In the wake of the hugely successful launch of our PVC banner recycling scheme, which we took to the printing industry at large at The Print Show recently, we now have a positive environmental solution for PVC banner material waste.
In the wake of the hugely successful launch of our PVC banner recycling scheme, which we took to the printing industry at large at The Print Show recently, we now have a positive environmental solution for PVC banner material waste.
However, we are still very aware there is necessary demand for non-PVC printable materials for those printing companies whose clients are adamant they don’t want to use PVC, such as the big retail giants. At Soyang Europe, we have a strong product range covering print, self-adhesive, textile and décor substrates and our blog takes a look at our non-PVC product options, their benefits and how you can bring them into your printing business.
First up, let’s look at our Print Collection. Our low-cost Eco-Banner is an ideal short-term solution for display graphics and with competitive pricing plus availability in up to 3.2m wide, this is a staple non-PVC option for general print applications worthy of consideration.
We distribute a number of products from our partners at Endutex, which provides a smaller carbon footprint due to its European manufacturing. Endutex is ISO9001 certified and all the materials it manufactures are REACH compliant. Its non-PVC options include Terra Banner, a 220gsm polyester banner with special resin coating, providing excellent whiteness and colorimetry. This light-weight and crease-resistant material is compatible with solvent, eco-solvent, UV and latex inks making it ideal for a wide range of display graphic applications, especially those requiring ecological approval.
Another Endutex material of interest to print providers seeking non-PVC options is Terra Opak. This blockout material designed for double sided printing due to its white/black/white sandwich formation is very popular for printed roller blinds as well as other application areas like point of sale and display frame systems.
Polymesh, also from Endutex, is a grand-format option available up to 5m wide which suits a broad array of requirements – from event signage, external banners and other installations that benefit from a perforated banner, right through to a full building wrap or stadium dressing, requiring large coverage. When producing outdoor print, factors like the weather need to be taken into account and in areas where there’s high-windage, a mesh material banner is a good option.
Moving on to décor products, printable wall coverings have developed into a fashionable device for putting a creative stamp on both domestic and corporate interior spaces, as well as more short-term applications in the retail and exhibition industries. Designed to answer the growing demand for printable, interior decoration solutions, DESARDI®’s digitally printable wallpapers are opening new pathways for both consumer and contract markets.
DESARDI® has developed an Eco range of innovative PVC and Plasticiser-free wall coverings for environments demanding green and safe products. Designed to offer a more environmentally conscious alternative, products such as DESARDI® Eco Mural Smooth 280g, a PVC-free wall, window or hard surface covering product that has a water activated adhesive backing, make it easy to install and just as easy to remove.
AlumiGraphics is a SGIA award-winning foil-based media that comes in four different finishes that are perfect for wall and floor graphics. The green credentials of AlumiGraphics are plentiful, given that it contains no PVC and can be easily recycled along with other aluminium products. It’s also extremely easy to install and remove without specialist training or equipment. You can print directly onto AlumiGraphics using digital printing hardware running with solvent, eco-solvent, UV and latex ink. The Smooth versions can also be screen printed, which adds to its dexterity. It’s not just printed applications either. AlumiGraphics can be cut to shape using most printer/cutters and plotters, along with good old-fashioned guillotines or simple scissors, expanding its application repertoire.
From the self-adhesive collection, we distribute the DECAL PP range of non-PVC self-adhesive vinyl. Not only is DECAL PP an excellent value printing film for internal and external solutions, its unique manufacturing process delivers a product that has less impact on the environment during its manufacturing process. Additionally, because the adhesive is solvent free; DECAL self-adhesive vinyl has stronger environmental credentials when in use too.
Textiles are predominantly PVC-free, but to highlight some of our newer ‘green’ textiles, we’ve got a range of environmentally friendly printable textiles that have been developed by our partners at SENFA. With strong eco-credentials throughout the range, these build on the reputation of products like PEARL and deliver excellent print results coupled with award-winning eco tech.
SENFA’s SUBLIMIS is a highly versatile backlit fabric made from 100% polyester. ALTIMIS has all the benefits of SUBLIMIS, with extended green credentials thanks to being manufactured from 100% recycled yarn. ALTIMIS fabric is woven using the recycled yarn and then coated with SENFA’s trademark smooth finish, ensuring stunning backlit graphics with all the necessary fire-retardancy certification.
Continuing with SENFA, ALTERRA backlit is manufactured by incorporating recycled fibres into the production process. The material provides superior print quality and light diffusion which makes it an attractive choice for specifiers in retail, for example, who are required to minimise environmental impact without losing any of the impact of POS light box displays.
Finally, from our range of finishing products, we have Greenstrip™ Keder. Manufactured in Canada by Evans Engineered Plastics, Greenstrip™ provides a great practical component for many printed textile applications, but also an environmental one, being specially formulated as a PVC-free solution. For any of our readers yet to explore this area of print application, keder is a flat piece of edging that is stitched into the hem of a piece of printed textile, which then allows it to be locked into a frame or tension system. It helps keep the material in place and ensures the overall look and feel of the finished design is correct.
The world of print is changing at a rapid rate and here at Soyang Europe we are constantly looking for new ways to improve our portfolio and meet the demands of the industry, including finding a more environmentally friendly way forward.
We’ve created the UK’s first PVC banner recycling scheme, which provides a very real solution to PVC banner waste, but we’ve also got things covered from a different angle; the extensive amount of non-PVC options we have available means you can choose the right material for your print setup and your clients, confident that you’re using the best material for the job as well as meeting green demands.
