F I L E. Printing, Paper and the Environment. Dear Samuel: This Issue

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1 F I L E June/July 2010 This Issue Dear Samuel: Printing, Paper and the Environment 1-2 Tips & Tricks 3 Q & A 3 Idea Corner 4 A Vocabulary of the Graphic Arts 4 MMSDC / Jackie Robinson Awards 5 Coatings on Paper & Printing 6-7 Can Using Multiple Channels Help Your ROI? 8 Printing, Paper and the Environment Thoughtful use of the earth s resources and protection of the environment may seem like an odd topic for a newsletter written by a printer. After all, printing requires paper, and the paper industry has been criticized for destruction of forests, water pollution and other anti-environment actions. Printed advertising mail is portrayed as a nuisance to those who receive it and cited for adding to landfills. Even messages are critical of print you may have seen this tag line as part of an signature: Please consider the environment before printing this . Is printing really the environmental evil its critics assert? Should businesses and individuals adopt a policy of eliminating hard copies of documents and using only and digital media for sales and marketing outreach? Or are there other considerations that will allow businesses and organizations to continue to use printing and still be good environmental stewards? Paper manufacturers plant over 4 million new trees every year more than are harvested. Paper According to the Forest Stewardship Council, the United States is the largest market for paper products in the world. The U.S. produces about 90 million tons of paper annually and consumes about 100 million tons. Approximately 35% of the 100 million tons consumed is satisfied by recycled fiber, and another 25% of recycled fiber is exported.

2 reduce, reuse, recycle Of all the timber cut annually in the United States, about 25% is used for paper production as virgin fiber. The trees used for paper largely come from forests owned by paper manufacturers and are grown specifically for that purpose. That makes paper a renewable resource. In addition, paper manufacturers plant over 4 million new trees every year more than are harvested. In fact, the amount of forested land is increasing worldwide, particularly in more economically advanced nations. A report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2006 assessed the status of forested land in 50 countries around the world from 1990 to In 18 of the 50 nations, forest area increased and the condition of forests improved. The results of a 2003 study published in the Quarterly Journal of Economics demonstrated that demand for wood can actually lead to an increase in forested land so the supply of trees can meet the demand. Paper manufacturing requires both water and power. Today s modern paper mills offer a closed system where water is recaptured and recycled and power and electricity comes from renewable biomass from sustainably-managed forests. In its publication Sustainable Procurement of Wood and Paper Products, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the World Resources Institute offers this thought: Compared to other materials, wood and paper-based goods produced in a sustainable manner can be a wise choice because: They come from a renewable resource; trees, the product of sunlight, soil, nutrients and water. They capture carbon; through photosynthesis, trees take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and replace it with oxygen, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. In sustainably managed forests the carbon released through harvesting is offset by that stored through regeneration and regrowth, making these forests carbon-neutral. They store carbon over the long term; solid wood, panel and other wood and paperbased products can effectively store carbon for decades or even centuries. Our digital equipment allows us to economically print small quantities as low as 200 pieces, in some cases. They are recyclable; they can be reused, or converted into other products, extending their useful life and adding to the available resource pool of wood fiber. Digital media and the environment Replacing print with digital media initially seems like the best choice for the environment. However, there is growing recognition that going digital raises its own set of environmental concerns. One is the amount of toxic e-waste that results from upgrades to digital devices, including desktop computers. Another is the amount of energy required to power digital devices and cloud computing. