Better for the environment & better for business.
Solvent inks are often celebrated for their durability and vibrancy, which on the surface fees like excellent news for outdoor stickers, outdoor signage and vehicle wraps.
A few years ago we invested in a swanky new machine and used solvent inks for around 18 months. During this time we learnt that many of the promised plus points of solvent inks, didn’t stand up to scrutiny, so eventually we moved to using only water-based, latex curing inks (always referred to as latex).
Here’s what we’ve discovered, and why we made the switch to solvent-free printing.
UV durability … not up to scratch
One of the great selling points of solvent inks has always been that the inks remain UV durable for years. Many manufacturers state that this means outdoor signage doesn’t need to be laminated. We found this to be incorrect. In our experience, outdoor signs that are in full sun or battered by the elements do still fade significantly, albeit at a slower rate than latex.
Solvent ink still needs to be laminated
If you’re not laminating, it obviously makes the signage cheaper to produce. But if you don’t laminate, after just a couple of years the signage will look terrible. Most signs need to survive beyond two years. So if we’re making a sign that’s going outside, we’re laminating it! Once you’ve made the decision that all outside signs will be laminated, reasons for using a solvent, rather than water-based, ink are wearing very thin, especially when you consider how bad they are for the environment.
Water-based (latex-curing) ink better for the planet
Latex inks are far more environmentally friendly, as most of the liquid component is water. The ink doesn’t contain hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) so less chemicals are released as part of the printing process. When signage reaches the end of its life, there is less chemical waste to be recycled. The ink also is much better for printers, and won’t clog up the heads of expensive machinery, a lesson we learnt the hard way!
Printer damaged beyond repair
A few years ago, we bought a swanky printer to use with solvent inks, as the combo offered a very fast turnaround with extremely vibrant colours. After 18 months of use, the solvent in the ink caused such damage to the lines and components in the printer it was irreparable and we scrapped a very expensive machine.
We want to minimise our impact on the planet and our experience has left us in no doubt that the benefits of using latex inks far outweigh the supposed benefits of using solvent inks.
If you’re interested in creating outdoor graphics that are durable without compromising your environmental credentials, then read our case study on outdoor signage at a luxury eco-friendly holiday resort or get in touch.
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