Green paper benefits nature and companies
Paper In the printing industry, too, sustainability sustainability is a factor that, in addition to conscience, is increasingly also reduces costs.
Sustainability is a factor that, in addition to conscience, is increasingly
relieves the costs. Not least for this reason, more and more
Print shops on a new environmental label: Print shops that
are FSC-certified, signalize that they are responsible for the
Production of printed materials produced according to FSC specifications
and thus also the use of these data in the future.
prove that the printing materials originate from sustainable forestry
can.
In June 2005, Sticher Printing AG also received the FSC certificate
of the "Forest Stewardship Council" (World Forestry Council) and thus extends
its commitment as a "green" commercial print shop. With the certification
the Lucerne-based offset printing company has set itself the goal of offering its customers
always possible to offer printing on FSC papers and the FSC signet
with the tree on the printed matter. In this way, the
customers of printed products that the expansion of a
sustainable forestry is just as important to them as their
Printer.
For forestry operations and trade
The certification process guarantees the highest level of quality through a complete
check that the FSC paper has been produced with pulp that has been
contains at least 50 percent fibers from FSC-certified forests.
For this reason, the two areas of forest and forestry are
processing, for each of which specific requirements are
exist. The inspection of forestry operations demonstrates compliance with the
guidelines for forest management, the review of the
Production and trade chain follows the path of the wood from the producer
to the consumer. Finally, the processing control checks the
flow of goods and documents it.
The retail trade, the last link in the production chain, works in the
As a rule, with fully labeled products on which no
changes are made. In Switzerland, the FSC papers are
is now offered by all leading paper wholesalers. Compared to
the customer, they are also responsible for ensuring that the
the goods sold actually fulfill the warranted characteristics - i.e:
quality produced according to FSC guidelines.
Print shops must have an FSC certificate if they print on the
market with the FSC logo. The certificate obliges
they ensure that there is no mixing with other papers
from the purchase of the paperwork to the delivery, the
printing and the finishing department through to delivery. These controls are
necessary because FSC papers are difficult to distinguish from "normal" papers.
or not at all. They have approximately the same degree of whiteness
and thus also enable the same print quality - in the
In contrast to recycled paper, for example, which can be recognized by its grey tone.
are.
The establishment of such a separate material flow is part of the
certification process and will be published after the certificate has been issued.
checked regularly. Of every order where FSC paper is used
the print shop must keep all documents for at least five years.
archive: the delivery bill from the paper supplier with the FSC number,
the carrier bag with the FSC number, the delivery bill from the printing company and
the computer data of the order. In addition, a quantity control
periodically purchasing and producing certified goods.
compared by quantity and variety.
FSC paper is positive advertising
Sticher advertises not only in direct sales, but also with
Customer invitations to the print shop for FSC papers. Managing Director
Robert Sticher: "Nowadays, customers often decide on the
paper quality for your print jobs. We therefore cannot always
print on FSC paper." It remains to be hoped that with increasing
awareness of the FSC label also increased the number of print buyers
who are prepared to work towards the goal of sustainable forest management.
to switch to FSC paper grades.
By displaying the FSC label on their brochures and catalogs, the
companies that they support the efforts for an environmentally friendly and
sustainable timber production. At the same time, they support
Companies like Sticher Printing in proving that a state-of-the-art,
industrial production the ecological aspects of environmental protection
can be included.
Kurt K. Wolf
