Respecting and cherishing all living species on our planet.

Environmentally Friendly Printing

We are as eco-friendly as possible and offer sustainable & affordable print options for those who care about this planet. We have an ethical approach to printing and printshop management. Low wastage environmentally friendly printing, we use sustainable papers, pigment inks & modern printing equipment to help keep our footprint small. We are a reliable, consistent and creative fine art print shop exclusively printing for artists, locally and from all across Canada for over 14 years.

Art Ink Print’s mandate

…is based on environmental viability and has been since its inception; long before most businesses were talking or thinking about environmental sustainability, recycling and/or waste. Scott Wingfield (CEO of Art Ink Print) has been a working artist, graphic designer, photographer and printer for over 30 years in the community, Scott has always believed in respecting mother nature, being aware of wastage and chemical pollution. Consideration of human environmental impact has been a focus and theme for many of his works of art. When purchasing and using print technologies, he researched the supplies and the processes involved to find the best quality, environmental friendly printing options.

Our business structure (and most of the artists we work with) are in-line to support the conservation of our environment. We have/do participate in environmental fund raisers, through: artists, Wild Arc, SPCA, and other organizations who value and support ethical printing and sustainable development in our community. Biodiversity – plants, animals and micro-organisms – all rely on each other, as well as the air, water and soil ecosystems. Both businesses and humans are negatively affected by biodiversity loss, and the risks of jeopardizing the health of our critical ecosystems are great. We strive to be aware of emerging technologies, and how to lessen our footprint by being aware of pollutants & reusing/recycling as much as possible in our processes.
We are active participants in local, provincial and industry recycling programs, since day one. We recycle all of our paper scraps, toners, and reuse (or recycle) our packaging.

About our environmentally friendly printing processes

Digital

Printing

digital printing press

PRINTING ON A DIGITAL PRESS

Traditional litho (modern offset printing), is a chemical based process and creates contaminated waste, heavy metals and requires chemical cleaners in its daily function. Digital printing does not use chemical cleaners and leaves no heavy metal waste. Our digital press uses non-toxic waxy toner and requires no wastage in set-up. This makes it less expensive (financially and environmentally) and is much less polluting than the traditional offset print methods.

The process on the digital press is magnetic, so doesn’t require physical metal, or plastic plates as in Offset. Don’t be fooled into thinking that old technologies are some sort of magic process, they are not. We live in a time where the print industry has evolved, new tech is creating much higher detail, vastly lower wastage with less pollution and considerably less power to pioneer the next generation of environmentally friendly printing technology. 

RICOH PRINT TECHNOLOGY

Ricoh supports a sustainable society. This includes not only reducing our environmental impact, but working to conserve biodiversity and enhance ecosystems. They believe these activities will not only heal the present environment, but set the stage for future repair and recovery.

“Ricoh earns ENERGY STAR Canada Manufacturer of the Year Award for Electronics for the 2nd Year in a Row”. Ricoh Canada, Inc. is proud to announce that it has received the 2020 ENERGY STAR® Canada Manufacturer of the Year Award for Electronics for its excellence in the arena of advancing market transformation on energy efficiency in Canada. These latest accolades acknowledge their work to foster environmental sustainability in our their operations and evangelize on behalf of sustainability to customers and the business community. As a company, they have committed to reducing the total lifecycle CO2  emissions of the Ricoh Group by 30 percent by 2020 and by 87.5 percent by 2050.

CONSUMABLES & RECYCLING

Toner Bottle and Cartridge Return Program for all consumable containers and parts. Recycling and resource recovery are an important part of any sustainability efforts. As part of our sustainable business practices, we follow various programs to help recycle our used consumables, imaging equipment, and parts. By working together, we can protect the environment, use resources efficiently and reduce needless waste.
Digital printing presses require no chemicals or cleaners, prints are made with non toxic toners and are printed entirely on environmental certified papers. We are proud to say that Canada has one of the highest standards for sustainable harvesting and manufacturing of paper in the world.

Giclée

Printing

Giclee Printing

ARCHIVAL PRINTING INKS

Our Inkjet printers use pure pigment ink (akin to what is used in artist’s paints) suspended in water and then sprayed onto fine art rag papers with no need for heat or chemicals. Huge advancements in the past 10 years are transforming the print world, especially for those interested in higher quality, archival consistency, and environmental ethics. Epson Ultrachrome HD ink means serious amateur and professional artists can now deliver superb images with highly accurate colours. This newly designed ink-set includes new Matte Black inks to help produce images with stunning levels of detail when printed in both colour and black and white.

