Going Green with Digital

Digital Printing Going Green with Digital

With Digital print’s plateless technology, there is no need for tooling costs. This not only saves brands on cost, but it also has advantages for the environment. Read on to discover more!

Why Sustainability Matters

Consumers today demand greater and more ardent responses from vendors on their sustainability efforts. Brands need to take the lead on seeking ways to lower their carbon footprint, reduce pollution and be responsible citizens of the world.

In response, brands are putting sustainability objectives at the top of their agenda and most companies have set goals around sustainability policies and printed materials. Digital printing is well placed to help reach these goals by reducing waste and lessening the environmental impact of printing.

75%

of Millennials & Gen Z only engage with brands that protect the Earth Brands are responding to environmental legislation & stricter consumer demands

Governments are accelerating new sustainability regulations The transition to a circular economy is driving change in packaging

Sustainability in printing

Whether environmental impacts are a driver for choosing digital printing from the outset or simply an add-on benefit downstream, digital printing offers clear advantages in this area.

Traditional printing has some environmental impacts throughout the process, including: • Plate production • Plate cleaning (including high water requirements) • Disposal of plates after use • Wasted packaging due to changes, outdated materials or printing more than needed.

With digital, you print only what you need, where and when you need it. From long runs and large inventories that may go unsold, to short-run, on-demand printing, it’s the nature of digital to make printing more sustainable. Advantages include: • The ability to prevent and reduce waste because of the minimal print setup. • Overall less material & energy usage by avoiding the need for plates/cylinders and its cleaning.

At MCC we aim to provide our customers with the most optimum label offering that is also going to provide the most sustainable solution. This is not only taking into account the label construction but also the way this is produced. We optimize our supply chain and production process, by maintaining a continuous improvement approach in each facility globally. Where our aim is to reduce energy and water usage, as well as implementing waste reduction strategies. For lower volumes, digital printing is the perfect solution to provide a high quality label that is produced in a sustainable way. MCC has digital presses across the globe and the number is still increasing. MCC invests in presses that are designed to work as sustainable as possible and use water recycling in combination with green cooling systems. The last additions to our digital printing assets were even produced in a carbon neutral way.

“With its capacity for short runs and just-in-time production, digital print offers the opportunity to reduce scrap and waste, leading to a lower carbon footprint.”

Stijn Billiet, Global Director of Sustainability at MCC

Create efficiencies via short run printing

• By integrating technology in supply chain • To lower costs and avoid minimum order quantities • Launch NPDs and better manage tail SKUs

Amplify sustainability messaging via consumers

• To accelerate sales • To strengthen consumer engagement via personalization

Want to learn about more sustainable label solutions?

Request our Sustainability Roadmap