Your and our orientation for responsible printing
As a green printing provider, resource-saving and climate-friendly work has been close to our hearts since the mid-1990s: our print products should have as little impact on the environment as possible. Because this is more important than ever these days, we have developed a points system for viabild, the Procedes Group's green printing provider. Our Viascore is made up of the company name viabild and Score for evaluation system. With this symbiosis, we make our sustainability process transparent. In this way, we enable consumers to make an informed decision regarding the print media we offer.
The green printing provider viabild has been part of the Procedes Group since 2020. However, the company has been working on sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional methods from the very beginning. Founded in 1991 as a photo lab, viabild now offers a complete digital printing package, from design and printing to logistics and assembly. With the Viascore, viabild has developed a transparent and comprehensible evaluation system for sustainable print media.
Conventional printing methods pollute the environment
New is not always better - but in this case it is! Conventional printing methods often use environmentally harmful paints and inks or bleaches containing chlorine. These materials enter the environmental cycle at the latest when the printed product is thrown away. Even during the printing process, many conventional companies use technologies that release harmful ozone. This can have harmful consequences for the human body.
We focus on transparency because perfection is unattainable
In the Viascore, we evaluate all our materials using a scoring model comprising five criteria. All criteria are weighted equally and if they are all met, we award the maximum score of five points. Within the criteria, we also differentiate between “all-or-nothing criteria” and “ratio criteria”. The former must always be fulfilled in order to be awarded a point. For the latter, there are gradations that further influence the bias score.
The 5 criteria of the Viascore:
Polyvinyl chloride or PVC is one of the most widely used plastics in industry. It is also the main cause of microplastic pollution in the oceans and soil. PVC is not biodegradable, but it does not release any harmful substances. Unfortunately, due to the hardness of PVC, plasticizers are used in 90% of processing cases to make the product more elastic and therefore easier to process. These plasticizers enter the environment and groundwater in various ways and lead to pollution. The Federal Environment Agency has already detected PVC plasticizers in soil, air and water and classifies them as “hazardous to health”.
All-or-nothing criterion
100 % PVC-free = 1 point
Any PVC contentl = 0 points
The product of a recycling process is referred to as recyclate, especially in relation to recyclable plastics. If this raw material is used again, this saves resources and protects the environment. In many cases, the recyclate is mixed into virgin material.
Ratio criterion
Recyclate content < 10 % = 0 points
Recyclate content 10 - 50 % = 1/2 point
Recyclate content > 50 % = 1 point
Short distances are not only important to us at viabild in order to guarantee punctual production. They also play a decisive role in further optimizing our sustainable production.
Ratio criterion
Domestic delivery / distance < 250 km = 1 point
Domestic delivery = 1/2 point
International delivery = 0 points
Of course, we apply the same standards to our suppliers as we do to ourselves. We evaluate our suppliers according to climate-neutral production, certification, use of recycled materials and transparency in product information.
All-or-nothing criterion
Sustainable production / processes = 1 point
No sustainable production (in our sense) = 0 points
The higher the viascore, the better for us all. In theory and in practice
The Viascore is just one building block for sustainable printing and maximum sustainability at viabild. As a green printing provider, we also make our contribution in practice: Our modern printing presses are energy-efficient and use biodegradable inks and dyes. Ongoing investment in state-of-the-art printing technology and innovative production processes not only enables the highest print quality. It also ensures efficient use of resources. As a large printing company, we see it as our responsibility to offer our customers these sustainable options.
Conclusion: Do you want to print in an environmentally friendly way? Then rely on modern printing presses and processes and service providers who use them!