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the amount of energy used by data centers in the United States doubled from 2000 to 2006 and estimate that the number could double again by Environmentally responsible printing Though digital communication and technologies have become increasingly important to business operations, it is unlikely printing will be totally eliminated. Not every work station can be computerized, and not every customer or prospect will be a candidate for digital media. So there will always be a need for some types of functional forms and documents and for image and marketing pieces. For environmental and economic reasons, don t overlook the importance of ordering the right quantity of printing, especially full color. We recommend a 3-6 month supply as an ideal amount. In the past you may have needed to order a larger amount of full color printing because of the fixed setup costs, but no longer. Our digital equipment allows us to economically print small quantities as low as 200 pieces, in some cases so you can keep your inventory small. As you consider the design and printing of your forms and image pieces, keep in mind the things that will allow the piece to be easily recycled when it has served its purpose. Consider total ink coverage on the sheet. Printed sheets that are recovered for recycling often have the ink removed before being used again for new paper pulp. The more ink, the more de-inking that will be required when the original sheet is recovered and recycled. Use aqueous-based rather than UV-cured post-press coatings. If the printed piece requires a coating applied after printing to reduce scuffing, specify one that is aqueousbased rather than UV-cured. Aqueous coatings can be removed from recovered papers without emitting harmful byproducts. Recovered papers with UV coatings often cannot be de-inked which reduces their range of possible uses as recycled paper. Discontinue thermography. Thermography, sometimes called raised lettering, is a heat-sensitive process that was originally developed to mimic engraving. After printing, the wet ink is dusted with a thermoplastic resin powder that is not easily recycled. Eliminate foil stamping. While foil stamping adds a dramatic and unique visual impact to printing, foil is difficult to remove in the recycling process. Keep on printing You don t have to choose between the printed products that your business or organization needs and protecting the environment. Paper is a renewable resource made from pulped wood grown in managed timberland and from waste paper. It is biodegradable and not dangerous it will decompose harmlessly in a landfill. And paper is recyclable. So reduce, reuse, recycle and be responsible. But keep on printing. 2 Providing you an edge in print communications.

3 Although all paper can be recycled, some paper products may be rejected for recycling because of additives or processes on the paper. One example is pressure sensitive adhesive. When added to paper to create peel-and-stick labels, the resulting product can t be recycled. This is because most paper recycling systems add water to recovered paper to create pulp the first step in papermaking. Pressure sensitive labels don t dissolve in water. Instead, they break into smaller pieces that deform when subjected to heat and pressure. The deformed particles are hard to filter out of paper pulp and can stick to papermaking equipment and even to the paper itself. One of the major users of pressure-sensitive products is the United States Postal Service which accounts for about 14% of U.S. consumption. (The products are pressure-sensitive labels and stamps.) Because of concern about recycling problems caused by pressuresensitive adhesives, the USPS is leading a major effort to develop a recyclable version. Until the effort is complete, one alternative is to discontinue use of address labels and address directly on the mail piece. Q a How is ink removed from recovered paper that is being recycled? There are two ways to remove ink from paper by washing, by flotation, or a combination. In the washing process, soaps are added to paper as it is being pulped. The ink dissolves in the water which then can be cleaned and re-used. Ink removed by flotation requires air to be passed through the paper pulp. This produces foam that captures the ink; the foam is then skimmed off. After de-inking, paper pulp may be bleached to increase brightness. Hydrogen peroxide is the most commonly used bleach as it decomposes into water and hydrogen. Another method is to use inert, harmless brightening compounds. Not all paper pulp needs to be bleached, and not all recovered paper needs to be de-inked. If ink is not removed from recycled paper during pulping, the ink will disperse in the pulp, discoloring it slightly. For some uses, this discoloration is immaterial. Ink removed from recycled pulp can be burned to generate energy to run the paper mill, or can be used to make compost or gravel for roads. Visions

