David Savastano, Editor02.01.21
It is a strange feeling to look back a year ago and see what was happening in the world. At this time last year, COVID-19 was just beginning to be noticed, and there was not a lot of attention to it. Obviously, so much has changed as a result of this tragic pandemic.
As we begin 2021, there is a sense of renewed hope. Vaccines have been developed that appear to be promising, and hopefully, enough people will choose to be vaccinated. Eventually, there is the hope that the world can return to some semblance of normalcy, although it may be a new normal.
The concept of sustainability is one topic that continues to grow in interest. Virtually all stakeholders – whether they be from industry, brand owners, consumers or the government – see the benefits of sustainability, and expect the products that they buy to be more environmentally friendly.
Sustainability is more than the environment, of course. Being able to produce materials more efficiently, using renewable materials, and having an end-of-use plan for recycling materials all make sense, which is helping to drive concepts like the Circular Economy, Cradle-to-Cradle design and much more.
The ink industry is playing a key role in this development, whether it is through formulating low migration inks, using renewable materials, or working on recycling and compostability.
In “Sustainability and the Ink Industry,” which starts on page 18, ink industry executives say they are seeing a lot of interest in sustainability from their customers, and are focusing their developmental efforts on this area. That includes, among other aspects, using non-toxic, renewable raw materials and developing inks and coatings that are more easily recycled.
When all is said and done, sustainability is good business, and the ink industry and its suppliers are constantly working to meet these standards.
As we begin 2021, there is a sense of renewed hope. Vaccines have been developed that appear to be promising, and hopefully, enough people will choose to be vaccinated. Eventually, there is the hope that the world can return to some semblance of normalcy, although it may be a new normal.
The concept of sustainability is one topic that continues to grow in interest. Virtually all stakeholders – whether they be from industry, brand owners, consumers or the government – see the benefits of sustainability, and expect the products that they buy to be more environmentally friendly.
Sustainability is more than the environment, of course. Being able to produce materials more efficiently, using renewable materials, and having an end-of-use plan for recycling materials all make sense, which is helping to drive concepts like the Circular Economy, Cradle-to-Cradle design and much more.
The ink industry is playing a key role in this development, whether it is through formulating low migration inks, using renewable materials, or working on recycling and compostability.
In “Sustainability and the Ink Industry,” which starts on page 18, ink industry executives say they are seeing a lot of interest in sustainability from their customers, and are focusing their developmental efforts on this area. That includes, among other aspects, using non-toxic, renewable raw materials and developing inks and coatings that are more easily recycled.
When all is said and done, sustainability is good business, and the ink industry and its suppliers are constantly working to meet these standards.