The increasing demand for sustainable practices among consumers and retailers has led to a need for businesses to align with environmental goals. While major brands like Nestlé and General Mills heavily invest in sustainable packaging and regenerative practices, many small and medium-sized brands are seeking to reduce carbon footprint without overhauling their operations or incurring high costs.
To become more sustainable, smaller brands must first evaluate their existing processes (such as packaging materials and sourcing methods) and consider energy consumption. By collaborating with manufacturers that provide sustainable options like digital printing, a partnership can be made. Digital printing’s environmental benefits make it a prime opportunity for brands of all sizes to consider, as discussed below.
1. Digital Printing Significantly Reduces Emissions
It is important to consider the environmental impact of various packaging methods, including CO2 emissions. Digital printing has a much lower carbon footprint than traditional printing methods. Why? Greenhouse gases are reduced in the production process thanks to the development of carbon-neutral presses, which are now widely used in advanced digital printing technology.
Digital printing offers brands the opportunity to reduce emissions and deliver top-notch packaging solutions. This approach is responsible for promoting environmental sustainability.
2. Less Waste with Digital Printing
The use of physical printing plates is no longer necessary in digital printing, unlike traditional methods. With every redesign, the plate wears out and requires replacement, resulting in waste of material. Direct digital printing, similar to a home printer, is available for uploading and printing designs. This method decreases the amount of material needed and reduces waste generated during setup.
Digital printing’s sustainability is attributed to the lower amount of materials used and the less waste generated.
3. Minimize the Volume of Waste and Obsolete Packaging
One of the primary advantages of digital printing is its print-on-demand feature. This allows brands to print multiple SKUs in a single production run, produce small quantities instead of holding large inventories of potentially obsolete packaging. When faced with a change in formula, rebranding, or regulatory requirements, digital printing ensures that only the items you need are printed. This is true for all types of projects.
Besides safeguarding unused packaging from being sent to the dump, this also generates savings that can be used for other areas of your business.
4. Sustainable Materials and Inks
Besides reducing waste, digital printing uses sustainable materials and eco-friendly ink. Why? Inks made from polymers that do not contain hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) are commonly used on digital presses. These inks are more energy-efficient and emit fewer greenhouse gases than traditional printing inkers that use solvent-based or UV-curable in paints.
Moreover, digital printing makes use of environmentally friendly packaging materials such as recyclable films or those made from post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin. The environmental impact is mitigated by the use of these materials to prevent plastic from being sent to landfills.
How Does Digital Printing Support Your Brand’s Sustainability Goals?
A small and medium-sized business can achieve sustainability goals without brand rebranding, thanks to the convenience of digital printing. Through the use of digital printing, resources are conserved and production is simplified, while also delivering superior packaging with less environmental impact.
By using digital printing, brands can better meet their environmental goals and more sustainable demands, compared to traditional printing methods.
Employ Eco-Friendly Digital Printing with Colorful Packaging
We offer flexible packaging that is digitally printed and customized, ensuring sustainability while maintaining quality. Our digital printing solutions cater to a wide range of designs, from prototypes to large-scale runs.