Eco Printing/Special Printing

The frequency of use of ecologically friendly printing and popular types of printing/processing has increased in recent years. Some of the points tying these types of printing and processing together include, "the designs are awesome," "the ideas behind the technology are kind of interesting," and "selecting the right kind of special (or eco) printing/processing (or paper) for your project." Here at Number Nine, we are able to produce completely new forms of expression to increase the effectiveness of sales promotion materials even further by using these different kinds of special technologies in combination.

Waterless Printing


The silicon rubber layer on the surface of a waterless printing plate corresponds to the dampening water for a conventional printing press that uses water, and this layer repels the ink. Additives like etching solution (an additive that makes printing go more smoothly) and isopropyl alcohol (IPA), which are bad for the environment, are mixed into the dampening water at values that greatly exceed those set for effluent standards. With waterless printing, the amount of environmentally unfriendly substances used is dramatically reduced, which also reduces the burden on the environment.

FSC certified


The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an organization that manages a forestry certification system designed to preserve the robustness of forests throughout the world that are diminishing due to illegal logging and other illegitimate activities and also to protect the earth's environment. The use of FSC-certified products, which are certified from the production processes in the manufacturing of paper, etc. from wood materials and pulp from produced resources to the processes in secondary processing such as printing, etc. and the distribution processes (COC-certified), contributes to the cultivation and support of sound forests.

Soy (Soybean) Ink


Conventional printing inks are crude oil-based, but changing to plant oil-based inks provides benefits that help to protect the environment and reduce the use of natural resources because plant oil-based inks break down more readily in the ground, they separate from paper more easily during the recycling of pulp from used paper, and their use contributes to reductions in the use of crude oil. One such suitable printing method which uses soybean oil as its oil base is "SOY INK" printing.

UV Printing


After an ordinary printing process has been completed, the surface of the printed sheet is coated with special UV ink imprinted from the top down. You can select either a gloss or matte finish and also thickly apply the ink or use specialized lame inks or crepe inks. You can use this method to achieve a wide range of variations for the final product by changing the base color and materials used.
Durability Light Resistance Fineness Cost Processing range
★★★ ★ ★★ ★★★ ★★

Pseudo-Etching (E-printing, Liotone printing)


Places overlaid with ink (raised portions) are made to have a rough texture, and the finished project is given a three-dimensional appearance much like that produced with etching on metal. Processes for placing folds in the paper, etc. are difficult, and care needs to be exercised so as not to affect the rendering of detailed patterns.
Durability Light Resistance Fineness Cost Processing range
★ ★ ★ ★ ★★

Thermographic Printing


A resin powder that expands when heated is applied to the print surface, and heat is then applied to make the areas to be printed become raised. The surface of the finished product is shiny and has more textured air bubbles in it than that produced with UV printing.
Durability Light Resistance Fineness Cost Processing range
★★★ ★★ ★★ ★★★ ★★

Flock Printing (Flocked Fiber Printing, Raised Fabric Printing)


One characteristic of this method is that the finished product appears as if it was sewn on instead of printed onto the paper. The surface of the finished product has a texture like that of raised cloth, with it feeling more exuberant like velvet if the pile is thicker and more matte like felt if the pile is shorter.
Durability Light Resistance Fineness Cost Processing range
★ ★ ★ ★ ★★★

Scratch Off Printing


With scratch off items, as you scratch off the silver scratchable area with a fingernail or coin, the printed surface hidden underneath will begin to show through. There are also types available that leave no residual material behind when scratched.
Durability Light Resistance Fineness Cost Processing range
★ ★ ★ ★★ ★★

* From MdN DESIGN BASICS | Special processing | To "Printing of Paper Media"