnering with a knowledgeable flexo ink specialist can make all the difference to your organisation’s sustainability strategy. For more information about making more environmentally friendly ink choices, contact our sales team by emailing sales@pulserl.com
