How to ensure your print is as effective, efficient and as sustainable as it can be

We’re here to make printing as simple as possible.

We know that there is a lot to take in when ordering print. That’s why we’ve put together some useful advice to help you ensure your print is as effective, efficient as as sustainable as it can be.

Paper stock – free advice and samples

We work with paper every single day.

We are experts at identifying the best solution for you, as there can be lots of different considerations. Weight of the paper, the finish, the texture – there’s a lot to think about.

So ask your printing company for advice – we can also suggest alternatives if you are looking for the most efficient way to produce your print.

Plus – we can arrange samples directly from the paper company as well and even unprinted dummy booklets – We don’t charge for these, it’s a free service for our clients.

Where is your printing and finishing actually taking place?

It’s always worth checking with your printing company WHERE your print is taking place.

It might seem like a silly question, but many printing companies will “Print manage” some of their work where larger jobs will be outsourced to another printer – sometimes elsewhere in the UK, racking up additional miles as your print is transported around the country.

Sometimes this can add extra time to a job, but most importantly if something was to go wrong then the accountability is being passed on which can lead to further delays.

We’re really proud not to print manage – we print all everything in our factory right here in Cornwall, with the exception of some specialist binding, which is very rare.

Plus with our latest investment in specialist finishing such as Spot UV and Foiling equipment, we don’t have to outsource any aspects of your printing.

With SAPC, you are never more than one person away from the expert actually producing your print.

Ask your printing company for a press pass – this is an opportunity to watch your project being printed and a chance to check the colours. Plus, it’s an exciting experience to see your project coming to life too.

Size matters – Choose an optimum size to save on waste

All printing jobs are laid up onto a large sheet, which is then cut down to the appropriate size.

Therefore, you want to pick a size that makes the most of all the space, because you’re still paying for the paper that doesn’t get printed on.

If you stick to A4/A5, or B4/B5 or even something like a 210mm x 210mm square format then this will make the most of the paper available.

This means you will pay for less sheets.

Questions to ask your Printing Company about sustainability

There’s lots of ways you can ensure your print is as environmentally-friendly and responsible as it can be. So here are a few helpful questions you could ask your printing company.

First of all, make sure the paper stock you choose is sustainably-sourced or recycled.

The FSC® is the Forest Stewardship Council. If you choose an FSC® stock then this offers a full audit trail. So we can trace your paper stock right the way back to the tree it was sourced from, and it’s a guarantee that it’s come from a managed forest.

If your printing company is FSC® certified then ask if you can place the FSC® logo and the company’s licence code on your artwork as a demonstration of your commitment to the environment.

Another accreditation worth looking for is ISO 14001.

This is a certification based on our environmental management system. They come and do a full audit and report every year to make sure the systems that are in place to ensure the company’s impact on the environment is minimal.

This of course provides assurance that environmental impact is being measured and improved.

Do they use vegetable-based inks?

These are like normal inks, work exactly the same way – but without any of the nasty chemicals.

Plus, any leftover ink can be recycled as fuel in power stations, or hardener in concrete.

Do they use green energy?

Printing is a very energy-intensive operation, so it’s worth checking with your printing company if they use green energy?

Even better if they produce their own energy – like we do! We’ve recently installed a massive Solar Panel array across two buildings to help power our factory.

Print Managed? Does the company actually printing the project share the same credentials?

If you’ve picked a company because they shout about how environmental they are, but then they farm it out to another company – ask the question; “Does the company doing my printing share the same eco-credentials?”

When you choose St Austell Printing Company as your printing partner, not only do you get exceptional print – but you get a wealth of experience from our friendly printing team who are committed to helping you create printed products which exceed your expectations.

We hope this has helped you with a few hints and tips on how to make sure your printing is as efficient and sustainable as it can be.

We are very happy to advise, whatever your project may be – Please feel free to get in contact with our experts, we’re happy to help.