At Ecover we ensure that all of our marketing materials are printed on recycled or sustainably sourced paper. Our print broker Four Corners Print ensure that any printer we use follows strict environmental guidelines and care for the environment is firmly established priority. To further guarantee that our printed materials are produced as sustainably as possible we request printers who have signed up to Responsible Print. This means the printer has to adhere to the following standards:
- The printer is ISO 14001 accredited
- The paper is virgin fibre from sustainably farmed forests, or may have recycled content which is specified alongside the logo
- All inks used are vegetable based
- Any gloss or matt laminates used are biodegradable and compostable
- The paper usage, including production waste, has been measured and a payment has been made to offset the CO2 released when the paper was made
For example one of the printers we use focus on:
- Energy saving
- Water conservation
- Reduction of chemicals and emissions
- Waste minimisation
They are the first printer in the UK to install a voltage optimizer to reduce their power consumption. They recycle 88% of all their waste, water consumption has been reduced by 63.3% since 1995 and through Future Forests they have also become the first Carbon Neutral printer in the world.
Over the years they have introduced over 100 different initiatives in favour of the environment. This has resulted in them achieving one of the most comprehensive Environmental Management Systems (EMS) available anywhere and in 1999 they were awarded Millennium Product status by the Design Council.
Their EMS includes:
- No harmful isopropyl alcohol (IPA) used in the printing process
- Vegetable based inks
- Very low CO2 emissions of 1.4 tonnes per million sheets
- Excellent recycling rates for wet and dry waste
- No film or film processing chemicals used
- All electricity is generated from renewable sources
- Holding Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) chain of Custody
- They have also been awarded the coveted Queen's Award for Enterprise for their work in sustainable development.
