Screen May 09 P12-13:Screen Oct 08 P20-22 14/04/2009 11:52 Page 12
DIGITAL: SUBSTRATES
Toeing the green line
Resource and energy-saving production is increasingly important in the face of
tightened environmental controls and greater consumer awareness of green
issues. Here SPDI looks at what companies are doing to toe the green line
by Tracey Rushton-Thorpe
NESCHEN IS one company which has worked hard to ensure its substrate range are required. Even synthetic materials or plastics manufactured from oil,
keeps up with customers' green requirements. Head of marketing and however, can be produced sustainably. One example is the polyolefin group (PO.)
communications, Frank Seemann, says the company consistently uses green These include several well-known materials, including polypropylene (PP),
production processes and materials as the Pro Nature product line demonstrates. which Neschen uses as a basic material in banner production.
He said: “Pro Nature products are subjected to stringent internal checks and This synthetic material has a simple structure, containing only carbon (C) and
quality controls. The materials are made of environmentally and resource- hydrogen (H). During combustion of the raw material or the PP film, only water
friendly materials, one of which is cotton, which is becoming increasingly (H
2
O) and carbon dioxide (CO
2
) are emitted as waste products, with cleaning and
popular, particularly in interior graphic design. filter systems to further minimise emissions. This is a major difference compared
“Corn is another new trend with Neschen offering a digital print media made to other synthetics and plastics that have to be specially disposed of and are
entirely of corn starch. When printed with eco inks made of the renewable often harmful to the environment.
primary material corn starch, entirely new environmentally-friendly advertising National sales manager at Neschen UK, Sarah Janes, said: “Users are more
materials are created. What is more, they are completely biodegradable.” environmentally aware these days and are asking for 'green' substrates. They are
Both corn and cotton are renewable natural materials and no finite fossil fuels looking to produce work which is not based on traditional PVC banners.
Consequently, we are seeing a lot of interest in our organic textiles substrates
made from cotton and corn.”
Assess the alternatives
The move towards providing a green alternative is spreading throughout the
industry with companies looking to provide products which meet the
requirements of their customers while at the same time provide a green
alternative. Regional sales manager UK and Ireland at Seal Graphics, Andrew
East, said: “Almost every major retailer, signmaker and graphics house is looking
for greener alternatives to traditional materials. Users are taking to both
polyester and natural fibre textiles for use with greener inks.
“Many, however, are still looking for the familiar behavioural characteristics of
PVC, which is not always possible. Nor is it possible to offer such bio-degradable
substrates for the price of PVC. It seems that a lot of users are willing to pay a
premium of around 10-15% over the price of PVC but this is unrealistic.
“Another greener alternative to PVC is polypropylene which provides a stable
alternative to PVC films and results in less shrinkage.”
'Green' wallpapers
Seal has introduced a range of digital wallpapers designed for wide format
digital print applications. They consist of a white PVC coating on a woven fabric
base and can be used with solvent and eco-solvent, as well as UV-curable, inks.
Besides good print quality and long-lasting colours, these digital wallpapers are
said to be scratch-resistant and come with a NFPA 701 fire rating.
Seal digital wallpapers can be used with solvent and eco-solvent, as well
Four textures are available: soft satin, crushed rock, raw silk and Venetian
as UV-curable, inks plaster. For additional protection and longevity in heavy traffic areas, they can be
| 12 | Screen Process & Digital Imaging | May 09 Visit us online at www.spdi-online.com
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36