NEED TO KNOW / BEING A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS 70 email: news@printmonthly.co.uk September / October 2023 - Issue 344 consumption as well as its completely waterless digital textile print solutions. At ITMA 2023, Mimaki launched a number of sustainable solutions such as its Textile Pigment Transfer Printing System which is described as being more sustainable than analogue and digital textile dye printing methods with zero water consumption and substantially lower CO2 emissions. What’s more, this year Mimaki also debuted a new unique concept designed to revolutionise the reuse of coloured polyester textiles: the Neo-Chromato Process. This works by decolourising polyester textiles that have been dyed using dye-sublimation processes and enable materials to be re-printed or dyed straight away. “Our waterless printing technologies are having a huge effect in the textile market,” explains Evertse. “Our lines of UJF, JFX, and UJV printers tackle energy consumption with the use of LED-UV, as opposed to energy-intensive metal halide lamps, to instantly cure the ink as it is being distributed across the substrate. “Whilst we are making progress in incorporating sustainable practices, challenges do exist. Ensuring that new environmentally friendly technologies remain profitable is a significant concern, as well as balancing ambition with the implementation of eco-friendly products and practices and remaining transparent in our communication to avoid any ‘greenwashing’.” Evertse adds: “We also must navigate the constantly shifting regulatory landscape in our global markets, that are demanding more sustainability efforts from manufacturers.” Myth Busting Another business on the other side of the industry but with sustainability also at the top of its agenda is Very Displays. The trade printer to the display and printing industry is reviewing each element of its business for improvement, and where possible reducing any environmental inefficiencies from printing, sourcing, materials used, and office initiatives. The company has set out its five-year sustainablility journey to ensure it is achieving its goals, and some of this includes reviewing the inks it uses, the outer packaging used, reviewing product range and ▼ At ITMA 2023, Mimaki launched a number of sustainable solutions such as its Textile Pigment Transfer Printing System They can’t win contracts without sustainability credentials, so we have to support them in that, it’s becoming more and more of an absolute requirement, not a nice to have
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