Print reduction

Definition

Minimizes the amount of printed surface.

Overview

At large scale, ink involves the use of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and heavy metals which can have a significant overall environmental impact¹. Reducing the print surface is a way to make packaging more sustainable and reduce costs.

While alternative inks like soy or algae-based inks can reduce the amount of VOCs and heavy metals, the most effective way to reduce the impact of ink is to use less of it¹.

Why choose it

Less ink reduces the amount of VOCs, heavy metals and non-renewable petroleum resin, without requiring any significant shifts to your supply chain³. Ink reduction can cut down on production costs long term, especially if a less complicated design allows you to switch to more widely accessible manufacturing equipment. By extension, this can also help you reduce freight emissions.

Ink formulas for different colors contain varying levels of heavy metals. Consider the following risks when choosing ink colors:

Reds risk containing cadmium and barium
Yellows risk containing cadmium and barium
Whites risk containing zinc and lead
Metallic inks risk high levels of copper and zinc
Blues risk container copper

Barium and Copper in Select PMS Ink Colors (in parts per million)

Source: Green Graphic Design

Why not choose it

Compared to other properties, print reduction isn’t one of the heavy hitters. Any environmental improvement is important, but if you’re looking for one with huge impacts, other properties like recycled content, volume reduction, and weight reduction could be easy wins with larger impacts.

Print reduction may not work for your brand aesthetics. For example, if you prioritized recycled content, then your packaging could have slight color or texture irregularities that you wish to cover up with a flood coat.

Implementing it

If you are using a flood-coated or full bleed print with ink from edge to edge, consider these techniques to minimize ink usage:

Use a positive print instead of a reversed print
To lighten the load of a flood coat, use a pattern. Stripes or dots can go edge to edge and use 50% less ink than a flood coat.
Leave unseen parts of your packaging unprinted
If you are currently printing inside and outside of your box, consider only printing one side.

Another approach is to use fewer colors. Ink formulas for different colors contain varying levels of heavy metals.

An unprinted box exterior may seem less visually appealing, but printed stickers, labels, or tape are alternatives that can produce an appealing effect with lower impact. While they are still printed (and therefore using ink), these adhesive-backed options are more versatile and can be stuck on any packaging item.

If you are shipping in a small box where the shipping label most of your exterior, you’re a perfect contender for eliminating exterior ink.

Frequently asked questions

How can I tell how much surface area my ink is covering?

It’s not an exact science, but there’s an easy way to get an approximation. Open the design file of your proof and measure the surface area of your item. A simple rectangular mailer is easy, but with a box dieline, you should measure each rectangular section and add them up.

In your design file, move all of your elements — illustrations, letters, icons — into one corner (without overlapping). Now, measure the area that they take up. If you’re printing a flood coat with design elements reversed out, you can subtract the design area of your design elements from the total area to calculate coverage.

References

Ian Montgomery. Ask Lumi: Does Soy Ink Actually Make a Difference? (Lumi, 2019)
Tobias Robert. “Green ink in all colors”—Printing ink from renewable resources (Progress in Organic Coatings, 2015)
Reducing VOC solvent use in the Printing Industry (Printing Industries Association of Australia)