The salvation of Soy – magazine article

Typical mineral-based inks are problematic for a number of reasons, primarily because they give off volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that not only damage the environment but can also create an unhealthy working environment for printers. Vegetable-based alternatives are not always considered on par with the traditional choice, but the elite of Australia's green printing companies now swear by them.

David Fuller from Focus Press found sourcing an eco-friendly ink alternative one of the most difficult parts of his green agenda, but eventually discovered that soy-based inks are superior for a number of reasons. While they are a third more expensive, after calibrating it on the presses he found that usage was also reduced by a third, effectively evening out the cost equation.

It does not end there - according to Fuller the soy option actually offers printers a better final result. Because soy-based ink is manufactured from vegetable content, the vegetable oil that carries the pigment is very nearly clear, as opposed to the dirty colour of the oil in traditional inks.

“This definitely carries across,” says Fuller. “It became obvious that soy offers better print, and the reduced ink volume means water use is lowered as well.”

Delivery is vital

Focus Press utilise an innovative ink solution. The company imports its soy ink from Japanese manufacturer NIK by the container load, and uses a cartridge system to minimise wastage. The technique is driven by compressed air with a plunger, meaning that every last drop is squeezed out.

“With the cartridge delivery system, waste is less than one per cent, which accounts for a huge difference,” says Fuller. “The delivery system is probably more important than the ink itself.”

However, not everybody shares the opinion that soy and other vegetable-based inks are more cost effective. Rodney Wade, technical manager at Finsbury Green says yield is a complex issue, and does not subscribe to the theory that vegetable-based inks require a third less volume. But he agrees that it brings better print results.

“Printing with soy inks can be very challenging, but if you manage to nail it the results are fantastic,” says Wade. “The colours are often cleaner and brighter, because of the way in which the ink lays on the sheet and that it contains very little mineral solvent.”



T&K Toka is the brand of ink used by Finsbury Green, supplied to the company through AM International, the consumables division of Currie. Inks from T&K Toka carry full soy accreditation, with the manufacturer also responsible for supplying a range of Soy Pantones and Varnishes to the Australian market.

DIC Colortron offers both the Eco-Process range which is 97 per cent free of solvents, and the Fusion G soy inks that contain around 15 per cent soy content. The company has offered the 'box' delivery system for two years, but claims the take up from printers has been below what it had hoped for.

The local division of the Flint Group offer several ranges of environmentally friendly sheetfed inks, including the Arrowstar Pantones and the Novastar Range of vegetable-based inks, as well as the soy-based Arrowforms selection that holds the SOY SEAL qualification from the American Soybean Association.

Siegwerk Australia points to its Tempo Perfect series of vegetable-based sheetfed inks as the best representation of its approach to green print. The inks have attained the Nordic Green Swan certification, a labelling system designed to clearly identify products considered the least harmful to the environment.

Choice Inks' Robert Vlasveld imports Korean A.S. Ink with high vegetable content, and reckons they cost no more than mineral-based inks.

Eco-friendly inks are like any other part of the printing process. On the surface going green appears to be a headache, but putting in the hard yards delivers results. In this instance the rewards are lower landfill, better quality print and potentially higher yields, prospects to which printers would find it hard to say no.

CLARIFICATION: When this article appeared in the print version of Print21 it incorrectly stated that Toyo Ink is the supplier to Finsbury Green, when in fact T&K Toka is the ink that is supplied through AM International.