4 Recycle Recycling paper has become popular worldwide over 95 million metric tons of paper are recovered each year and made into recycled paper and paperboard. Recovered paper fiber makes up over one-third of the total fiber used to make the world s paper. VISIONS, INC. NAMED MIDWEST MINORITY SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR MINNEAPOLIS - ST. PAUL, Minn. (April 15, 2010) The Minnesota Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC) has awarded Visions, Inc. their 2010 Class Three Supplier of the Year Award. Visions was nominated by corporate MMSDC member General Mills, Inc. The award recognizes certified minority suppliers who have distinguished themselves and their businesses by: The United States is the world s leading paper recycler, responsible for over one-third of all the paper recovered in the world. Here are some facts: More paper and paperboard packaging is recovered for recycling than all glass, plastic, metal and other materials combined. 68% of all newsprint is recovered for recycling. About one-third is recycled back into newsprint. The rest is made into other products including cereal boxes, corrugated boxes, books, insulating materials, tissue, egg cartons and animal bedding. 75% of all corrugated material and containers are recovered for recycling. About 66% of the raw material used to make paper in the U.S. comes from recovered paper that is recycled, and the wood debris left from lumber manufacturing. consistently providing high quality products and services at competitive prices, offering innovative approaches, and cost-saving ideas; More paper is recovered than is sent to landfills. Here s how post-consumer recovered paper is used: unprinted paper becomes toilet and tissue paper; printed white and colored writing paper becomes recycled copy paper; newspapers and magazines are used again for newspapers and magazines; and packaging material like corrugated boxes are used to make recycled packaging materials. Recovered paper can also be used in related products like egg cartons, wall insulation, roofing and animal bedding. successfully demonstrating growth in sales and employment while overcoming significant obstacles; continuously growing MBE to MBE purchases; and Statistics provided by TAPPI (Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry) Acid-free paper: paper that has had the acid removed during manufacturing so it has a neutral ph. Acid-free paper is often used for documents that need to be archived. Mill broke: in a paper mill, the trim and Carbon sequestration: the process by Paper recycling: the process of recovering other scrap paper resulting from the paper manufacturing process. Mill broke is recycled within the paper mill. which carbon is removed from the atmosphere and stored in soil, biomass, geological formations and the ocean. waste paper and reusing it to make other paper products. Deforestation: the conversion of forests discarded before it was ready for consumer use. to other land uses including agriculture, cattle ranching, urbanization and other uses. Also called forest land-use change. ECF/TCF papers: papers made from pulp that have been bleached using hydrogen peroxide instead of chlorine. ECF = elemental chlorine free; TCF = totally chlorine free. Forest conversion: the process of converting a natural forest to a cultivated forest. Typically accompanied by an increased focus on wood production. Greenwashing: the practice of making unsubstantiated claims of environmental responsibility about a product, service or company. Pre consumer waste: material that was Post consumer waste: material discarded after consumer use. Examples include magazines, newspapers, telephone directories, office and residential waste paper. Scrap paper: paper suitable for recycling. Supply chain: the steps through which paper-based products go beginning with tree harvesting and ending with final product distribution. Tree farm: a type of managed forest where trees are planted and harvested repeatedly in a recurring cycle. Virgin fiber: wood fiber that has never before been used to make paper or a wood product. Managed timberlands: forests owned by timber companies that are managed by planting more trees than are harvested. 4 Providing you an edge in print communications. significantly contributing to the growth and development of society and their community. Jon Otto (CEO, Visions) and his team have been referred to as superhero when it comes to their superior customer service. Our print team always includes them on their bid list as a first choice printer with high quality of printed material and on time (often early) deliveries, said General Mills Associate Manger of Supplier Diversity, Luke Witt. The Midwest Minority Supplier Development Council helps connect minority-owned businesses and corporations throughout the Twin Cities community, the State of Minnesota, and North and South Dakota. MINNESOTA TWINS AWARD VISIONS, INC. AS MOST VALUABLE DIVERSE BUSINESS PARTNER MINNEAPOLIS - ST. PAUL, Minn. (April 15, 2010) In celebration of Major League Baseball s Jackie Robinson Day, Visions, Inc. was recognized as the 2010 Jackie Robinson Award winner and MVDBP (Most Valuable Diverse Business Partner). During the pre-game ceremony before the April 15 game between the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins, Raenell