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Tuesday 10 November 2015

Basics Of Digital Printing That Is Eco Friendly

By Mattie Knight


There is pressure from all quarters to adopt manufacturing techniques which promote environmental conservation. Fabric printing is one of the areas which has been put in the spotlight due to the damage which has long been attributed to the use of inks. The good news is that there are many alternative materials and processes which can be adopted. We will look at some of the characteristics of digital printing that is eco friendly.

Selecting ink requires which you take a number of things into consideration. The ink selected should be free from the harmful metallic elements or have them in very little quantities. In addition they should have great versatility as to be used with any type of materials such as cotton, nylon, rayon and silk. Ensure the ink can be used for a wide range of colors so as to improve on the efficiency.

Ink selection should be done with due diligence. Today, there are many types of water-based inks which are friendlier to the environment. The ink chosen should be versatile as relates to the materials on which it can be used. Choose one that can be used for materials such as silk, rayon, cotton and nylon. In addition, it should be usable with any color.

Water is an important input in the printing process. Unfortunately, most of this water goes to waste. The trend is to use water treatment systems which make it possible for the water to be used many times over. Recycling the water will not only help in environmental conservation but will help lower your operation costs significantly. It has been shown that more than 60% of water can be recycled and used at various stages.

You need to re-evaluate the type of printer you are using in your firm. Two main types of the machine exist; digital and conventional. The conventional type is the most widely used. It has greater inefficiency in terms of water, energy and ink use. Replacing it with the digital type will without a doubt achieve greater conservation of these raw materials while maintaining high quality imprints on fabrics.

Quite a number of chemicals are used during pre-treatment. Urea is the most important chemical here. As the urea is broken down during steaming carbon dioxide is released into the environment. The gas has well-known effects on the ozone and its reduction should be minimized as much as possible. There is a special foam available to be used in place of the urea. This foam is more eco-friendly.

During the engraving stage, a lot of energy is used. With digital based technologies, however, less amount of energy is used. This helps lower the amount of energy required. Another option is to turn to pigments as an alternative for ink. Pre-treatment is not required hence it is possible to save on energy. They also have the advantage of being used with virtually any type of medium.

Using sustainable techniques should be looked at as a win-win situations for the environment and the business. Many consumers are wary of products which have potential harmful effects on their health and will for this reason avoid them. Many governments are providing incentives for eco-friendly industries and increasing the taxes. It is increasingly becoming expensive not to go green.




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