Design by Nature Guide

Design by Nature is our online resource for environmentally sustainable graphic design. When launched in 2006, it was the first resource of its kind globally. Based on extensive research, this tool guides designers through the key areas of consideration, providing practical tips and ideas for everyday use. Find the full guide at www.designbynature.org.

It starts with smarter design

Every decision made from the beginning to the end of your job will affect the environment. It’s not always easy to find the time to stop and consider it, but factor it in and you’ll be amazed at the results.

As informed designers, we’ll deliver you quality communication while ensuring minimal environmental impact, and without necessarily increasing cost. We can advise you on a range of issues, including choice of eco-friendly paper, ink, printing and finishing, and publication format, size, colour, quantity and environmental aesthetic.

Our eco-friendly design conception checklist:

• Consider the most effective way to get your message across. Is a publication or printed item the best way to reach your audience, or can you deliver it online?

• Check the potential for multi-purposing – can one publication or printed item serve multiple purposes?

• Consider the smallest paper size for your job. Does it need to be that big?

• Discuss with the printer a design format that minimises paper wastage on press

• Decide on the minimum number of ink colours necessary

• Choose recycled materials where possible

• Find out whether the publication or printed item can be re-used and recycled

• Inform your audience of the initiatives taken to produce your work in an environmentally sensitive manner.

Recycling and choosing eco-friendly paper

Paper production has long been acknowledged as being detrimental to the environment in a number of ways; from the destruction of virgin forest for fibre to the toxic discharges from pulp and paper processing.

But there are a number of high-quality, cost-competitive papers that minimise these environmental effects. Selecting an eco-friendly paper is a simple way for you to help protect our forests, air and water. These days, it’s also readily available.

FACT: Recycling 1 tonne of post-consumer paper will save an average of 17 trees.

Our eco-friendly paper-choice checklist:

• Does it have a high post-consumer recycled content?

• Does it come from sustainably managed plantation timber? Look for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification

• Is it free of chlorine-bleached fibres? Look for Process Chlorine Free (PCF), Totally Chlorine Free (TCF) or Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) certifications

• Does it come from a paper mill that has an environmental management system certification? Look for ISO 14001 or EMAS

• Is it produced in Australia? This supports local industry and reduces environmental impacts from transportation.

Printing with nature in mind

Printers are key contributors to the discharge of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other potentially toxic pollutants into our environment. An environmentally aware printer is one that minimises the impacts on human health and the environment, while producing a quality printed product. The fact is you can achieve both.

VOCs react with vehicle exhaust to form photochemical smog. In its liquid form, VOCs can effect water and soil quality.

Our eco-friendly printing checklist:

• Does the printer have an environmental-management system in place? Look for the environmental certification ISO 14001

• What is the VOCs emission ratings from the printing process? This includes inks, coatings, cleaning solutions, dampening solutions, glues – select minimal or no VOCs emissions where possible

• Can the printer do direct-to-plate printing, thus eliminating film?

• Check PDF proofs when possible, eliminating hard-copy proofs and saving resources

• Can we use vegetable inks on uncoated paper?

• Can we avoid metallic and fluorescent inks? These contain heavy metals

• Choose aqueous varnish over UV coatings and plastic laminates

• Ask the printer if they recycle and separate solid waste – paper off-cuts, cardboard, printing plates, ink containers, cleaning rags, palettes, screens and metals.