Dorn, Vice President of Human Resources presented Jon Otto, CEO of Visions, Inc., with the Minnesota Twins and Major League Baseball s Diverse Business Partner Award. Major League Baseball established the Diverse Business Partners Program as an economicallydriven business initiative, designed to cultivate new and existing partnerships with minority and women owned businesses, and expand opportunities for minorities and women to participate in the procurement activities of Major League Baseball. Qualities indicative in the Jackie Robinson and MVDBP Award recipients are: Proactive Leadership Commitment to Sound Business Practices Priority on Partnerships Structure and Process that Yield LongTerm Success Accountability The Minnesota Twins actively support the Diverse Business Partners Program and think it most befitting on the 63rd anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball, to recognize those Diverse Business Partners who have directly benefited from his legacy. Visions, Inc. is such an organization. They have been an integral partner in supplying both print and direct marketing communications to the Twins organization. We are both proud and honored to be this year s winner of the Jackie Robinson Award. It is a great day for Visions and a great day for Native American owned businesses everywhere. Jon Otto, CEO of Visions, Inc. Visions

5 Recycle Recycling paper has become popular worldwide over 95 million metric tons of paper are recovered each year and made into recycled paper and paperboard. Recovered paper fiber makes up over one-third of the total fiber used to make the world s paper. VISIONS, INC. NAMED MIDWEST MINORITY SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR MINNEAPOLIS - ST. PAUL, Minn. (April 15, 2010) The Minnesota Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC) has awarded Visions, Inc. their 2010 Class Three Supplier of the Year Award. Visions was nominated by corporate MMSDC member General Mills, Inc. The award recognizes certified minority suppliers who have distinguished themselves and their businesses by: The United States is the world s leading paper recycler, responsible for over one-third of all the paper recovered in the world. Here are some facts: More paper and paperboard packaging is recovered for recycling than all glass, plastic, metal and other materials combined. 68% of all newsprint is recovered for recycling. About one-third is recycled back into newsprint. The rest is made into other products including cereal boxes, corrugated boxes, books, insulating materials, tissue, egg cartons and animal bedding. 75% of all corrugated material and containers are recovered for recycling. About 66% of the raw material used to make paper in the U.S. comes from recovered paper that is recycled, and the wood debris left from lumber manufacturing. consistently providing high quality products and services at competitive prices, offering innovative approaches, and cost-saving ideas; More paper is recovered than is sent to landfills. Here s how post-consumer recovered paper is used: unprinted paper becomes toilet and tissue paper; printed white and colored writing paper becomes recycled copy paper; newspapers and magazines are used again for newspapers and magazines; and packaging material like corrugated boxes are used to make recycled packaging materials. Recovered paper can also be used in related products like egg cartons, wall insulation, roofing and animal bedding. successfully demonstrating growth in sales and employment while overcoming significant obstacles; continuously growing MBE to MBE purchases; and Statistics provided by TAPPI (Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry) Acid-free paper: paper that has had the acid removed during manufacturing so it has a neutral ph. Acid-free paper is often used for documents that need to be archived. Mill broke: in a paper mill, the trim and Carbon sequestration: the process by Paper recycling: the process of recovering other scrap paper resulting from the paper manufacturing process. Mill broke is recycled within the paper mill. which carbon is removed from the atmosphere and stored in soil, biomass, geological formations and the ocean. waste paper and reusing it to make other paper products. Deforestation: the conversion of forests discarded before it was ready for consumer use. to other land uses including agriculture, cattle ranching, urbanization and other uses. Also called forest land-use change. ECF/TCF papers: papers made from pulp that have been bleached using hydrogen peroxide instead of chlorine. ECF = elemental chlorine free; TCF = totally chlorine free. Forest conversion: the process of converting a natural forest to a cultivated forest. Typically accompanied by an increased focus on wood production. Greenwashing: the practice of making unsubstantiated claims of environmental responsibility about a product, service or company. Pre consumer waste: material that was Post consumer waste: material discarded after consumer use. Examples include magazines, newspapers, telephone directories, office and residential waste paper. Scrap paper: paper suitable for recycling. Supply chain: the steps through which paper-based products go beginning with tree harvesting and ending with final product distribution. Tree farm: a type of managed forest where trees are planted and harvested repeatedly in a recurring cycle. Virgin fiber: wood fiber that has never before been used to make paper or a wood product. Managed timberlands: forests owned by timber companies that are managed by planting more trees than are harvested. 