Products

Australian Green Printers Directory

It's well recognised that printing on paper has the potential to have a huge negative impact on our environment in terms of pollution, deforestation, water and energy use. Thankfully in recent years, a growing number of printers have improved their practices to reduce this impact. I am often asked where people can find green printers and have created this directory in response to this.

In recent times, many printers are trying to 'green' their image with environmental policies that don't always cover all the bases in regards to true sustainability. Simply switching to vegetable based ink (commonplace now anyway) and adhering to legal environmental standards but continuing to promote the use of unsustainable paper is one example.

I will only list those printers here who have made sustainability a genuine priority accross the whole of their business practice. Ive done some of the research for you. But please don't take this list at face value. Please do your own research too and ask questions to make an informed descision. All the best with your green printing!

South Australia

:: Finsbury Green
1A South Road
Thebarton SA 5031
(08) 8234 8000

Finsbury Green have been the first in their industry on many environmental initiatives, including blending international quality and environmental management systems, low chemical manufacturing practices, low manufacturing wastes and high rates of recycling, carbon neutrality of their manufacturing operation, sustainability reporting, green procurement and industry benchmarking systems. Finsbury Green try and do things differently, by making ‘green’ seem normal rather than making normal seem ‘green’.

:: Digi.we.do
242 Grange Road
Flinders Park SA 5025
(08) 8351 9300

Digi.we.do are both AS/NZS ISO 14001 Environmental Management and AS/NZS ISO 9001 Quality Management accredited. Digi.we.doo run a direct imaging (DI) offset press, this eliminates the use of all harmful chemicals used during the plate making process. The press is also waterless so no water/alcohol fountain solutions are used during the printing process, and they also use waterless vegetable based inks. With DI technology make readies on the press are short meaning less waste. Their digital press is a HP Indigo 7000 which produces offset quality print with near 0% waste. This press also has consumable recycling systems to reduce waste and to eliminate vapours released into the atmosphere.

Victoria

:: Black Rainbow
(03) 5155 0221

Black Rainbow was Australia's first green printing company, established in 1987 to offer a printing service to those not wishing to be implicated in the destruction of earths native forests. They now operate using 100% solar power in all prepress and print production and still offer the highest environmental standards available in the printing industry. Black Rainbow claim that no other Australian printer can compete with their environmental credentials.

:: Complete Colour Printing
84-86 Herald St
Cheltenham VIC 3192
(03) 9585 7788

Complete Colour Printing's environmental management system includes adopting cleaner printing methods, continually employing their waste management system, participating with community groups with like-minded goals, implementing a Responsible Paper Purchasing Policy, educating & encouraging employees, suppliers and customers and using & recommending their online secure file transfer facility.

They are certified under the world class ISO 14001 Environmental Management System, ECO-Buy members and the only print company to hold a Gold Waste Wise Certificate.

:: Finsbury Green
46 Wirraway Drive
Port Melbourne VIC 3207
(03) 9644 9644

:: Fishprint
447 Nepean Highway
Brighton East VIC 3187
(03) 9596 4807

Fishprint are not your garden variety Print House, although you garden may well thank you for using them. As a relative new comer to the Print community, they are only 8 years old and are already an award winning leader in environmentally sustainable print. How? By printing Waterless Offset, technology that is fast gaining international attention for its ability to improve print quality whilst saving thousands of litres of valuable drinking water. In addition to waterless offset, Fishprint operates a carbon neutral environment where the company wide focus is on sustainability. All technology is powered by solar and/or wind power, ink is made from renewable soy product, containers and other materials are recyclable or made from recycled materials. Fishprint boast a 98.2% recyclable work environment (Waste Wise certified) as well as attaining several other certifications and accreditations.

:: PrintTogether
771 Nicholson Street
Carlton North VIC 3054

PrintTogether uniquely specialise in 'Collective Green Printing' which identifies customers whose similar print requirements allow them to print together on the one press. By printing your materials side-by-side with others’, it saves you both time and money and most importantly, reduces the environmental impact of your printed materials even further, by reducing the amount of plates, paper, ink, energy and water required for each job.

PrintTogether offer a choice of economical and premium quality 100% post-consumer recycled paper stocks and use vegetable based inks.

NSW

:: Finsbury Green
Suite 803, Level 8, 5-13 Rosebery Avenue
Rosebery NSW 2018
(02) 9662 2600

:: North Coast Print Solutions
12 Centennial Circuit
Byron Bay NSW 2481
(02) 6685 826

North Coast Print Solutions have been operating in Byron Bay for 21 years. They are a Green Biz Check Certified printer and gained certification in 2008. They are an environmentally conscious business and promote the use of 100% Vegetable based process ink which is 100% VOC free and the use of 100% recycled Australian made paper. They stock a large range of recycled papers/card from around the world, promoting mainly Australian made ones.

In 2005 they won the Print Industries Associations of Australia, NSW Business Achievement Awards, for Best in Environmental Initiatives, Small Business Category sponsored by the department of Environment and Conservation NSW.

:: Mystique
25 Laser Drive
Rowville, Victoria 3178
(03) 9757 9000

Mystique are Australia's first certified carbon neutral printer. They continually explore ways of integrating environmentally sustainable practices and standards to ensure that they are minimising the impact of their business on the environment over and above those measures required by law.

:: Complete Colour Printing
Terrace 6
82-86 Pacific Highway
St. Leonard's NSW 2065
(02) 9439 9300

They are certified under the world class ISO 14001 Environmental Management System, ECO-Buy members and the only print company to hold a Gold Waste Wise Certificate.

:: Pure Green Print
Studio 1, Level 4
35 Buckingham Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
(02) 9699 4872

100% Pure Green Print uses papers and print methods that are environmentally sound so you can enjoy the benefits of the print medium while keeping your environmental foot print to a minimum. 100% Pure Green Print's aim is to do the absolute best they can to ensure they are using the most considered means possible to create our print, and in doing so provide an environmentally friendly alternative.

ACT

:: Canprint Communications – Union Offset Printers
16 Nyrang St, Fyshwick
Phone: (02) 6295 4422

Canprint Communications - Union Offset Printers seek to reduce consumption of resources and improve efficiency in the use of these resources. More than 90% of the inks they use are vegetable based and they are moving toward an alcohol free print process to be in place in 2011. They say they are striving to continuously improve their environmental performance and integrate recognised applicable best practice into their business operations.

QLD

:: Eco Digital
29 Sambit Street, Tanah Merah, QLD, 4128
Phone: (07) 3209 9143
Mobile: Karen Hill 0402 230 669

Eco Digital provide environmentally sound printing and paper products. They specialize in digital short run print on a great range of recycled stock. All of their stock is minimum of 35% recycled and up to 100%. Their method has minimal waste, uses less electricity than offset and no water. They also supply recycled envelopes, presentation folders, paper, cards etc through their online shop.

WA

:: The Environmental Printing Company
305A Railway Parade
Maylands WA 6051
(08) 9271 1569

For the last 15 years the Environmental Printing Company has been using vegetable-based inks, recycled paper, sugar cane paper and many other environmentally friendly products. They produce high quality printing while reducing hydrocarbons (solvents) and other non-friendly chemicals from their printing process. Based in the Perth suburb of Maylands, Western Australia, all waste paper and by-products are collected for recycling, and they are committed to researching the latest in green alternatives in design and print through to waste disposal.