Eco-Friendly Inks: What Businesses Need to Know

Custom Soy-Based Ink Stamp by @mindtheminimal

When it comes to ensuring your business is as eco-friendly as possible, it might be time to "ink" outside the box and consider sustainable printing options.

Eco-conscious product packaging is increasingly important to modern companies. Environmental concerns are a high priority for consumers looking for brands that share their values.

One way to keep ahead of the sustainability curve and keep your customers happy is to ensure your packaging doesn't negatively impact the planet.

This is where your choice of ink plays a starring role. Whatever color ink you use, just ensure it's "green." By choosing sustainable inks like soy or water-based inks to print your designs, you can ensure that quality and renewability go hand-in-hand.

So, what is the difference between using more conventional inks versus sustainable inks for packaging? Let's examine the most commonly used printing inks on the market.

The Bad: Petroleum-Based Ink

Petroleum-based ink is traditionally used for any commercial printing, mainly because it is cost-effective and quick to dry. While that might sound like good news for your business, it's terrible news for the environment.

Once referred to by the printing industry as "solvent-based inks,” petroleum-based inks are made from petroleum—or crude oil—which contribute to climate change. While petroleum oil may be a natural resource, it's also non-renewable, and extracting it from the earth is an intense process for our planet, significantly increasing our carbon footprint.

Recycling paper with solvent-based inks requires much more energy than other inks to "wash away" the pigments. On top of this, these printing inks can contain heavy metals that are carcinogenic to humans—pretty terrible stuff.

Luckily, we have alternatives to this type of oil-based printing ink.

What if you could get versatile, easy-to-use printing ink made from sustainable sources that won't have a negative environmental impact? It's time to switch to environmentally-friendly, human-friendly water or soy/vegetable-based ink.

The Good: Soy-Based Ink

As brands prioritize sustainability, renewable printing inks are gaining traction. This is where sustainable inks, like soy- and water-based printing inks, are king.

Soy-based printing ink is non-toxic and one of the most sustainable solutions for ink on the market. This vegetable-based ink is made from a combination of soybean oil and environmentally friendly waxes and resins.

Plus, it's biodegradable, decomposing four times faster than petroleum-based inks! Gaining popularity for its compostability, soy printing ink leaves no harmful residues. The entire package can be recycled or composted when used on another compostable item, such as a noissue mailer bag or tissue paper. Imagine your packaging returning to the earth without a trace! Soy ink truly makes a difference, one package at a time.

Water-based inks, another sustainable option, utilize water as their solvent. This sustainable approach benefits the environment significantly.

It's not just the planet that will notice the positive difference.

With its clear base, soy-based ink results in more vibrant colors for your designs. So, choosing environmentally friendly ink doesn't mean sacrificing quality or design. You can achieve stunning visuals while supporting a sustainable future.

We are so excited about the future of eco-friendly ink!

Getting Inked

Good designs owe a lot to ink. Without it, we would severely lack color and patterns, all important brand characteristics in our packages.

Plain packages lack personality, which is a big deal for your brand. Printing unique designs on various packaging materials perfectly showcases creative branding.

Sustainable printing with compostable ink reflects your brand's identity through logos, color schemes, or illustrations. When you provide helpful information about the inks you use, this shows customers your commitment to the environment and reducing your carbon footprint.Fun and versatile, printing an awesome ink design on your existing sustainable packaging minimizes waste without compromising on branding.

We’re tickled ink by this gorgeous logo by nature-loving artists Wolf & Bear. It could be printed via an ink stamp on stickers, tape, or tissue. Great-quality soy ink gives this simple design maximum impact. Stunning.

That's a Wrap!

At noissue, we champion sustainable, renewable packaging for all our customers.

Our tissue paper, stickers, tapes, and more are printed with soy- and water-based inks, as we know they’re not only the best in the business for your brand but also for our planet.When printed with biodegradable ink, your designs appear more vivid, colorful, and eco-conscious.

Our environmentally-friendly ink pads and stamps are dripping with soy-ink awesomeness. The stamps themselves are made from quality materials, with the self-inking version comprising 65% post-consumer materials—giving second-hand plastics another chance at life.

With a range of shapes, sizes, and colors available (you can choose from black, red, green, or navy), this super customization lets you decide exactly how much punch you want to pack. And with a lifespan of 10,000 impressions, you can stamp away to your heart’s content, knowing that you’re leaving nothing behind but positive vibes.

Great minds ink alike, so stand up and take part in protecting our planet by choosing sustainable inks. Help create a greener, more sustainable world by choosing companies that use water-based ink or plant-based ink (like us!)

noissue is your brand's one-stop shop in providing unbeatable unboxing experiences through packaging made from better materials! Browse custom packaging products by category or industry, and know that you're making the right call in stylishly and sustainably elevating your business's customer experience.

Need premium packaging in wholesale quantities? Check out our noissue Plus page and get in touch with our talented team for more information!