4 Providing you an edge in print communications. significantly contributing to the growth and development of society and their community. Jon Otto (CEO, Visions) and his team have been referred to as superhero when it comes to their superior customer service. Our print team always includes them on their bid list as a first choice printer with high quality of printed material and on time (often early) deliveries, said General Mills Associate Manger of Supplier Diversity, Luke Witt. The Midwest Minority Supplier Development Council helps connect minority-owned businesses and corporations throughout the Twin Cities community, the State of Minnesota, and North and South Dakota. MINNESOTA TWINS AWARD VISIONS, INC. AS MOST VALUABLE DIVERSE BUSINESS PARTNER MINNEAPOLIS - ST. PAUL, Minn. (April 15, 2010) In celebration of Major League Baseball s Jackie Robinson Day, Visions, Inc. was recognized as the 2010 Jackie Robinson Award winner and MVDBP (Most Valuable Diverse Business Partner). During the pre-game ceremony before the April 15 game between the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins, Raenell Dorn, Vice President of Human Resources presented Jon Otto, CEO of Visions, Inc., with the Minnesota Twins and Major League Baseball s Diverse Business Partner Award. Major League Baseball established the Diverse Business Partners Program as an economicallydriven business initiative, designed to cultivate new and existing partnerships with minority and women owned businesses, and expand opportunities for minorities and women to participate in the procurement activities of Major League Baseball. Qualities indicative in the Jackie Robinson and MVDBP Award recipients are: Proactive Leadership Commitment to Sound Business Practices Priority on Partnerships Structure and Process that Yield LongTerm Success Accountability The Minnesota Twins actively support the Diverse Business Partners Program and think it most befitting on the 63rd anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball, to recognize those Diverse Business Partners who have directly benefited from his legacy. Visions, Inc. is such an organization. They have been an integral partner in supplying both print and direct marketing communications to the Twins organization. We are both proud and honored to be this year s winner of the Jackie Robinson Award. It is a great day for Visions and a great day for Native American owned businesses everywhere. Jon Otto, CEO of Visions, Inc. Visions

6 Topping It All Off: Coatings on Paper and Printing When deciding on the paper to use for marketing materials such as a brochure or sell sheet, many of our customers tell us, I d like a shiny paper; it looks so professional. We re not sure how this association between shiny paper which we printers refer to as coated paper got started, but we have a theory; full-color printing is usually done on a sheet that has had a coating applied during the manufacturing process, as it requires a smooth uniform paper surface. The purpose of the coating is to improve the way the surface of the sheet receives the ink, and it works! Full color printing on a coated sheet looks sharp and bright in a word, professional. The importance of paper surface The surface of paper has a significant effect on the final appearance of a printed piece. For an image to appear sharp and true to color, the ink needs to stay on the surface of the sheet with minimal absorption into the fibers. Since ink dries by a chemical reaction, not by losing moisture, there is no advantage to its being absorbed in fact, absorption can interfere with ink maintaining the proper size and shape of the dots used to create images and maintain color consistency (a process called dot gain). The paper surface can be altered during manufacturing by sizing. Internal sizing is achieved by adding a solution of rosin, glue, gelatin, starch or modified cellulose to the paper pulp to make the paper less absorbent. External sizing treats the surface of the paper after it has dried. Paper coatings After paper is formed, it may have a coating applied to the surface. This is done to improve the paper s properties both decorative (such as whiteness and opacity) and functional (smoothness and absorption). 6 Providing you an edge in print communications.

