Sustainable printing: A complete guide for direct mail campaigns

Sustainability is a key factor for any direct mail campaign today. Senders and readers alike need to know that the materials they’re using and the printing techniques used to create mailers are environmentally-conscious if they’re going to interact with a brand. At The Mailing People, we understand this, which is why we make sustainability a focus throughout our business.

However, sustainable printing isn’t only about reducing the environmental impact of printing. It also helps ensure the process is as cost-effective as possible. By minimising the energy used in the process and reducing waste, we give you the peace of mind that sustainable printing isn’t just the conscientious option, it’s the financially sensible one too.

The key principles of sustainable printing

Sustainable printing is not just a trend, but a responsibility for any modern business that wants to reduce its environmental footprint and maintain cost-effectiveness without compromising on quality. To achieve this, there are a few core principles that define sustainable printing, which businesses should keep in mind whenever they’re looking for a printing partner. These are:

Using certified sustainable materials: This means prioritising paper from responsibly managed forests for both inserts and envelopes. Look for sources that are certified by FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council) or PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification), which ensure traceability, protect ecosystems and promote ethical forestry.
Reducing energy usage in production: Adopting energy-efficient technologies and optimised workflows reduces the carbon footprint of every print job. Sustainable printing relies on streamlined processes that conserve resources without sacrificing performance.
Minimising waste and maximising recyclability: Waste reduction can be achieved through precise print planning to avoid unnecessary overage (such as printing mail for duplicated or incorrect addresses), digital proofing and recycling of offcuts.

Eco-friendly printing processes in action

We’re proud of the sustainable printing solutions we’ve developed between ourselves and our parent company Bishops Printers. Here are some of the key printing sustainability practices we use at every stage of our process to make sure your next direct mail campaign meets both financial and environmental goals.

In-house sustainability

Printing can be an energy-intensive process, which is why we’ve worked hard to ensure as much of this as possible comes from clean, renewable sources. Our print room is powered by the sun, thanks to nearly 100 solar panels on our roof. On the brightest days, these panels generate up to 80 per cent of the energy needed for production, dramatically reducing our reliance on non-renewable sources.

Energy-efficient presses

As well as getting our electricity from green sources, we also make efforts to ensure we’re using as little energy as possible when printing our clients’ materials. Every three years, The Mailing People upgrade our digital presses. The latest Konica Minolta printers carry an EPEAT Gold-certification, fusing ink at lower temperatures, ensuring lower energy consumption without compromising quality.

Material-conscious production

When it comes to sustainable print materials, all of our in-house paper stocks are FSC® certified, which means we know exactly where it comes from and have confidence it originated from sustainable, well-managed forests.

Eco-friendly fulfilment options

Our automated envelope enclosing machines can process up to 10,000 envelopes an hour. This is just one of the fulfilment services we offer, alongside options for wrappings such as paper wrap and recyclable poly. Which approach we use will depend on the function and objectives of your mailer – but ultimately, the choice is yours.

Postage-smart design

Sustainability doesn’t begin and end during the printing process. If you involve us at the concept stage of your direct mail campaign we will factor it into the design of your mailers. By engineering every piece carefully to meet optimal size and weight brackets – considering factors such as the weight of paper, whether it is enclosed and the type of envelope or wrapping used – we can reduce both postage costs and the environmental impact of delivering your mailers to your audience.

Why sustainable printing matters for businesses today

Sustainable printing practices offer a number of benefits to businesses. Lowering your brand’s carbon footprint is just one of these. Here are a few of the other key reasons why you need to consider sustainability when planning a direct mail campaign.

Rising demand for environmental responsibility

An essential aspect is meeting the expectations of customers. This is particularly true if you’re targeting charitable organisations, education or the arts sectors, as their audiences are particularly mindful of the sustainability credentials of their partners. In many cases, this will be a factor in their decision-making process – so a strong environmental record isn’t just something that’s nice to have – it can be essential in driving revenue.

Direct mail’s visible footprint

Compared to digital channels such as email marketing, paper-based communications offer a physical, noticeable presence. This gives businesses an opportunity to showcase clearly that sustainability has been considered when planning a campaign. For example, asking your printer to display certifications such as FSC® on your collateral shows that the campaign supports sustainable forestry.

Brand reputation and trust

Sustainability is also a key differentiator that can help brands stand out from competitors. Demonstrating a commitment to these issues helps enhance your overall reputation and build trust with customers, setting you apart as a credible partner.

Long-term advantage

Embracing sustainable and environmentally conscious printing practices isn’t only good for the planet, it helps set up your brand for long-term success. By positioning yourself as a forward-thinking industry leader, you not only attract new business, but also reinforce the trust and confidence of existing clients, cultivating long-lasting partnerships and professional relationships, ultimately delivering a higher return on investment.

Practical steps to make your next campaign greener

Sustainable printing is not only possible for any direct mail campaign using The Mailing People, but can enhance your brand image and build trust among customers.

Choose sustainable paper: FSC® or PEFC certification demonstrates a clear commitment to sustainable forestry practices.
Reduce print run waste: Use data cleansing to remove inaccurate, incomplete or duplicated recipients from your mailing lists.
Select energy-conscious printers: Modern printing techniques such as those used by TMP cut energy use and reliance on fossil fuels.

Get in touch with TMP today to learn more about our sustainable print practices