How much FSC fibre from certified forests do you think paper has to contain to be classed as FSC Mixed Sources?

50%? 70%? More?

You might be surprised to find that the answer is NONE.

According to current rules, paper sold as FSC Mixed Sources must be made up of a minimum of 50% FSC recycled fibre, OR a minimum of 50% FSC virgin fibre from certified forests OR a combination of both as long as it is at least 50% of the total bulk. Therefore, if the recycled content is set at 50% or more, the balance of raw material does not have to carry FSC certification and the paper still qualifies for an FSC Mixed Sources claim. We are not suggesting that this is an attempt to mislead the consumer but it is nevertheless a little confusing and probably not what people generally expect when they see the FSC logo on a printed item.

If you are wondering what constitutes FSC Recycled fibre, we have been told that this could be any post consumer fibre which as been obtained and processed by an FSC certified mill in accordance with the FSC rules. However, it is still unclear whether the recycled part of an FSC Mixed Sources sheet has to be from post consumer origin if the FSC virgin fibre content reaches 50% or more. FSC UK has promised to let us know more details as soon as they have received clarification, but given the complicated nature of the labelling it is hard to see how consumer and readers can make any accurate judgment of the embodied characteristics of a paper carrying the Mixed Sources logo.

A regular request from customers is that “vegetable inks” are used in their print- but what are the benefits and what does it mean? Vegetable oil is only the carrier agent within the ink and constitutes up to a maximum of 50% of the total content of the ink with the balance being things like solvents and pigments, including some of the more unpleasant ingredients which after use become classified as hazardous waste.

True vegetable oil based inks are only suitable for the sheetfed litho process and not currently available for heatset web offset, although some heatset web inks do contain up to 5% vegetable derived oil. Although most printers, in my experience, only use vegetable oil based inks for their everyday 4 colour work, it is also possible to specify “vege” inks for Pantone colours and even metallics.

The environmental gain is purely relevant in sustainability terms – vegetable oil is a renewable source as opposed to a mineral/petroleum based oil which logic tells us will run dry at some point. Whilst it is good practice to favour a sheetfed printer who uses vegetable based inks, unfortunately right now you won’t be able to insist on the same from from a web printer.

As you can see the Four Corners Print website has been completely re-designed and updated. The site now has new features including:

• Handy tips on preparing PDF artwork
• New FTP login system (your user name and password stay the same)
• Download area including various Royal Mail PPI, recycled, FSC and Responsible Print logos all available to import in to you artwork
• Four Corners news – read about the latest projects your favourite printer is involved with
• Four Corner’s Blog – our unique interpretation of the latest industry happenings and our attempt to cut through the latest greenwash claims in the press
• Improved environmental reporting on Responsible Print® jobs – more details to follow

All the paper merchants have confirmed that paper prices are going up again from 16 June 2008. Most grades are going up by 8%. This is the third time paper has increased in the last 12 months. The paper mills are citing increases in fuel costs and the fluctuating Euro as the main causes.

Mills are also getting wise to the increasing demand for FSC papers and are putting premiums or “uplifts” on this kind of paper.  The increasing demand for FSC paper is a hot topic in paper circles as the true environmental benefits of specifying an FSC paper is up for debate.

This will be discussed in the Four Corners blog in future posts….

Southern Water News, the newsletter printed by Four Corners on a monthly basis has won a Gold Award for the Best Internal Newspaper at the British Association of Communicators In Business Awards held in May 2008.

The job is produced in accordance with Responsible Print® criteria and is printed on 9 Lives 55 silk.

Independent travel company Pura Aventura opt for Responsible Print on their annual brochure. Using an aqueous coating on the cover instead of matt laminating and spot UV varnish choosing a part recycled paper stock the environmental credentials are second to none.

For the 13th year running Four Corners was involved in the production of various marketing materials for the Warren Miller Film Tour called Playground – items produced full colour tickets for all 50+ venues, A1 posters, leaflets, postcards an 88pp brochure and an exhibition stand.
In the past we have also been involved in producing the UK editions of the ski resorts brochure for California Tourism.

Four Corners highlight a severe case of mis selling as one of the UK’s leading environmental printing companies is found to be supplying standard opp lamination under the guise of “biodegradeable lamination”.

Following on from the Big Chill we have just produced the first batch of promotional materials for the Summer Sundae Music Festival – on 9 Lives Offset. For tickets click here

Four Corners recently produced nearly quarter of a million mailers for the Big Chill music festival taking place at Eastnor Castle in August 2008. Last year Four Corners supplied all the mailers and the festival programme – all items are produced using 100% recycled offset papers including 9 Lives Offset and Revive 100 offset. For tickets go to the www.bigchill.net

Over 200 000 visitor maps have just been produced for Visit Brighton improving the environmental credentials significantly by using 100gsm Revive 100 offset (Last years production was on a virgin fibre 130gsm silk). Four Corners production manager Neale Brodie took the opportunity to improve his fitness when he had to offload over 250 12kg boxes by hand!

Southern Water’s monthly newsletter – Southern Water News is short-listed for the best internal newspaper category in the Communicators in Business Awards. Results. It is produced in accordance with the strict criteria of theResponsible Print standard.