How to reduce your print campaign’s carbon footprint without compromising quality

Sustainability has moved from the small print at the bottom of a brief to the first line of the brief itself. For marketing teams under pressure to demonstrate environmental responsibility across their supply chains, print is an area that is increasingly scrutinised, and rightly so.

The good news is that reducing the carbon footprint of a print campaign does not require a trade-off on quality. It requires smarter planning, better supplier choices and a willingness to challenge a few assumptions about how print jobs have always been done. McGowans has built its sustainability model around exactly this premise, and the practical steps are more accessible than most brand teams realise.

Start with the print volume question

Overprinting is one of the most significant sources of waste in print campaigns. The logic of ordering 10 per cent more than you need ‘just in case’ is understandable, but in practice it results in large quantities of printed material going to recycling or landfill at the end of a campaign. The antidote is on-demand printing, where jobs are stored digitally and reprinted in the quantities needed, when they are needed.

McGowans’ Digital Vault service is designed precisely for this. Jobs are stored post-production and reprinted on demand, eliminating the overage problem and allowing brands to update materials between print runs without wasting the previous version’s inventory.

Substrate selection and its environmental impact

The substrate your job is printed on has a meaningful impact on the overall carbon footprint of a campaign. FSC-certified paper and board, recycled-content substrates and chlorine-free processing are all available and all make a difference. The Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) chain of custody certification that McGowans holds provides documented evidence that the materials used originate from responsibly managed forests, which is increasingly a requirement in corporate procurement.

It is also worth noting that substrate weight matters. A lighter paper grade used on a long print run can reduce both material use and the transport carbon associated with a heavier finished product.

Ink and process considerations

Water-based inks, used in nanographic and inkjet digital processes, produce significantly fewer volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions than traditional solvent-based offset inks. This is one of the less-discussed environmental benefits of newer print technologies, and it is worth raising at the briefing stage if your business has scope-3 emissions targets that include the supply chain.

Use the carbon calculator

McGowans provides a carbon calculator for print projects, allowing clients to compare the environmental impact of different format, substrate and volume choices before committing to a brief. This is a practical tool for marketing teams that need to include print in their carbon reporting, and it removes the guesswork from sustainability claims.

As the Carbon Trust notes, ‘measuring the carbon footprint of print procurement is a meaningful step towards scope-3 emissions management’ (Carbon Trust, 2023). Having the calculation available at brief stage means it can inform decisions rather than merely report on them.

McGowans’ own sustainability credentials

McGowans sources 25 per cent of its annual electricity from on-site solar panels, with the remainder from a renewable energy supplier. The building has been designed with energy efficiency in mind, and the company’s Digital Vault and on-demand print model structurally reduce waste across all client jobs. These are not marketing claims; they are operational commitments that are reflected in how jobs are produced.

Use McGowans’ carbon calculator when you request your next quote, or download the Print-Carbon-Calculator-Worksheet.

Sustainable print is achievable without sacrificing quality or creative ambition. It requires on-demand thinking over bulk-order thinking, informed substrate selection, modern print technologies with lower emissions profiles, and a supplier that takes these considerations seriously at the operational level.

6 FAQs: Sustainable Print

Q1. What does FSC certification mean for a print job?

FSC certification guarantees that the paper or board used originates from responsibly managed forests or recycled sources. It is increasingly required by corporate procurement policies.

Q2. How does on-demand print reduce carbon footprint?

On-demand print eliminates overprinting and the waste associated with unused inventory. It also allows designs to be updated digitally before each reprint, reducing obsolescence.

Q3. Are water-based inks available for all print jobs at McGowans?

Water-based inks are used on nanographic and inkjet digital jobs. McGowans can advise on which process is most appropriate for a specific job’s sustainability requirements.

Q4. Can I include my McGowans print spend in scope-3 carbon reporting?

Yes. McGowans’ carbon calculator provides the data needed to support scope-3 reporting under GHG Protocol guidelines.

Q5. What is the most sustainable substrate for a brochure?

Recycled-content coated paper with an FSC-recycled certification is typically the most sustainable choice for brochures. McGowans can advise on available grades and weights.

Q6. How do I access the McGowans carbon calculator?

The carbon calculator is available as part of the quote request process at mcgowansprint.com/lets-talk. Ask your account manager to include it when scoping your project.