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Here at Inkcups we are working on more sustainable options for our planet every single day. Whether it be fueling our bodies and brains with healthy snacks in the break room, eliminating unnecessary waste, or offering new products that are meeting ever changing safety and compliance requirements. But what does that really mean? This blog post will define some terms we hear daily, specifically focusing on eco friendly labels for clothing.

Have you heard about our most recent accomplishment? As of January 26, 2022 Inkcups received GOTS certification on four of our SB Eco Series inks.

Why Eco-Friendly?

Eco-friendly gets slapped on all sorts of packaging these days. It’s becoming such a common term; we may not pay it much attention anymore. Together, let’s start by defining “eco friendly” so we are all on the same page. Eco-friendly is the premise that something is not being environmentally harmful.

The Federal Trade Commission has released the Green Guides to eliminate confusion when it comes to helping marketers avoid making misleading environmental claims to consumers. The most recent update to the Green Guides was in 2012 and can be found here for further information. The greatest takeaway from the document is that for a product to be labeled “eco-friendly” the packaging is required to explain how it is environmentally responsible.

How does Sustainability Relate?

Sustainability, another word we often hear, but might not be able to clearly define on cue. While it can mean a wide variety of things depending on context, we can rely on dictionary definitions. Merriam-Webster defines sustainable as, “of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.”

Inkcups has dedicated an entire page of our website to share the different ways in which we are working towards a sustainable future for all. Peruse through our sustainability page at your leisure. Perhaps we can inspire you to opt for sustainable practices in new ways throughout your daily practices.

Tagless labels, Eco-Friendly?

In this sense, let us explore how tagless labels are indeed eco-friendly. To start, they eliminate the need for additional materials. Each tag sewn into a collar is an additional use of materials which, in turn when pad printing a tagless label could be avoided. This is beneficial to the planet as it eliminates the need for another consumable from the start.

Compare the practice of tagless label printing to that of heat transfer labels. Even if one is adhering heat transfer labels directly to the back of a shirt, it is still creating a huge amount of waste from the paper and plastic used for the transfer, not to mention water and oil waste each time one is used.

Pair tagless printing with an ink that has nothing to hide, and you have a powerhouse duo.

Eco Friendly Pad Printing Ink

The SB Eco Series Eco-Friendly pad printing ink was created with the environment in mind. It satisfies the strictest compliance testing of: Eco-Passport, CLP/GHS (EC 1272/2008), EN 71-3, Reach (EC 1907/2006), RoHS, and ISO DIS 6330. On top of this, SB Eco does not contain any of the harmful chemicals that are found on top brands (like Adidas, Nike, and Puma) restricted substance lists!

As you’ve probably inferred, this pad printing ink is for apparel and prints beautifully on cotton and linen. On top of that, the SB Eco-friendly pad printing ink is great for tagless applications on the following materials: polyester, rayon, poly blends, synthetic leather, and even rubber.

Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) Certification

As hinted at previously in this blog post, our SB Eco Series ink now contains four different colors that have received GOTS certification.

• Cool Grey 3
• PMS Dark Blue 295
• Black 165
• Superwhite

To find out more about GOTS certification read out blog post covering the big news or visit their website at https://global-standard.org/ .

Join Inkcups on our journey to a bettering the planet. Whether this be by opting for a reusable water bottle (we can get you set up to print on these as well) or by opting for tagless garment labels, every step, no matter how small, is in the right direction. Contact a member of our tagless team today to get started.