Top 5 Most Sustainable Inks for Flexographic Printing

22 10 月 Top 5 Most Sustainable Inks for Flexographic Printing

Are your flexographic press inks eco-friendly? Discover how the five sustainable inks that can help you create a more nature-approved printing production.  

Using the right ink plays a very important role when it comes to any printing operations, especially when using a flexographic press. But did you know that there are inks you can use for sustainable printing? These inks are not only eco-friendly but can lead us your company to reduced printing costs, improved company branding, and even increased loyalty of the consumers.

To guarantee eco-friendly printing production and help your business stand out even more, here’s a list of the top sustainable inks that you should start using on your flexographic press.  

1. Algae Ink

At present, algae ink is at the forefront of innovation in the domain of inks—noting that this ink has pigments made from the most advanced of renewable derivative which is the algae cell. Another reason behind the said claim is that most of the companies that produce algae ink use waste stream as the starting line of their production facility. 

What’s even more fascinating with this ink is that it requires no special handling. Moreover, the black ink from algae cells is found to be darker and more UV-resistant than the usual black ink of other types. 

Lastly, for business owners needing bulk production and makes use of the flexographic press, know that algae inks can be cleansed easily off of your flexographic plates than any other ink out there! With flexographic printing machines and algae ink, not only do you help save the environment but you also get to save time on your production!

2. Water-based Ink

Water-based ink is free from harmful chemicals and is recommended not only to business owners operating with flexographic printing machines but also to owners prioritizing the health of their employees as well. 

Aside from having no harsh chemicals, water-based inks are also known to produce high-quality results. The reason behind this is that water-based solvents tend to be absorbed deeper within various types of substrates which are commonly used with a flexographic press. Therefore, with a flexographic printing machine and water-based ink, you can guarantee impressive detail and quality print —all while being able to leave no harmful solvents in the environment. 

3. Soy Ink

Besides the obvious knowledge that soy ink is made from renewable sources, soy ink is also less costly to grow compared to other alternatives. One more advantage of using soy inks is that it can degrade 400% faster than other inks, such as those made from petroleum. 

This only proves that soy ink is biodegradable and leaves no harmful impact to the environment compared to other inks.. 

4. Vegetable-based Ink

Made from oils of flax, safflower, and canola, vegetable-based ink has a lot of unique advantages. First is that it is not restricted to one vegetable crop only. Another is it can print impressively well on recycled paper. Thus, if you’re also planning to make use of recycled papers for your production, then using a vegetable-based ink might serve as the best option for you. 

Soy and vegetable-based inks also come out on top when it comes to their role in the recycling process. Not only do these inks print incredibly well onto recycled paper, but there is greater ease of removal of these inks from wastepaper during de-inking in the recycling process of paper.

5. UV Ink

Wondering if you can deliver quality printing without the toxins? Then UV ink is the best choice for you! Made from two-part acrylic epoxy, UV ink offers an instant drying process. So if you’re someone who wants to save time while working on your flexographic press, UV inks might just be your most valuable printing partner. .