ACCENT / BLOG

When designing for print, designers will often look for creative ways to economize for budgetary reasons; sometimes a clever tweak to a design can help the project to maximize the space on a single sheet of paper, use less ink or reduce the cost of postage. 

But it’s not just costs designers are concerned about; there are environmental reasons to think this way, too. Strategically creating print pieces to reduce environmental impact starts in the concept phase, but designers have the power to reduce and reuse throughout the process, especially when specifying job requirements to their print partners. 

Here are four steps that you can take to make your next print project more sustainable.

WELCOME BACK TO OUR DIGITAL PRINT EXPERT

If you’ve been a Digital Dish subscriber for a while, then you probably remember Rick Williams, Digital Print Expert. For years, Rick dished out his digital knowledge for our email subscribers in fun, food-themed nuggets. He’s covered topics ranging from untreated vs. treated papers to how to optimize performance on a new digital press, and he also taught our Master Class on digital and inkjet printing.

If you’re looking for a high ROI on your next print project, choosing the right print partner can make all the difference. But if you’ve never worked with a particular print services provider before, then how can you be sure they’ll be a good fit? 

To help you evaluate your options, here are four questions that you can ask prospective printers.

Almost all of the world’s paper comes from trees. It’s a basic fact you probably learned as a child: trees are one of the world’s greatest renewable resources. We harvest trees to make paper, which can then be recycled. Meanwhile, new trees are constantly being planted, providing a home for wildlife and helping to purify our air and drinking water. It’s an idyllic picture of sustainable manufacturing, but is all paper made responsibly?

Direct mail volumes are up, returning to and even surpassing pre-pandemic levels. And it’s no surprise that marketers are putting more of their dollars in direct mail; with digital advertising prices going up, direct mail has become the more cost-effective choice. And it also performs better — direct mail response rates are 5 to 9 times higher than any other marketing channel.