About Sustainable Printing
Every print starts with a tree. That's a responsibility we don't take lightly.
We believe in what the American novelist and poet Wendell Berry calls "Good Work"—creating a life and company where daily work is meaningful, purposeful, sustainable, and in harmony with nature. It's aspirational. We've been at it for over 21 years, and we don't know that we will ever officially "arrive." But we're determined to prove that this approach is not only possible but preferable.
While we have a long way to go towards 100% environmental sustainability, we continue to make great strides. We utilize FSC-certified paper for all wood-based stocks, automatically offset every print job through PrintReleaf, and continue to reduce our use of plastics. These aren't marketing claims—they're the work we do every day.
Our Commitment
Since the summer of 2016, we've automatically offset every job run on our HP Indigo and black-and-white presses by planting trees through our PrintReleaf partnership. No opt-in required—it's just how we do business.
FSC Certification
When we first learned about the Forest Stewardship Council and the positive difference they've been making in sustainable forestry practices, it seemed like a no-brainer to only purchase FSC-certified paper stocks. At the time, very few digital paper stocks were available. It took several years and many persistent inquiries with our paper reps to get us to the point of near 100% FSC-certified house stocks.
FSC certification is more important than most people realize. It ensures that the paper you're printing on comes from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social, and economic benefits. When you see an FSC label on your printed piece, you know the paper's journey from forest to print shop has been verified by an independent third party.
Today, over 55% of the substrates in our inventory carry FSC certification—and we're always looking to expand that number. Our non-wood based stocks (synthetics, films) aren't eligible for FSC certification, but we choose those materials thoughtfully as well.
PrintReleaf Partnership
In our ongoing research into sustainable printing practices, we discovered PrintReleaf—a platform that tracks paper usage and calculates the equivalent number of trees needed to offset it. Participants can choose which global reforestation projects to fund based on their calculated paper usage.
When we first partnered with PrintReleaf, we set it up as an optional value-added service for clients. But we quickly decided that, given how important this is to us, we should automatically offset all jobs run in-house every month. We've been doing this since the summer of 2016.
As a geography enthusiast (and former professional geographer), one aspect of the program that's particularly meaningful is choosing a specific reforestation location to support each month. We've now planted trees across seven countries spanning four continents—from wildfire restoration in Northern California to cultural forest restoration in Ireland.
It's been a minimal financial investment with an outsized impact. And it's changed how we think about the work we do every day.
HP Indigo Environmental Technology
The shift from analog to digital print production means less waste—no printing plates, minimal make-ready, and on-demand printing that reduces inventory waste throughout the supply chain. HP Indigo's printing technology is designed with sustainability in mind.
Our Practices
Sustainability isn't a marketing initiative for us—it's woven into how we operate every day. Here's what that looks like in practice:
- Near 100% FSC-certified house stocks for all wood-based papers
- Automatic PrintReleaf offset on all HP Indigo and black-and-white press jobs since 2016
- Paper banding machine to replace plastic wrap for bundling
- Recycled content incorporated where possible
- Stakeholder Business Society and Conscious Capitalism Inc. membership for accountability and continuous learning
We also believe that sustainable business practices extend beyond environmental concerns. We take time each week as part of our routine to teach each other something meaningful (our "Thursday TED talks"), and we practice open-book management so everyone on the team knows what's going on and is empowered to help make a difference.
