Green printing: Recycling…Sustainability…”Going Green”

There are many terms to describe eco-friendly business practices. But no matter how you label it they all share one purpose: to reduce waste. We’re all looking for ways to improve efficiency and reduce our negative impacts on the environment. But when it comes to your marketing and print material you shouldn’t have to sacrifice quality to be eco-friendly.

Your company’s success is affected by your ability to communicate with potential clients. Don’t lose that connection or dilute your message in an effort to become eco-friendly. Mitchell Graphics makes it easy to fulfill your print and communications needs while maintaining sensitivity for environmental impacts. We offer several basic solutions that improve your literature’s footprint.

Our house stock contains 10% post-consumer recycled content. Not only can unused material be recycled, but selecting paper with recycled content completes the cycle. Don’t worry; you won’t have to compromise quality of stock. Our house stock ranks in quality of brightness among other stock options with no recycled content.

Through the use of vegetable based inks, we’ve reduced the amount of harmful fumes and VOC (or volatile organic compound) emissions that adversely effect the ozone and health of production staff.

Aqueous coating is a non-toxic, water based finish that can be used to achieve either a gloss, dull, or matte finish that is both durable and biodegradable. Not only will the finished product withstand scuffing during folding and fulfillment, but unused pieces can be recycled without worry of harmful effects. As an added benefit, Aqueous coatings require less dry time so production time is decreased putting finished product in your hands faster.

For Mitchell, sustainability is more than a business practice; it has been a major part of our business philosophy for many years. In an industry that normally produces a multitude of waste we’ve taken steps to recycle and reuse paper, cardboard, ink, metal, plastic bagging and wooden pallets. In 2009 we recycled 111.6 tons of paper and cardboard stock and 1,414 gallons of combustible liquids, earning Emmet County’s Recycler of the Year award.

Gary Fedus, President of Mitchell Graphics, explains “Not only is it a matter of being thrifty, but of recognizing where waste is going and the impact on future generations.”