What Does It Mean to Choose an Eco-Friendly Printer in the Hudson Valley?
Most printers call themselves green. Few can tell you exactly what that means. At Pro Printers, we can.
We operate a fully chem-free facility—no processing chemicals, no volatile organic compounds, no hazardous waste discharged into municipal water systems. Our digital production equipment dramatically reduces paper waste throughout both the printing and finishing processes (for example, while a traditional press setup might waste 50 sheets getting to color, ours takes closer to five). All waste paper, including from our offices, goes back to the mill through closed-loop recycling.
We've also built deep expertise in recycled paper stocks, so if you come to us with a sustainability requirement, we can help you find the right solution. We work with clients who need everything from recycled card stock to recycled coated stock to text weight papers, all sourced responsibly. We prioritize papers manufactured with wind-powered electricity, including stocks sourced from regional Northeast forests. When offset printing is required, we use soy-based inks with at least 20% soy-derived content.
For eco-conscious organizations (sanctuaries, conservancies, mission-driven businesses), we're the local alternative to big online print vendors. Lower shipping footprint, accessible expertise, and a printer that genuinely shares your values. See exactly how we do it below.
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Recycled Paper
Anyone can use recycled paper but many still do not. And of those that do, many do not know that of the recycled fibers in a sheet of paper, NONE has to be PCW (post-consumer waste) to still be considered "recycled." This means that useful, recyclable paper isn't being kept out of our landfills. We use stocks frequently that are at least 30% recycled and/or 30% PCW recycled. We prefer to use recycled papers with a maximum % PCW whenever possible. Shouldn't we all?!
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Wind-Powered Paper
We also prefer to use paper that is manufactured using electricity generated by wind-power. An earth-friendly choice, paper made this way is becoming readily available and we use it whenever our customers give us the "green light". A lower carbon footprint equals more peace of mind for our clients!
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Soy Inks
There is a minimum 20% requirement for soy-derived content for an ink to be called "Soy based." So, for projects that require traditional offset printing, we insist on the utilization of soy-based inks whenever possible. Sounds like a "win-win" to us.
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Digital Equipment
We use the latest in digital printing technology. This greatly reduces the amount of waste paper for printing AND finishing which eases the burden on our environment.
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Recycling
ALL of our waste paper, including from our offices, is returned for recycling. We have special containers located throughout our facility for this purpose. The paper returned to the mill becomes more paper! It's closed-loop recycling, of which we are very proud!
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Chemical Waste
Traditional printing plates still use processing chemicals that “weaken” periodically and must be "changed". Many printers simply discard these chemicals into municipal wastewater systems. Using our state-of-the-art digital production equipment, we are proudly a "CHEM-FREE" printing facility which means no harmful chemicals are used directly in our printing processes! EVER. PERIOD.
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Cleaning Chemicals
Because of our digital equipment mix, we have NO need for dangerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that others need to clean traditional offset printing presses! Our machines are maintained through chemical free processes that translate into print projects that are as easy on the eyes as they are on the environment!
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What Is Next?
We are always looking for ways to reduce waste, reuse components and recycle what we can to minimize our impact on the environment. This task is never ending and we will continually strive to leave our facility, neighborhood, community and beyond better than we found it! In fact, every equipment update we make has an eye on making the best use of our natural resources!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What makes Pro Printers an eco-friendly printer?
We operate a fully chem-free facility with no processing chemicals, no VOCs, and no hazardous waste discharged into municipal water systems. We use recycled paper stocks with a minimum of 30% post-consumer waste content, wind-powered paper sourced from regional Northeast forests, soy-based inks, and closed-loop paper recycling throughout our facility.
What does chem-free printing mean?
It means we don't use the processing chemicals that traditional offset printing requires—chemicals that many printers discharge into municipal wastewater systems. Our digital production equipment eliminates the need for those chemicals entirely. No VOCs, no hazardous waste, period.
Do you offer recycled paper options?
Yes, and we've built significant expertise in this area. We stock a range of recycled papers, including card stock, text weight, and coated stock, with post-consumer waste content of at least 30%.
What is wind-powered paper?
It's paper manufactured using electricity generated by wind power rather than conventional energy sources. We prioritize these stocks whenever possible, including papers sourced from regional Northeast forests.
How does digital printing reduce waste?
Digital printing eliminates the lengthy setup process required by traditional offset presses. Where a conventional press might waste 50 sheets reaching correct color, digital equipment makeready is closer to five. That reduction carries through our finishing processes as well.
Does printing locally reduce my environmental impact?
Yes. When you order from a large national online printer, your job is produced at a facility that may be hundreds or thousands of miles away. This adds transportation emissions to the environmental cost of the print itself. When you print locally with Pro Printers, that shipping footprint disappears.
Can you help me figure out the most sustainable options for my project?
Yes, that's part of what we do. If you come to us with a sustainability requirement, we'll help you navigate the options: paper stock, ink type, print process, and more. We've done this for clients ranging from eco-conscious small businesses to organizations that need every component of their printed materials (card stock, text weight, coated stock) to be as recycled as possible.
