Affordable Eco-Friendly Printing for Businesses

Small businesses and entrepreneurs want to meet the eco-friendly business demands of their customers, yet are sometimes hesitant to make the leap to eco-friendly printing because they've heard that it can be expensive. Sure, you want to run a green business for both the environment and your bottom line, but you can't risk sacrificing budget or quality unless the move pays worthwhile dividends. Fortunately, it's possible to print eco-friendly marketing materials without breaking the bank - and this transition alone can help you increase your sales and profits almost instantly. Here's what you need to know about affordable eco-friendly printing for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Start with the right eco-friendly printing company The cheapest (and easiest) way to switch to eco-friendly printing practices is to choose a printing company that already engages in eco-friendly printing. Look for a printer that uses soy-based inks instead of petroleum-based inks. Petroleum inks release high levels of volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere during the drying process. These VOCs can be hazardous and should be avoided at all costs. In stark contrast, soy inks release far fewer VOCs. The best part is that soy inks are richer in color and spread easier, so you use fewer resources but do not sacrifice quality - you actually enhance it. You should also find out if your printing company recycles. One of the most-overlooked aspects of running an eco-friendly business is ensuring that your supply chain is also eco-friendly. You'll want a printing company that recycles everything from the paper cut-off scraps on the press room floor to the aluminum cans of soda its employees consume at lunch break.

Select eco-friendly printing options and compare prices

There are several printing options you can choose that will help make your printing more affordable and eco-friendly. First and foremost, you can print on recycled paper. The type of paper you choose will depend on the type of material you're printing; for example, you might print a brochure on 80-pound recycled matte and a business card on 13-point recycled matte. Today's advanced recycled papers look just as great as their non-recycled counterparts, and they're eco-friendly and affordable. Compare eco-friendly printing options instantly at PsPrint and you'll see that there's little to no difference in price (apart from cost to the environment) at all.

Seek opportunities to promote your eco-friendly business model

In essence, there are two very good reasons to adopt an eco-friendly printing business model: to save the environment and to make more money (not to mention you can brand yourself as a responsible firm). All environmental benefits aside, if you go green with your printing you should definitely promote your green agenda so customers who make choices based on eco-friendly practices can easily find you to make purchases. There are several ways to do this, including:

• print an eco-friendly printing icon along with a small blurb about your green practices on your marketing materials
• post a page on your website where customers can learn more about your green agenda
• send a press release to relevant media regarding your transition to eco-friendly printing
• challenge other businesses to be as green as you - another great way to get free press
• use it as a selling point in everything that you do