Environment


AN INK-REDIBLE STEP FOR SUSTAINABILITY


WHEREVER THERE IS PRINTING, THERE IS INK; AND WHEREVER THERE IS INK, YOU HAVE CARTRIDGES. AS NECESSARY A COMPONENT IT IS, THEY LEAVE MUCH TO BE DESIRED IN THE WAY OF SUSTAINABILITY. YET THERE ARE THOSE LOOKING TO CHANGE THAT WITH MIMAKI AND EPSON BOTH LOOKING AT WAYS TO DO AWAY WITH THE OLD STYLE. ASSISTANT EDITOR, BENJAMIN AUSTIN, REPORTS.


‘Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy’ author, Douglas Adams, once claimed ‘books are like sharks.’ It was a comical comparison in which he highlights that despite multiple attempts to improve their designs, neither sharks nor books have been bested in either style or function. The same can’t be said for the majority of the wide-format print industry with companies constantly striving to improve for their customers; with a current emphasis on sustainability. Some machines work with faster speeds to reduce


runtime and thus save on energy costs while developments in inks have brought customers eco-solvent or water-based latex products which offer greater environmental benefi ts without performance drawbacks. Yet one feature of printers that has seemingly stayed consistent throughout the technology’s lifespan is that of the cartridge.


But recently the trusty ink vessel has been going under a renaissance with companies like Mimaki and Epson both looking to improve upon its design for the sake of sustainability.


IMPROVING PERFECTION A typical ink cartridge is made primarily of a plastic case holding an ink pouch inside. Nowadays there are multiple routes you can take to dispose of them; through company initiatives or local authorities, but it proves a time-consuming task and is often easier to dispose of by sending them to a landfi ll. But, since 2023 Mimaki has been producing a cardboard


version in hopes of revolutionising the way companies dispose of their empty cartridges. These new products work in the same way as a


conventional cartridge but the outer casing is instead made of cardboard. They were initially introduced to the Japanese markets before Mimaki started distributing them to other parts of the world last summer. Hybrid Services, which is the offi cial distributor of Mimaki


printers for the UK and Irish markets, has been enthusiastic about the change.


20 | April/May 2025


Sales director, Andy Gregory, said: “It’s great that globally, Mimaki has addressed the environmental impact of plastic use in ink cartridges. “Moving to a cardboard solution reduces plastic use


by 68% which Mimaki estimates will annually eliminate 44 tonnes of plastic which equates to 65 tonnes of CO2 emissions. “And the fact the cartridges are made of cardboard means


they’re lighter, so from a shipping perspective there is an impact in CO2 emissions in transporting them so it’s one of those things that has lots of knock-on effects.” The concept, though in its infancy, has already picked up a lot of traction as Mimaki has received awards for its efforts with cardboard cartridges. In 2023, the company won the Industrial Packaging


Category Award at the Japan Packaging Contest and in February this year, it was named Sustainable Product of the Year at The Sign Industry Awards which was presented to Hybrid on its behalf.


Andy said: “Mimaki continually reviews and improves its product range and this development has been born out of their focus on implementing positive changes.” Currently, the cardboard packaging is available with the


company’s best-selling SS21 and SS22 solvent inks. In addition to Mimaki’s packaging developments, Hybrid has, since 2008, operated a recycling scheme for its solvent ink cartridges. Its ‘Let’s Do More’ programme is free to use, and rewards sign makers with an ink rebate, while helping them responsibly manage their print waste.


Alongside its cardboard cartridges, Mimaki has evolved


Epson’s ink foil bags


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