Environmental Policy

1Responsible Use of Materials

The materials we use, principally paper, card, vinyl and inks, have the greatest environmental impact of anything we do. We aim to use them thoughtfully and avoid unnecessary waste wherever possible.

• We plan print runs carefully and use accurate proofing to reduce the number of spoiled or reprinted jobs.
• Where a customer does not specify a stock, we default to options that make efficient use of standard sheet and roll sizes, reducing offcuts and trim waste.
• We favour suppliers who can demonstrate responsible sourcing of paper and board, and we ask questions about where our materials come from.
• We use low-solvent and water-based inks where they are suitable for the job, reducing the amount of volatile compounds released during printing.
• We keep stock levels of paper, ink and consumables under regular review, so that materials are not over-ordered, left unused, or allowed to go out of date.

2Waste Reduction and Recycling

We aim to reduce the amount of waste we produce in the first place, and to recycle or reuse what we cannot avoid.

• Paper and card offcuts, trimmings and spoiled sheets are collected separately and sent for recycling rather than general waste, wherever local collection services allow.
• Where practical, clean offcuts and part-used stock are reused for internal proofs, test prints, packing material or scrap pads instead of being thrown away.
• Printing plates, cartridges and other consumables are returned to suppliers or specialist recyclers for processing where a take-back or recycling scheme is available.
• Cardboard, plastic wrapping and other packaging that comes into the business is reused for outgoing orders wherever suitable, before being recycled.
• We favour reusable and returnable packaging for customer deliveries where this is practical, and use the minimum packaging needed to protect the product in transit.
• General waste is kept to a minimum, and we work with our waste contractor to make sure recyclable materials are separated correctly rather than sent to landfill.

3Energy Efficiency

We aim to use energy efficiently across our premises and equipment, both to reduce our environmental impact and to keep our operating costs sustainable.

• Lighting, computers and non-essential equipment are switched off at the end of each working day and during extended periods when not in use.
• Where equipment needs replacing, we consider energy-efficient models as part of our purchasing decision, alongside cost and suitability for the job.
• Printing and finishing equipment is kept well maintained, as poorly maintained machinery tends to use more energy and materials than necessary.
• We group and schedule print jobs where possible to reduce the number of separate machine start-ups and warm-up cycles.
• We encourage staff to be mindful of heating, lighting and equipment use, and to raise ideas for saving energy around the workshop and office.

4Deliveries and Transport

Getting finished work to our customers efficiently helps reduce unnecessary journeys and emissions.

• We consolidate orders and plan delivery routes where possible, rather than making multiple separate trips for orders going to similar areas.
• Local deliveries are made directly by us where this is more efficient than using a courier.
• For deliveries further afield, we work with courier partners and aim to choose sensible, well-planned shipping options rather than the fastest option by default, where turnaround allows.
• We encourage customers to combine orders where practical, to reduce the number of individual shipments.

5Working with Our Suppliers

We cannot control everything in our supply chain, but we try to make informed choices about who we buy from.

• We ask our paper, card and consumables suppliers about the origin of their materials and their approach to waste and recycling, and factor this into our purchasing decisions.
• Where genuinely certified sustainable materials are available at a reasonable cost and are suitable for the job, we offer these to customers as an option.
• We aim to build relationships with local and UK-based suppliers where practical, reducing the distance materials need to travel before they reach us.

We do not claim any formal environmental or forestry certification for our own business unless we hold it, and we will only advertise a certification, scheme or standard once we have genuinely achieved it. Where individual paper stocks we offer do carry a recognised certification from our suppliers, this will be stated clearly on the relevant product page.

6Everyday Office & Workshop Practices

• We favour digital paperwork, quoting and invoicing over printed copies wherever practical, to reduce unnecessary paper use in the running of the business itself.
• Staff are encouraged to print proofs and internal documents double-sided or in draft mode where full quality is not required.
• Cleaning products and workshop consumables are chosen with consideration for their environmental impact where a suitable alternative is available at a reasonable cost.
• We maintain our premises to avoid unnecessary heat loss, water waste or energy use outside of working hours.