When you’re looking to choose a unique type of packaging font and printing, one huge concern people have is how eco friendly it is.

With more brands focusing on packaging that won’t negatively harm the planet, one utilizing ecofriendly types of inks such as soy-based inks, rather than petroleum-based inks, is great to offer vivid, and unique designs. 

It’s a great one, because it was created back in the 1970s as a response to the shortage of oil that happened and is a vegetable-oil type of ink. The goal of this as well, is to offer a unique address of the environmental concerns, and the health of the industry through improvement of the environment, and decreasing the volatile chemicals, which will evaporate and react completely with sunlight to reduce the environmental results. 

During the late 80s, back when soy was initially used, it originally had only 20% by volume. But these days, it can completely replace the petroleum components. 

How it’s Made 

Soy-based inks use soybeans, a type of renewable source for a lot of people to use. In tofu and milk, you have soy.

They’re low in cost, and they are able to grow fast, removing a lot of the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and it won’t require irrigation for the wastewater too.

Here is how it’s created: 

• The soybeans get flaked and cleaned 
• They’re processed into the oil that’s cooked and refined 
• They’re then mixed with resins, pigments, and waxes that help to create a soy-based ink with a visibility and vibrant colors 

It does reduce emissions a lot, and it also comes with low and volatile organic types of compounds. 

The Benefits 

There are a lot of benefits to using this type of ink.

First and foremost, is that it offers a sharp and brighter image compared to other types of inking out there. The amount of lucidity of the oil also allows for the pigments to get their full potential, to offer brighter, richer and deeper colors that lead to vibrant packaging whenever possible. 

It is also very good for eco friendly types of packaging, as this aligns with a lot of branding and ethics, in order to sell to others as well. 

The low volatile organic types of compounds is what also makes them so much better for the planet. They also have a very low impact on the atmosphere of the earth compared to others. 

It’s naturally farmed and very biodegradable. With the low percentage of these volatile compounds, it ensures that the minimal pollution of the air and health problems also aren’t a problem. 

It also comes with the renewability of the soybeans, and also helps to create more energy for the sowing process. 

Ready to Recycle too 

Finally, it’s great, because the recycling process is great for a lot of people. While it may seem easy on paper, for some people, it’s hard to recycle packaging that doesn’t have an ease to recycle. 

With soy ink, the paper has the least amount of fiber damage possible, and the waste is nowhere near as hazardous as the petroleum types of ink. It’s also far cheaper for one to treat. The soy-based printing ink is also four times greater in biodegradability than those petroleum based inks. 

Soy inks are the way to go, especially if you’re a process looking for sustainable inks that will create minimal impact, but also can be used with all of your packaging to create the best and most reliable types of packaging that you can for your customers.