7 Paper coatings are a mixture of a pigment and a binder. The pigment is a substance suspended in water that dries to form a hard coating. (In paper coatings, the pigment color is white.) China clay, known as kaolin, is a traditional pigment; calcium carbonite is now more common. Other pigments include talc (for smoothness); silica (to improve water absorption for inkjet papers); titanium dioxide (for whiteness and opacity); and resins (to control the ink absorption rate). The binder is a substance that holds the pigment particles in suspension and attaches them to the paper. Resins such as starch or latex are examples of binders. Paper coatings come in three degrees of smoothness and hardness: dull, matte and gloss, with gloss being the smoothest and hardest. All three control dot gain (the tendency of images to spread, affecting the sharpness of the image and color consistency), so the main difference between them is how light is reflected. By reflecting the most light back to the reader, a gloss coating makes all images appear more distinct. However, gloss coating does have a disadvantage it can provide a glare that tires the eyes. Paper can be coated on one or both sides; this is easiest to see on cover papers. C1S is the designation for coated one side, while C2S means coated two sides. One type of coating, known as cast coating, creates a high-gloss, enamel-like finish by casting the coating paper against a highly polished, heated steel drum. Coating the printed sheet In addition to using a coated sheet to print, we can apply a second coating after the ink has been laid down on the sheet. The purpose of this coating is different than a paper surface coating. Now the gloss provides a contrast to the paper it reflects back more light than the other areas of the printed sheet and so appears brighter. An after-printing coating can also be used to provide some protection to the printed surface against wear, fingerprinting and scuffing that can occur with repeated handling of the printed piece. There are three main types of coatings used after printing: An after-printing coating can also be used to provide some protection to the printed surface. Overprint varnish acts like a solvent-based ink. It is usually colorless (though may be tinted for a desired effect). Varnish can be applied over the entire printed sheet, or only in spots to highlight a specific area by making it reflect more light. It can also be printed as a half tone (i.e., a series of dots) to provide subtle effects such as the appearance of dimension. Varnish is available in satin, dull or gloss finish (indicating the amount of light it reflects back to the reader). Varnish made with tung or linseed oil may yellow over time and all varnishes emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during application. Aqueous coating is, as its name implies, water-based. As with overprint varnish, it can be applied to the entire sheet (called all over aqueous coating) or just to specific locations. Aqueous coatings are available in satin, matte and gloss finishes. Aqueous coatings dry quickly, meaning the printed sheet can be handled almost immediately. A distinct environmental advantage of aqueous coating is that it emits very low or negligible VOCs and can be recycled easily. Aqueous coating does not yellow on the sheet and has no residual odor. UV coating is a liquid or paste applied to the printed sheet that remains in this form until exposed to ultraviolet light. UV coating contains photo initiators which react immediately to UV light to create a hard, protective finish that has high gloss and hardness. UV coating offers the greatest protection for the printed surface and because it reflects back the most light of all the post-press coatings, creates deeper, more vibrant colors and sharper images. UV coating does not emit VOCs. Things to remember about coatings When selecting the kind of coated paper to use for a job or post-press coating to apply, it is useful to know some of the drawbacks of the choices. Here are the ones we encounter most often: The resin binder typically used to surfacecoat paper is sensitive to heat. So, if you are printing shells or master sheets that will be imprinted at a later date, be aware that the high heat of a laser printer could cause the coating to soften and release the image from the sheet. Either ask us to test the sheet you are considering, or specify a laser-safe paper, where the surface of the sheet has been treated with UV light after being applied. If you are printing a direct mail marketing piece, be aware that not all mailing houses can address on UV or aqueous coating. Inkjet addressing systems require a special ink formulation and a dryer to address on aqueous and a separate ink-and-dryer to address on UV coatings. If we are handling your mailing, we will advise you, or check with your mailing house. All post-press coatings require contrast with the printed sheet to be visible. If you are using spot varnish, aqueous or UV coating that is, adding the coating to selected areas of the printed sheet we advise you to make the spots big enough to be visible. A hairline spot coating, for example, may provide too little contrast with the rest of the sheet to be noticed. You can count on us As always, we hope this discussion has provided a useful overview. If you have a specific idea in mind for using a post-press coating or aren t sure whether to use a matte, dull or gloss coated sheet, give us a call. We ll be glad to help. Visions

8 F I L E This Issue Printing, Paper and the Environment 1-2 Tips & Tricks 3 Q & A 3 More Channels = Higher ROI 30% of Consumers use three or more channels for research and transactions. Here is how they compare: 4% 2% n Two Channels Idea Corner 4 A Vocabulary of the Graphic Arts 4 MMSDC / Jackie Robinson Awards 5 Coatings on Paper & Printing % 22% 48% n One Channels n Three Channel n More Than Four Channels n Four Channels Source: ATG 1,054 respondents, 18 and older in the U.S., December 2009 Can Using Multiple Channels Help Your ROI? 8 This newsletter is printed on 80# Futura Laser gloss text Wyoming Avenue North Brooklyn Park, MN PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID MINNEAPOLIS, MN PERMIT NO Address Service Requested