There are essentially two kinds of ink used on vinyl banners:  water soluble ink and solvent ink.  In the past, industrial operations cared little about the environment and utilized an aggressive solvent ink.  An aggressive solvent was very popular because of the image quality, durability, and cost (the ink and printing materials are easy to come by).  They are, however, very toxic requiring special ventilation in the print shops because of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released into the air.  They also must be disposed of carefully.

Seeking an ink that is environmentally friendly, the print industry has moved towards water soluble ink or, more recently eco-solvent ink.  First, let’s consider water soluble ink.  Water-based ink is defined as those that use either dyes or pigments in a suspension with water as the solvent.  In order to set the ink on the material the water must evaporate evenly.   Today you will find water-soluble ink being used for wallpaper, textiles, and more.  

It must be noted, however, that water-soluble ink cannot be disposed of down the sink.  It still contains pigments, binders, thickeners, and sometimes, even co-solvents in the ink residue.  Water-soluble ink is still a chemical compound.  Another disadvantage is that it works best on material more fibrous than the highly popular glossy vinyl material used on most banners. 

So, what about eco-solvent ink?  Eco-solvent inks are far less aggressive than their full solvent counter-parts.  They produce no harmful fumes, are typically low odor, and do not require special ventilation or environmental equipment.  They also produce less wear and tear on print heads.  And eco-solvent ink can be used on glossy vinyl.

Eco-solvent inks are ultraviolet durable, have great water resistance outdoors, and cause less wear and tear on print heads, extending the life of a printer.  They also offer the widest colors available in the printing world.  They work just as well as their more harmful counterparts, with the added benefit of minimizing toxicity and waste.

Here at BargainBanners, in our effort to produce high quality banners AND be environmentally friendly, we use eco-solvent inks on all banners ordered.