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.

There a number of metallic elements found in ink. They include selenium, lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium, mercury and nickel among others. Each of these element is harmful to the environment when used for a prolonged period of time or in large quantities. Chromium is in addition used as part of screen lacquers. This metal has devastating effects on the soil and water sources when washed into the environment.

There are a number of heavy metals found in ink. They include mercury, chromium, cadmium, lead, selenium, nickel and so on. Most of these elements are harmful to the environment particularly when used in large quantities or for prolonged periods of time. Apart from being used for making ink chromium is a component of lacquers used in the screens. It is a known pollutant of both water and soil.

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.

Another areas in which great improvements can be made is in the machine used for the printing process. The main types of printers used currently are the conventional and the digital printers. The former has been known to be very inefficient in terms of water, energy and ink utilization. The digital type conserves each of these raw materials and even creates better impressions on your fabrics.

There are several chemicals employed in the pre-treatment stage. Urea is one of the key chemicals used here. As steaming takes place, the urea is broken down to release carbon dioxide as a by-product. Carbon dioxide has been documented to damage the ozone layer alongside other greenhouse gases. To avoid this effect, one may consider using a special foam which does not contain urea.

During engraving, a significant amount of energy is utilized. When using digital techniques, it is possible to considerably reduce this amount of energy. The other option which can be considered at this stage is the use of pigments as an alternative. Pigments are more efficient because they do not require pre-treatment and can be used for any medium.

It should be emphasized that adopting environmental friendly techniques is not just about the environment but is also a sound business decision. Many consumers are now well informed about chemicals likely to be harmful to their health. They are likely to reject products which have such chemicals. At the same time, governments have tightened regulations in a bid to force the use of sustainable materials and processes.




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