Environmental initiatives

Welcome to print.coop, the ink-on-paper pages from specialist printing and design co-operative, Calverts. We produce high quality, economical and sustainable, commercial print. We're experts in the latest and best litho and digital printing technology, as well as traditional craft applications. We know almost every commodity grade or 'designer' FSC or recycled paper on the market, and can tell you about the most cost effective formats.

our approach

Why work with Calverts?

Print buyers come to Calverts for four main reasons - our creativity, quality, expert advice and track record in sustainable printing.

We have proper conversations with our clients, to help them realise their print ambitions - from fairtrade teaching tools and low carbon travel guides to art and science comics and high end books. There's almost no print idea we can't turn into reality.

We have a hard-earned reputation as 'green' printers. We're always investing, learning and sharing what we know about every aspect of low environmental impact communications.

And Calverts worker co-operative business model means we're able to improve continuously, by putting our money into state-of-the art repro and printing hardware, software and training - instead of paying dividends to outside owners and shareholders.

All this adds up to higher quality, higher impact print; timely delivery - and a better print experience.

Get in touch and we'll help you print something beautiful.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Standards & certification

Design and print affect the environment. Calverts has therefore implemented an environmental management system to the requirements of ISO 14001 to reduce our negative environmental impacts.

We are committed to comply with or exceed the requirements of environmental legislation and other environmental initiatives to which we subscribe. We are also committed to the prevention of pollution and continual improvement.

Our objectives are to:

1) Reduce our carbon emissions

2) Reduce the impact of paper use on natural resources

3) Improve resource efficiency and recycling

We have set up programmes to achieve this with targets and time scales.

Find out more about our environmental initiatives.

Sustainability in print

don't email poster

Calverts is a common ownership design and print co-operative, where the members have control over working processes and conditions. Our environmental policy has evolved over 30 years, as an outcome of Calverts' ethos as a socially responsible business, and in support of our clients' own corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental policies.

We strategically invest to meet our ISO14001 environmental targets and we welcome site visits from clients and curious design and print buyers.

We are FSC certified, and founder members of SEE (Social, Environmental and Ethical Transparency) programme.

FSC logo

Other environmental initiatives include:

COMPUTER TO PLATE
Calverts has invested in computer-to-plate technology which dispenses with film entirely. In 2009 we installed a processless plate system dispensing with the need for developer.

PRINTING
Calverts runs Heidelberg litho and Konica Minolta digital printing presses. Every investment in new technology is guided by its potential for reducing waste and improving environmental performance.

INK AND SOLVENTS
We have reduced our output of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) by converting to vegetable oil (rather than mineral oil) based inks. Waste ink is removed and transported by licensed carriers where it is broken down to a non-hazardous liquid by bio-digestion.

INK TINS AND PLATES
Licensed carriers remove used ink tins and plates. Some are used as fuel and others crushed, melted down and reused as pure aluminium.

PLASTICS
All plastic containers are removed by licensed carriers where they are shredded, bulked in 20 tonne loads and passed onto the building industries for use in the production of plastic products such as drainpipes.

PAPER
Calverts encourages its clients to use post-consumer recycled and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified papers.

NOISE REDUCTION
As we operate in a semi-residential neighbourhood, we have made noise reduction a prerequisite in the siting, purchase and installation of replacement equipment.

RENEWABLE ENERGY
Calverts have a renewable energy contract where a percentage of energy use is generated from hydroelectric and wind-power.

COMPUTER EQUIPMENT
When replacing equipment we will seek to purchase items that are energy efficient and will donate redundant equipment to charities or organisations which reuse or recycle.