Waterless Printing

A recent viewing of Arctic Tale, combined with frequent visits to the Pittsburgh Zoo’s polar bear exhibit with my 2-year-old twins Calvin and Olivia, has reinvigorated my family to focus our energy on becoming a greener group. We’re unplugging unused electronics, adding paper to our list of “to-be-recycled” items and making a conscious effort to bring our cloth bags to the grocery store so we don’t have to choose between paper and plastic.

With this new drive to go green in every aspect of my life, it is somewhat conflicting when I come to work and find myself working on marketing proposals that include printed materials. We try to assist our clients in their digital marketing quest, but sometimes print collateral is a necessary component. We’re currently working on printed sales kits (pocket folders, capacity charts and rack brochures) for several Sheraton hotels, a result of Starwood updating their design specs. So as an environmentally conscious account executive, I have to ask myself, “If size, quantity and paper stock variables are fixed, how else can I soften the environmental footprint of this project?”

For this project we’ve opted to print with one of our printing vendors who is one of only 9 in the country to offer Waterless Printing. Visit the Waterless Printing Association’s site to peruse all the benefits, but here are some highlights…

• Many printers have been drawn to waterless printing because it eliminates dampening-related volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the printing process. Some VOCs have been linked to the deterioration of the earth's protective ozone layer and, consequently, to global warming. Now, with the release of water-washable inks, the waterless pressroom can be virtually VOC-free.

• In 1995, 92 percent of the global population had a sufficient supply of water. If the world continues to consume water at its current rate, it is projected that water sufficiency in 2050 will be only 58 percent. It is further predicted that nations will go to war over water supplies within the next two decades.

Oh, and there are design benefits too…

• Consistent Color: Eliminate the vagaries of the dampening system and you get more consistent color throughout the press run.

• Better Color Saturation: Four-color process ink densities have averaged 20% higher than SWOP standards. A benefit designers and print buyers love.

• Low Dot Gain, More Detail: The inherent low dot gain of waterless lets you run higher screen rulings for much better detail. Waterless works well, regardless of the screen rulings. Even if you run 175 line screens, you’ll print a better product

Industry sustainability leader, The Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C. found this process the perfect solution when partnering with us to print a piece showcasing their in-depth Sustainable Development program. Waterless printing has become a true different and better for McConnell Marketing (and our clients who utilize it).