Printing Sustainably at Home

Sustainable Printing Methods to Implement at Home

Recently, I enrolled in a Green Graphic Design course and have been diving deep into the dark truths behind paper production, consumption and waste. Sure, I’ve bought recycled paper over the last few years and what I thought was “clean” ink from Amazon, but there’s much more information down to the roots of the paper industry that I was unaware of….until now.

Over the next several months, we plan to produce more content and go into much more detail on this subject, but today we’re going to start with the basics. Most of us have been spending a lot more time at home over the past year and half and have most likely significantly reduced our printing as we’ve been absent from the office. While this is great news, I’m here to share some quick ways on how we can further reduce our carbon footprint…from the paper that we print on all the way down to ordering business cards as we slowly transition back into a world of in person marketing (someday….)

Purchase Recycled Paper, or better yet, FSC Certified

According to the Forest Stewardship Council, the U.S. consumes over 100 million tons of paper each year, with recycled paper making up just 35 percent of that total. One of the ways that we can continue to cut this number down is to encourage paper manufacturers to work with wood suppliers that protect the environment, help to prevent pollution, plant more trees than are harvested and avoid displacing native peoples and harming the wildlife within these communities.

Unfortunately, as with most greenwashing these days, the paper industry is no different. Just because the packaging says “recycled,” doesn’t mean it was harvested from a sustainable source. Your best bet is to purchase paper that includes the FSC label on its packaging, as pictured below.

According to Treehugger, “FSC-certified paper is different from recycled paper, as it is typically composed of virgin tree fibers rather than pre- or post-consumer recycled materials (although recycled paper is sometimes also FSC-certified). But when the wood pulp used to make this paper is sourced from a well-managed forest, it can be just as eco-friendly.”

I encourage you to read more about the certification process here.

Print on Recyclable Paper Stocks or Alternatives

These days, there is no shortage of sustainable paper stocks that offer an affordable and memorable way to market your brand or business. Many manufacturers now offer numerous recycled paper options or seed, cotton, bamboo, hemp, straw and seed paper. By choosing an alternative to tree fibers, you can play a part in reducing waste and decreasing your carbon footprint.

If you’re on the hunt for recyclable business cards or other marketing materials, below are my go-to sources both local to the Seattle area and online that offer sustainable printing options:

Of the Earth Seattle - Eco-friendly invitations and business stationery, all printed on seed paper. This is where I order my business cards from!

Botanical Paper Works - another great supplier of business supplies on seed paper

Moo.com - They offer tree-free business cards that are made from 100% recycled T-shirt offcuts – stuff that normally gets thrown away. You can use code MINTY10 at checkout to get $25 off your first order, too!

Jukebox Print - They offer a bamboo business card option with a letterpress option.

GreenPrinter - Based in Northern California, they offer a variety of lighter text weights and sustainable card stocks for larger scale printing.

More resources are available in our Sustainable Business Guide.

Order from a Local Printer

If you outsource printing for your marketing materials, buy from a printer in your area and ask what types of recycled paper stock they offer. You'll save on shipping costs and support a small business in your community. I’ve even worked with local print shops in my area to supply them with the paper stock and they were able to set up their equipment to print on it.

Limit Your Printing and Go Digital

A home office printer obviously has much less of an impact than a large inkjet office printer. The easiest way to lessen your carbon footprint is to intentionally limit your printing altogether. Many of us (including myself) may be used to an old-school office environment where hard copies of notes or presentations are distributed during a meeting. Every time, without fail, most if not all of these presentations would go straight into the waste bin after the meetings. While no one is perfect, think before you print. Can this be viewed on screen instead of turning it into a short-term waste product?

Within our company, we present all branding and web design concepts to our clients digitally as well as manage all products within our CRM platform, Notion. As the owner, I’ve set my own personal threshold of printing less than 10 pages each month.

As with everything in the eco world, take it one step at a time. Maybe you can share one printer within your household? Maybe you don’t even need a printer at all?

I would love to hear the ways that you have or plan to implement these tips within your small business environment.

And that’s the scoop for now!

🤍 Michelle