After all the design stages have been completed the client view and approve the final packaging label design. The highest quality of the artwork will be set-up to be ready for the printing stage of the packaging design process. During the printing step, the designer needs to have an understanding of the following aspects to set-up the file correctly. The first is the printing colour process and to be able to decide whether to use CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black) or Pantone colours. The second is the file-format requirements such as digital or offset printing settings, adding a bleed around the artwork and cut off dielines. The third aspect is the type of material followed by the type of inks. The designer works closely with a printing press or agencies to create the pre-press and digital-ready states of art (DesignerPeople, 2019).
COLOR OPTIONS
Different printing companies will be able to colour-match the Pantone colours but low-priced options might have limited colour choices (Morr, 2016).
Pantone (PMS) is a catalogue of standardized printing colours. Each colour has an assigned number and can be reproduced nearly identically by any printer (Morr, 2016).
CMYK stands for cyan (blue), magenta (red), yellow and key (black). These are the four colours used in printing. Each colour has a CYMK code that a printer will use to help colour match between your design and the finished package (Morr, 2016).
FILE-FORMAT REQUIREMENTS
The designer needs to prepare the file to be print ready in a vector file PDF or EPS format created with programs such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop with the design is layers if and when printing finishes are used (Morr, 2016). Digital printing method is where the files are sent through to the printer digitally, each piece is printed individually. This printing option is ideal for small printing projects with short turn around times (Morr, 2016). Offset printing is a printing method that utilizes plates of the designs printed with CMYK colour barrels. These plates are run through large industrial printers to create large volumes of prints. This option is very costly as it requires the plates to be produced (Morr, 2016). Bleed is used to create space for a margin of error. The design is added over the edges to ensure enough space for when the design is cut to the required size as the cutting machines can make millimetre mistakes (Morr, 2016). Dielines The flattened pattern of your product packaging. Designers and printers use them to create the proper layout for a package and to identify the correct cutting lines (Morr, 2016).
MATERIALS
Eco-Friendly Paper
It is very important to determine whether the printing machines use eco-friendly paper or not. There are two aspects that needs to be taken into consideration when choosing the printers and their paper. The first aspect is where the paper comes from and the second is how the paper has been treated. The first aspect could ensure that the paper is recycled paper or sustainably farmed paper. The second aspect of how the paper is treated relies on whether the paper is chlorine-free. Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) paper is bleached using chlorine dioxide (as opposed to chlorine gas) to create the white bright colour. It is also a reduction in the toxicity of the paper. Another option is Totally Chlorine Free (TCF) paper which is treated with a process that is complete chlorine-free (Vracar, 2012).
INKS
Eco-friendly printing inks
Litho-printing is a toxic ink system that smells strongly of ink or alcohol. Those fumes that you are smelling are VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) which are chemicals given off in the printing (drying) process that contribute to global warming. The new and improved eco-friendly inks are made of vegetable and soy-based inks and the printing processes do not give off these VOCs, so you won’t smell that strong waft of inks (Kit, 2012).
Print It ZA eco-printing – Go a greener way
Print it ZA is an eco-friendly printing company based in Johannesburg, South Africa they offer Litho and Digital Printing. They are inspired by the core principles of eco-consciousness, they keep a close watch on every step a sheet of paper goes through within their facility. This approach allows them to:
Reduce the use of bleaching chemicals by offering many alternative paper types (sugar cane, bamboo, etc.)
Bid farewell to arsenic, lead and other heavy metals found in standard inks by replacing them with vegetable-based and Soy-Based Inks.
Minimise fossil fuel and energy consumption as a result of implementing advanced green printing solutions, presses, etc.
Prevent the overexploitation of some natural resources by turning to more accessible, renewable and biodegradable ones.
Reduce the effects of rubbish-related chemicals and greenhouse gases thanks to the well-thought-out recycle system for all our toner cartridges, inks and supplies.
This green approach starts with their equipment, goes to their employees and extends to the consumer business.
Go Green and Team up with Print It ZA, one of the eco-friendly printing companies that are here to turn the world into a safer place (Print It ZA, 2021).
