When considering your options for the next large graphics project, you should become familiar with the environmentally-friendly process “UV direct printing.” This process is also known as UV flatbed printing or direct-to-substrate printing. UV direct printing is one method for printing large format graphics. This particular process allows you to choose which substrate to print on, as long as its under two inches thick. This process is durable to the elements, printed with earth-friendly inks, no off-gassing, and can be printed onto earth-friendly flat substrates. You can get to choose which recycled or recylcable material such as glass, wood, plastics, metals, and other rigid substrates.

LED light source + UV Printer + UV aqueous inks + recycled print materials =

                             SUSTAINABLE GRAPHICS

 

1. If your print provider has an LED light source with their UV printer; LED’s are known to be energy savers.  LED lights operate on only 20% of the energy required of any conventional UV lamp. You should also note that LED’s do not contain mercury nor do they produce ozone.
2. During the old method of photo print production, there was always large amounts of water consumption because of the big wash water tanks, in addition to the consumption created in chemical mixing. UV direct print production does not use water nor processing tanks.
3. UV direct does use aqueous-based inks not solvent-based. Most importantly,  these UV inks have little to no VOC’s.
4. The instant dry from UV curing not only prevents dot gain and smudging, but also offers no time to off-gas into the environment.
5. The final print is fully recyclable.
6. This UV direct process creates a rock hard durable surface; therefore, no lamination is required.  Removing this step means lower weight and shipping costs. This characteristic ultimately saves time, money, and cargo costs creating a  lesser carbon footprint.