Did you know that biodegradable packaging can break down in as little as 90 days? This significantly reduces landfill waste and pollution.
Recyclable materials, such as cardboard and glass, can be reused multiple times, conserving natural resources and energy in the production process.
Using plant-based plastics can reduce reliance on fossil fuels, cutting down greenhouse gas emissions associated with traditional plastic production.
Many sustainable packaging options, like mushrooms and seaweed, are not only eco-friendly but also biodegradable and compostable, enriching the soil.
Switching to sustainable packaging can improve a brand’s image, attracting environmentally conscious consumers and boosting sales.
Sustainable Inks for Product Coding
The sustainability conversation in packaging often focuses on the substrate — but the ink matters too. Many industrial coding inks are solvent-based, which simplifies adhesion to difficult surfaces but introduces VOC emissions and hazardous waste handling requirements.
Water-based TIJ inks are a cleaner alternative for operations coding on cardboard, paper, and porous substrates. The Kao Collins Max 3 (TWK-1396), for example, is a water-based dye ink — no solvents, no special disposal requirements, and compatible with standard TIJ 2.5 printers already common on packaging lines.
Switching from a CIJ system with solvent makeup fluid to a TIJ cartridge-based system also eliminates the daily solvent purge cycle — a small but measurable reduction in chemical waste for operations running two or three shifts.