Print in the Channel - issue #9

SUSTAINABLE PRINTING

Reducing paper usage to improve sustainability Improving sustainability is important for many companies and reducing paper consumption is something many look at to achieve this and there are some solutions businesses can implement easily, as Jay Kim, managing director of BIXOLON Europe GmbH, explains.

IT teams are under ever greater pressure to improve their sustainability credentials as many companies increase their commitment to environmental social and governance (ESG) strategies and reduce their use of resources and output of carbon dioxide. The reduction of paper consumption is a core goal for many but, in many industries, it is impossible to eradicate paper, for both practical and regulatory reasons. From retail to hospitality, printed receipts, price tags and delivery notes are still essential for their day-to-day operations – so what is the most environmentally friendly approach to printing? Below are some of the more popular solutions to this problem that can be easily implemented by IT teams in a wide variety of industries. Blue paper Businesses globally are continually exploring technological innovations to reduce carbon emissions and meet corporate and regulatory goals for improved sustainability. Indeed, the global green technology and sustainability market is forecast to grow

from $35.5 billion in 2021 to $417.35 billion in 2030. The use of paper is a key area of innovation, with many companies looking at ways of reducing print to cut consumption of paper and power. However, it is simply not possible to eradicate all usage of paper. In store, for example, retailers must offer customers a receipt and for any high-volume retailer, it is still too complex and time consuming to capture customer email information at the point of sale without damaging the customer experience. Indeed, many customers do not want to share email addresses or phone numbers, making it essential to provide a paper receipt. Attention has turned, therefore, to the paper itself, leading to the creation of environmentally friendly paper products. Unlike the traditional paper used to generate till receipts, this innovative paper is blue – with Koehler’s environmentally friendly Blue4est® thermal paper being a prime example. Using a mechanical rather than chemical reaction to create the print, this paper is not only recyclable but also certified to be used directly with food products,

Jay Kim managing director

bixoloneu.com

It is simply not possible to eradicate all “

usage of paper. In store, for example, retailers must offer customers a receipt and for any high-volume retailer, it is still too complex and time consuming to capture customer email information at the point of sale without damaging the customer experience.

printinthechannel.co.uk

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