Thoughtful use of the earth’s resources and protection of the environment may seem like an odd topic for a newsletter written by a printer. After all, printing requires paper, and the paper industry has been criticized for destruction of forests, water pollution, and other anti-environment actions. Printed advertising mail is portrayed as a nuisance to those who receive it and cited for adding to landfills. Even e-mail messages are critical of print – you may have seen this tag line as part of an e-mail signature: Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

Is printing really the environmental evil its critics assert? Should businesses and individuals adopt a policy of eliminating hard copies of documents and using only e-mail and digital media for sales and marketing outreach? Or are there other considerations that will allow businesses and organizations to continue to use printing and still be good environmental stewards?

http://macgra.com/1005Printips.pdf

When deciding on the paper to use for marketing materials such as a brochure or sell sheet, many of our customers tell us, “I’d like a shiny paper; it looks so professional.” We’re not sure how this association between shiny paper – which we printers refer to as coated paper – got started, but we have a theory.

Full color printing requires a smooth, uniform paper surface and so is almost always done on a sheet that has had a coating applied during the manufacturing process. The purpose of the coating is to improve the way the surface of the sheet receives the ink, and it works! Full color printing on a coated sheet looks sharp and bright – in a word, professional.

http://macgra.com/0909Printips.pdf

As printers, we have a special relationship to paper. Far more than appreciating its beauty, we understand its physical properties so we know how it will react to a specific set of production conditions. We know the latest trends in colors and finishes and whether new papers are being manufactured in response to new printing devices. We know the price of paper, and whether it is scarce or readily available.

Because paper is so integral to what we do, many of us learn its history and manufacturing process. And lately we’ve also been learning about paper’s impact on the environment.

http://macgra.com/0904Printips.pdf

Printing is not a particularly environmentally friendly business. Our presses and platemakers depend on chemicals to work properly; our press plates contain material that doesn’t belong in a landfill; the inks that perform best on press are based on petroleum products; and the papers we print on have a harsh manufacturing process.

We are also leaders in environmental responsibility. We mitigate the environmental impact of the printing process by properly disposing of chemicals, we cooperate with governmental regulatory agencies, and we keep informed about new paper products that are environmentally friendly.

http://macgra.com/0803Printips.pdf

Your company’s business stationery package – business cards, letterheads, and envelopes – has a very important effect on the impression people form about the company. And whether it is a first impression or a repeat encounter, you definitely want to present a consistent look that conveys positive attributes.

Although the design you select for your business stationery is the strongest element in creating an appealing image, paper also has a role to play, since it forms a background for the printing and interacts with the ink. By understanding the basics about papers used for business stationery, you can help us guide you to an outstanding choice.

http://macgra.com/0507Printips.pdf

As printers, we love paper. Paper adds a design element, influences the impression, and contributes to the overall appeal of a printed piece. Paper is also a critical variable in how well a job runs on press, in a high-speed copier or digital printer, or through the laser printer on your desktop.

For most printing jobs, there is a paper whose characteristics are best for the application. For example, if the printed piece is a trifold brochure, a sheet with good folding characteristics will be best. If the piece has significant ink coverage, then a paper with superior ink holdout will perform best.

It is our job to guide you through the many possibilities in order to match the paper to your printing project. This will be easier if you understand how the characteristics of paper affect the appropriateness for a specific printed piece.

http://macgra.com/0404Printips.pdf

A high point of any printing project is selecting the paper to be used. All papers have properties and characteristics that need to be matched to the printing project to ensure the best outcome. In this issue, we will review the classifications and properties of paper that most affect how suitable a particular paper is for a job.

http://macgra.com/0205Printips.pdf