The flipside of this is that pretty much every printer has gone down the green route (or intends to), which, from the outside at least, suggests that sustainability is no longer the differentiator that it once was.

However, anecdotally it seems like sustainability can make a difference and indeed already is. I’ve spoken to a number of different wide-format operators in recent months that pride themselves on their environmental achievements and say that in a pitch, having strong green credentials can be the deciding factor.

 

The findings of my unscientific research were borne out by InfoTrends research published at the end of last year. The research group identified green wide-format printing as one of its top trends for 2011 with just shy of 50% of printers have or intend to produce print in a more environmentally friendly manner. But what's behind this push? Is it concern for the environmental well-being of the world or, rather cynically, is it because the InfoTrends research identified that 45% of printers polled stated that they were getting more requests from customers for green printers?

 

It's difficult to say for sure but one point worth making to printers is if you're going to trade on the strengths of your green leanings make sure you do it in the correct manner. Telling customers that you use FSC or PEFC paper is fine, as is informing them that you've attained some sort of green certification or other. But beware of falling into the trap of using woolly environmental statements or marketing to impress.

 

It's an all too common mistake in the printing industry. So much so that David Shorto, print buyer for Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace has accumulated a collection of the most heinous exponents of 'misleading marketing and meaningless logos' on his website paper.print.environment (www.ppe.uk.net). One of the worst repeat offenders he highlights is 'this paper is recyclable' (after all pretty much all paper is recyclable so it's hardly something to shout from the rooftops about).

 

A visit to Shorto's site is an interesting and worthwhile exercise for any printer looking to successfully pitch itself as a green operator and provide that all important point of difference in a highly competitive market.

 

To read further posts covering environmental issues, click here

 

Find out about the Planet Friendly Guide here ...the most comprehensive one-source document available for screen and wide-format digital printers, containing up-to-date relevant European environmental legislation.