Sustainable Materials Are Not Just Good for the Planet — They’re Good for Your Brand Continued
Think choosing sustainable paper is enough? It’s a great start. The inks, coatings, and display materials you use also play an important role in the overall impact of your print project. In this second half of our sustainability series, we’re exploring the details that help bring it all together.
This blog builds on our first in this series around sustainability and branding - check it out here.
Trend 3 — Sustainable Inks & Coatings: Don't Stop at the Paper
Paper is only half the story. Inks and coatings can also be either sustainable, or cause problems in the recycling process. The ink printed on your piece and the coating that finishes it matter.
The ink alternatives
Brands are increasingly choosing eco-friendly inks that reduce environmental impact while aligning with broader sustainability goals.
Ink options in 2026:
Soy-based inks
Vegetable-based offset inks (Sun Chemical SunLit ProPace)
Water-based inks (flexo & packaging)
Natural-based inks (INX International INXhrc series)
Algae-based inks (Living Ink Technologies Algae Ink)
Low-VOC inks/ VOC-free inks
Coating alternatives
You’ve invested in every sustainable option. But you’ve chosen to add foil stamping or a laminate protective finish to your printed product. Be aware that finishes, like protective plastic laminate, complicate recycling. And here’s why.
Laminate (gloss, matte, soft-touch) isn’t easily recyclable because it combines paper and plastic into a single bonded material—making it difficult for standard recycling systems to separate and recover the paper fibers. Metallic foils reduce recyclability by adding a bonded layer of metal and film to the paper—creating a mixed material that standard recycling systems struggle to process.
Environmentally friendly finishing options:
Aqueous coating (matte, satin, gloss)
Soft-touch aqueous coating (laminate alternative)
Embossing / Debossing
Die cutting / Laser cutting
Water based varnishes
Trend 4 — Wide Format Goes Sustainable
Think Signage, Trade show displays, Retail graphics, POP displays
Wide format has historically been where sustainable intentions met an uncomfortable reality — the materials simply did not exist at commercial scale. That has changed. Manufacturers of wide format materials like Neenah, 3A Composite offer ISPA® Display 100% paper-based, FSC-certified paperboard, PVC-free, and recycled paperboard with post-consumer waste content.
Options for signage, banners:
Recycled Polyester Fabric Displays — rPET (post-consumer plastic bottles)
Kraft Paper Posters — unbleached natural paper fiber
Fabric Tension Trade Show Displays — reusable textile
Recycled Paper Rolls (wide format printing) — recovered paper fiber
PVC-Free Banner Materials — fabric-based alternatives
Partner with a Sustainable Printing Solutions Provider
AV Graphics produces commercial print, folding carton packaging, finishing, andwide format graphics using sustainable stocks, FSC-certified materials, water-based inks, and LED curing technology.
Talk to AV Graphics about what your next project could be made from — and what statement it could make about who your brand is and what it stands for.