The sign industry is not very environmentally friendly. Many of the products in the sign making process are not recyclable or bio-degradable, and many of the industry practitioners are less than diligent about taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint. There are, however, some sign companies that are more pro-active in implementing measures to improve their sustainability and minimize the impact of their business activities on the environment.

Here are three actions that we have implemented at Sign Solutions to improve our eco-friendliness:

1. Aqueous based, latex ink print technology: Most sign companies use some form of solvent based inks for the printing process. The solvent inks are petrochemical products that release VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) into the atmosphere during both the printing and drying process and are hazardous to the health of anyone exposed to the finished product (banners, posters, etc). At Sign Solutions, we use the latest aqueous (water) based ink technology that has no nasty print ‘smell’, does not release any VOC’s, and still achieves the quality and durability to provide you with the highest quality, and longest lasting sign. Ask your sign company if they know how their ink choice impacts the environment.

2. Recyclable Banners: Most banners produced as temporary signage wind up in our landfills or incinerators and release significant amounts of CO2 and VOC’s while they are being destroyed. We can produce banners on a recyclable banner material that can be recycled at the end of its useful life. How many of the banners produced by your sign company wind up in our local landfill?

3. Paper-Free Business Management: The electronic tools at our disposal today allow us to minimize the amount of paper used to conduct our daily business. Many sign companies keep a complete physical file of all projects which requires large quantities of paper, storage containers, and heated / air conditioned space in which to have access to those files. We keep all of our files stored electronically and securely for your confidentiality, and easily referenced should you or we need to access your information in the future. Yes, it takes a little more effort and creativity, but in the end, we have cut down fewer trees, produced a couple less filing cabinets, and our offices are free of the clutter of physical files.

These are just 3 of the ways that Sign Solutions helps keep our environment a little cleaner for ourselves and future generations. We will post more of the steps we take as an eco-friendly company that separates us from every other ‘sign shop’.

The Sign Of A Good Business is a Business With A Good Sign!