How to Reduce & Reuse Print Materials

How to Reduce & Reuse Print Materials

In today’s fast-paced world, overproduction and hyperconsumerism are, unfortunately, very common in first-world countries. These imbalances create an excess of waste that can only be regulated if we adopt more mindful approaches toward the production and consumption of goods, including commercial printing items.

Managing waste

Reduce, reuse, recycle: The famous 3Rs are the foundation of proper waste management. These concepts illustrate a sequence of steps we all can take to cut down the amount of waste we produce and save resources that can be used as input for new products. 

  1. Reduce – minimise the waste you create, and only consume what you really need
  2. Reuse – find new ways of using things that otherwise would have been thrown away
  3. Recycle – turn something old into something new through recycling

Be Conscious 

The first concept of the 3Rs is all about reducing. Nowadays, our society tends to produce and consume mindlessly, which causes the creation of an excessive amount of waste.  For these reasons, it is crucial to be mindful of what we consume and avoid taking more than what we really need. Next time you need to order customised print materials for your business, keep the first of the 3Rs in mind and try to be reasonable and mindful about your consumption.

Transform your products 

Do you have some old banners or flags lying around and no more use for them? And is Christmas season getting closer and you need some beautiful corporate gifts for your employees? With these used materials, you can make lovely corporate gifts that will hold a special meaning for your employees – all while generating less waste. 

Nowadays, different companies offer services that can transform your printed matter into trendy bags, laptop cases, wallets, and much more! This fun and conscious way of reusing your old advertising material will allow you to make unique gifts and reduce your environmental footprint.

Check out companies such as Bannerbags and Re-banner to learn more about these initiatives!

If all fails, recycling prevails 

Repurposing the old into something new is not always possible. In these cases, the wisest choice is to recycle your materials so that they can be used as raw resources to produce other items. Recycling has many benefits for your business and also for the environment:

  • Contributes to massive energy savings 
  • Avoids the extraction of virgin materials
  • Prevents more pollution and waste 
  • Minimises the environmental impact

Interestingly, the UK has a recycling rate of 44%, falling far behind recycling leaders such as Germany and the Netherlands. 

At HelloPrint, we believe there is much more room for improvement, and that’s why we encourage you to be mindful and adopt best practices when recycling your print materials. We want to go the extra mile and do our part in the print industry and within our community, and we can only do that if you join us on the ride.

Do you want to learn more about recycling and the steps we are taking toward becoming a more sustainable company? Check out our recycling best practices article and take a look at our sustainability efforts at HelloPrint.