The shift from plastic to paper is reshaping every surface your brand puts in front of an audience. 

And your customers have already decided to go that direction. More than half say they will buy more from brands that remove plastic from their packaging.

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.

What happens to your printed marketing materials after they have made their impact?

For most brands on most projects — landfill. The campaign ends. The material does not. And in 2026, customers notice and are actively evaluating the choices a brand makes in its paper and packaging.

New research from PPAI shows that more than half (54%) of consumers still have the last promotional product they received, and nearly two-thirds (61%) clearly remember the brand behind it. Even better: 57% have kept branded promotional products for over five years.  

Sending a file to print isn’t as simple as attaching a PDF and hitting “send.” A PDF that looks great on your screen isn’t always ready for professional printing. Without the right color settings, font embedding, and image resolution, even well-designed PDFs can cause print issues.

Design done. Paper chosen. Files ready. Now it’s time to elevate your booklet with the right finishes, embellishments, and binding—you’ve got options!

Programs, playbills, catalogs, manuals, newsletters, instructional materials…are produced as booklets. Booklets remain one of the most effective print formats. But creating print-ready files requires understanding of a few technical fundamentals that can make or break your final product. Here's what you need to know.

At AV Graphics, we understand that great outcomes in print begin with well-prepared files. If you're designing your posters, postcards, flyers or signage for your brand in Canva, it’s essential to create a press-ready PDF to make sure your art reproduces as expected.

The holidays are around the corner—meaning busy nights, festive drinks, and a full calendar of events. But for many restaurants, bars, and pubs, it can also mean tighter budgets and pressure to make every marketing dollar count. The good news? You don’t have to sacrifice creativity or impact to make the season shine.

Shoppers are drowning in a sea of emails, pop-ups, and online ads—and most of it gets ignored. That’s why smart retailers are turning to a marketing tool that’s powerful, personal, and impossible to scroll past: print. From glossy brochures to coupons slipped into a shopping bag, printed marketing cuts through digital fatigue and puts your brand directly in your customers’ hands.