No matter what business you are in, the sustainability challenge is one that needs to be met head on – and as in the past few years, 2026 will be no different in that. Within print, this is something that is taken very seriously – and the graphic arts is a classic example of just how good an industry can be when everyone does their bit.
It seems that we often ‘assume’ that those who buy print already know our industry inside and out, but that is not the case. Now, I am not saying that every print buyer, designer, brand owner or paper specifier is uneducated about print, but they certainly get confused about things that our industry takes for granted – and when it comes to sustainability, the light is often well and truly hidden under the bushel.
For instance, environmental marks are often completely confused, or confusing, to print buyers. They are not sure what they stand for and are not sure who the organisations behind them are and what they do. They see a mark, but they don’t know if it is being used correctly, or indeed why we are using them in many cases.
The print and paper industry is very proud of the fact that we can get third party, credible accreditation to support and validate what we do, but in reality many of those marketeers, print buyers and brand owners that we are trying to impress simply do not know the difference or the quality of FSC, PEFC, ISO, EMAS, Blue Angel and the like.
A lot of the sustainability information that existing organisations provide is given freely for the industry, and that is good, but printers were not the people that needed to be convinced of our sustainability. We talk the talk, and walk the walk within our own communities and when we have to, we take a ‘defensive stance’ against those who talk negatively about print. But although ‘we’ know that we have a green story to tell, as a communications’ industry we are extremely bad at communicating! We are reactive rather than proactive about that message, and it was felt that that, very urgently, needed to change – perhaps our mission for 2026!
The vast majority of print industry suppliers in the UK are seen as working with the environment in mind.
Being environmentally friendly can help businesses to differentiate, it can be a good marketing tool, but as more and more companies start along the green path, this will diminish and it will become the norm – not though ethics, but through necessity.
One way of really getting the message of print sustainability out is to underscore and emphasise this message of ‘ethical printing’. Not just about being green, but about the three core essentials of customer satisfaction – service, quality and cost effectiveness (and cost effectiveness does not mean ‘cheap’). Being ethical and being sustainable is not just about being green, but about doing business properly, successfully and ensuring a long term future for the customer – this is something at which CyanX excels.
As always, if you need any help or advice, please give our sales team a call on +44 (0) 33 33 21 85 21 or e-mail [email protected]
14th January 2026