From sandpaper and glitter to pearlescent and textured techniques, UV coatings are a great way to draw attention to direct mail, POP displays, and other marketing pieces. Yet all those extras made one of our clients wonder: Are UV-coated materials recyclable? The good news is yes, they are. In fact, we recycle all make-ready sheets. But there’s more to the story worth sharing too.
While UV coatings of old had some nasty chemicals that weren’t environmentally friendly, today’s UV coatings have evolved greatly and are now classified safe by the EPA. Compared to traditional offset printing, UV printing has other benefits as well:
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Unlike solvent inks that dry via evaporation, UV inks dry instantly. They don’t release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which means they’re safer for operators and the environment.
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Because UV inks dry instantly, less make-ready is required, which results in reduced paper spoilage and more efficient machine time.
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Unlike solvent-based inks, 100 percent of the ink is used.
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Want to explore what’s possible with UV – on paper, styrene, PVC, polycarbonate, PETG, flexible vinyl, clings, metallic board or foil? Let’s talk.
