Step 2 - Sustainable Materials
Paper isn’t just material - it’s a partnership
A good printer will invest as much time and energy into its supplier relationships as it does its customer relationships. In particular the relationship between the printer and paper mill is unique and formed on trust, value, and necessity, because neither can really operate without the other.
Ultimately this is why when printers sell their products and services there is such an emphasis on paper selection. This is from the papers
tangible attributes to satisfy your design aspirations, to the commercial benefits of one grade over another, to the impact the weight or finish may have on other steps in the supply chain.
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Acorn believes in a sustainable future, which is why we...
Have held ISO14001 Environmental Management since 2009
Only purchase PEFC or FSC accredited paper
Offer carbon balanced paper with the World Land Trust
Produce carbon calculations for individual jobs and paper types
Our reports
show...
54%
Paper equates to 54% of our carbon footprint
63%
Adding transport increases this to 63%
With this being such a significant proportion of our carbon footprint, our customers rightly want to know that we are working with mills who share the same values and have set themselves similar goals when it comes to sustainability.
The mills we use are implementing comprehensive measures across energy usage, production processes,
and they are not forgetting the supply chain. Their roadmap is turning the urgency of climate change into tangible action, creating value for users of print through emission reductions that will be directly reflected in the carbon footprint of paper used over the long term.
Learn more about what our preferred partners are doing:
Why selecting your paper is more important than ever
Creating an exceptional reading experience starts with choosing the right paper grade. With a clear understanding of the finish and feel you need, you can deliver a product that truly stands out. And with optional enhancements like our Spraytec coating technology, your print can achieve a refined, premium touch that readers notice from the very first page. These enhancements also allow you to use less material, reducing the overall weight of the final product during transport. These unique coatings not only produce a nice even gloss surface, but they are exceptionally bulky.
Paper is sold as a cost per tonne, but it is printed in square metres. This means when using lighter weight bulky papers, you can push out a publication that tangibly feels the same thickness, but it actually weighs much less.
The example below shows how paper usage can be reduced by up to 12% without compromising quality or spine consistency...
Example – A5 product brochure 150,000 copies x 128pp text + 4pp cover
Text stock:
Standard Gloss
65 gsm
Vs
57 gsm
Text stock:
High Bulk Gloss
250gsm Gloss
Cover
250gsm Gloss
100%
Perfect bound
100%
5mm
Spine measure
5mm
145g
Weight per copy
129g
21,750kg
Weight to customer
19,350kg
£33,791.81
Price
£32,655.65
27.6 kg CO2 eq
Carbon
25.9 kg CO2 eq
Cover
250gsm Gloss
250gsm Gloss
Perfect bound
100%
100%
Spine measure
5mm
5mm
Weight per copy
145g
129g
Weight to customer
21,750kg
19,350kg
Price
£33,791.81
£32,655.65
Carbon
27.6 kg CO2 eq
25.9 kg CO2 eq
A sustainable focus on print and materials to drive less paper,
less packing, less transport, and less carbon
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