ARCHIVAL PAPERS & CANVAS

Our signature worthy paper/canvas are designed in collaboration with the world’s leading creative professionals. Only the highest quality papers receive this designation representing the finest in colour fidelity, the smoothest tonal transitions, exceptional black density and remarkable longevity. Each paper has been developed and tested at the highest levels to work in concert with industry-leading professional printers and inks. Designed for creative professionals, Signature Worthy papers deliver an incredibly wide colour gamut, smooth tonal transitions and exceptional black density. All of our giclee inks, papers and canvases are archival grade.

Cold Press Bright Paper – An acid free, 100% cotton rag media with a bright textured finish. This paper has an extremely-high color gamut and black density. Paper Specifications: • Textured Matte Finish • Acid Free • pH Buffered

Hot Press Bright Paper An acid free, 100% cotton rag media with a bright smooth finish. This paper has an extremely-high color gamut and black density. Paper Specifications:  Smooth Matte Finish • Acid Free • pH Buffered

Exhibition Matte Canvas – An acid free, lignin free heavyweight cotton-poly blend (mold resistant), this elegantly textured canvas features a matte non-reflective surface with a bright white point, exceptionally high Dmax and wide color gamut. The canvas base is enhanced with elastic polymers providing high tensile strength and flexibility for gallery wrap stretching without cracking. Paper Specifications:  Matte Surface • Acid Free • pH Buffered

EPSON PRINT TECHNOLOGY

For Epson, being a sustainable company means being mindful of every aspect of our organisation – from the smallest lightbulb to the largest factory. Fueling our innovation, drives our growth, motivates our workforce and, ultimately, to contribute to society. It is also an essential part of how Epson works with their partners across the supply chain. Epson’s history of environmental projects and policies started with an enforced pollution-control programme that successfully ran over four decades. By the end of the 90s, Epson had published its achievements in an annual environmental report. Since the beginning of the new millennium, Epson has widened its scope and is active in reforestation-projects, energy control and zero emission programmes alike. Epson is committed to developing environmentally conscious products, which means that sustainability is considered from conception to completion. Along with an eco-friendly design, this also means the elimination of hazardous substances in our complete product range.

Epson’s inkjet printers do not use heat in the printing process, therefore they consume far less power than laser printers. Epson’s inkjet printers consume up to 85 percent less energy than a similar-speed laser printer, which means that for a typical shop that requires frequent printing, this can amount to distinct savings in their annual energy bills. Epson inkjet printers also produce up to 85 percent less carbon dioxide than those of comparable laser printers. This means that for every six cedar trees required to absorb the amount of carbon dioxide as a result of using a laser printer, an Epson inkjet printer requires only one cedar tree, according to Epson.


In terms of waste generation, Epson’s inkjet printers come with fewer components that need replacing, making them more convenient to operate as they require only changing of the ink and waste ink box as compared to the toner, drum, developer, fusers and more components for laser models. This is not a tiny detail as with up to 59 percent less replacement parts compared to laser printers, using inkjet printers would result in a significantly reduced impact on the environment over the lifetime of a printer. With less consumables required and less parts needing to be replaced, significantly less downtime and maintenance would be needed compared to a laser printer. In fact, the user intervention time required to replace the parts is less than half compared to a laser printer, which translates into improved office productivity in the long-term.

Photo

Studio

PHOTOGRAPHING FINE ART

Our specialized photography studio provides high resolution digitizing services exclusively for the capture of fine art paintings.

Digital photography uses cameras containing arrays of electronic photodetectors to produce images focused by a lens, as opposed to an exposure on photographic film. The captured images are digitized and stored as a computer file ready for further digital processing, viewing, electronic publishing, or digital printing. They are combined with other digital images obtained from scanography and other methods that are often used in digital art or media art.

DIGITAL VS ANALOGUE

Until the advent of digital technology, photographs were made by exposing light sensitive photographic film and paper, which was processed in liquid chemical solutions to develop and stabilize the image. Digital photographs are typically created solely by computer-based photoelectric and mechanical techniques, without wet bath chemical processing. 

Traditional analogue photography methods use harsh and dangerous chemicals, we are proud to embrace digital cameras and bypass the chemical process of developing and printing photography (both artistically and commercially). We have developed a specialized capture procedure (proprietary), that allows us to reduce/remove reflections, provide just about any resolution (highest detail), and the use of specialized digital lights that are fine tuned to produce even lighting and a consistent colour fidelity.

NIKON DIGITAL CAMERAS

The Nikon Basic Environmental Management Policy – created by the Nikon group, aims to prevent environmental pollution by using resources efficiently and helping to preserve the global environment so that it would be able to pass on a sustainable and healthy environment to further generations. Following are the action guidelines that form the framework for this policy:

One of the priorities of Nikon (Nikon Corporation and the Nikon Group) is to foster coexistence and co-prosperity in all regions where its business operates across the world, everywhere on Earth, and even in space. This policy is based on the corporate philosophy of Nikon, “Trustworthiness and Creativity.” In all our business activities we are committed to combating environmental pollution, making effective use of resources, and contributing to building a recycling-based society, thereby protecting and improving the global environment and passing it on to future generations for the sustainable development of society.

As a responsible company, Nikon is committed to protecting the global environment and to monitoring its impact on the natural environment, including issues related to climate change and biodiversity. Our commitment is based on the recognition that if companies are to continue to develop, it is essential to solve environmental problems, because in the end this will contribute to the survival of humankind.
We will win the trust and support of society by providing high-quality products that are both people and earth-friendly, and we will introduce activities across Nikon and at our business partners to achieve this.

Nikon will make every effort to promote reductions of CO2 and waste emissions, reuse and recycling, while encouraging energy and resource conservation, waste reduction and conscientious waste processing with the goal of creating an environmentally-conscious recycling society. Nikon will perform environmental and safety reviews, including those to conserve biodiversity, at every stage of planning, development and design, in order to provide products that fully comply with environmental protection aims. At every stage of production, distribution, use and disposal, Nikon will actively introduce materials and equipment that are effective in protecting the environment, including conservation of biodiversity, strive to develop and improve technologies in this area, and work to minimize environmental burdens. Nikon will meet targets for reduction of our environmental burdens and use of harmful substances, and continue to improve their environmental management system through environmental audits and other means. They will develop and follow a rigorous code of standards, in addition to observing all environmental conservation treaties, national and regional laws and regulations. Nikon will conduct ongoing education programs to further employee knowledge of environmental issues and promote employee involvement in environmental activities. They will provide business partners with guidance and information to promote optimal environmental protection activities. In cooperation with their stakeholders, Nikon will participate actively in the environmental protection programs of society at large, and actively disclose information.

CRD

Victoria

Capital Regional District of Victoria

CRD – Recycling, up-cycling and proper disposal of commercial and household waste.

All of our paper, cardboard, and plastic is recycled according to CRD guidelines. The CRD provides a wide variety of recycling services and information. They are always working on new ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle!

As a local government, the CRD develops partnerships to facilitate and deliver projects and services to ensure a sustainable, livable and vibrant capital region. All of our paper, cardboard, and plastic is recycled according to CRD guidelines. The CRD plays a key role in providing services that can be delivered efficiently and effectively through region-wide or shared service delivery models. These include the regional water supply, solid waste, wastewater treatment, regional parks, housing, 911 call answer, and recreation facilities. The CRD strives to achieve exemplary environmental stewardship, a dynamic vibrant economy and an inclusive, caring society. Regional cooperation, mutually beneficial decision making and advancing shared interests shape the essence of the CRD.

Staffing

Living Wage

Living Wage Employer

Living Wage Employers are employers who care about their employees and the community. They recognize that paying a living wage constitutes a critical investment in the long-term prosperity of the economy by fostering a dedicated,skilled and healthy workforce. The Living Wage Employer recognizes and celebrates employers that pay their direct and indirect employees a living wage. More and more families are working for low wages. They are facing impossible choices — buy food or heat the house, feed the children or pay the rent. The result can be spiralling debt, constant anxiety and long-term health problems.
A living wage is defined as the minimum income necessary for a worker to meet their basic needs. This is not the same as a subsistence wage, which refers to a biological minimum. Needs are defined to include food, housing, and other essential needs such as clothing. The goal of a living wage is to allow a worker to afford a basic but decent standard of living through employment without government subsidies.