What’s Read and Green All Over? Inkjet Papers

As inkjet printing continues to evolve, and inkjet papers evolve right along with it, it’s only natural print service providers should have a number of questions. How important is it to use treated inkjet papers? What are the benefits of a treated inkjet paper? What’s the latest in sustainable inkjet paper technology? And how can speed, quality and efficiency be optimized when using inkjet papers?

This month, we turn to a duo of leading inkjet paper experts for answers.

Inkjet technology is advancing swiftly, and new technologies related to inkjet printing are being unveiled to the market every month, said Normande Champagne, VP of sales and marketing with Rolland Enterprises, Inc., formerly Cascades Fine Paper Group, in Ste. Jerome, Quebec, Canada. “We can see a decline in standard digital demands that have now migrated to the inkjet side,” he added.  “We see the same trends with demands for offset printing, which have also migrated to the inkjet side.”

The focus now is on offering different options, such as inks that enhance quality. That’s why paper manufacturers must remain alert to the developments and adapt their paper technology to these advancements.  ”Trans promo, direct mail, book publishing, these are market segments where the use of variable data can add more and more value to the service bureaus,” Champagne said. 

Inkjet Intelligence

Champagne noted that print service providers (PSPs) should keep in mind several issues when working with inkjet papers. One is that if they are not using treated inkjet papers, quality can be affected. Treated papers control ink absorption, so inks don’t as totally penetrate the sheet and desired color intensity is more likely.

Inkjet paper also tends to be more expensive than non-inkjet counterparts because of the surface treatment. Costs related to the surface treatment have an impact on the paper’s formulation and, as a result, there is a small price premium attached to the product, Champagne said.

In addition, he added, PSPs need to choose appropriate papers for the ink technology used. Not all papers perform equally well. “Quality of inkjet printing has improved not just because of the improvement in paper quality, but because of the improvement in the quality of presses and inks,” he said, adding the latest advancements have led to inkjet quality “looking very much like offset.

Sustainability’s Value

Rolland Enterprises’ Enviro Jet inkjet paper was introduced in September 2013. Among its benefits is that it provides vivid colors, an excellent density of black, remarkable sharpness, and a strong color reproduction.  In addition, it has a robust opacity and can be used with dye or pigment inks. Suggested for use with direct mail, transactional documents, and in book publishing, the product is 100 percent post-consumer, is processed chlorine free, is FSC-certified, and is manufactured using renewable biogas energy.

The environmental story is key. “Our current effort with the product is to make those end users who value sustainability aware of the potential of our product in relation to their sustainability programs,” Champagne reported. When meeting with universities, IT companies, and financial institutions that have robust environmental programs, most are not aware of the existence of the product. “Because we are unique with this product, not a lot of end users are aware they can access the product,” he explained. “Our main efforts are educating them to this option, and we are seeing results. We educate them to the fact they can meet their sustainable objectives without having to compromise the quality of the printing and the efficiency of the equipment at the printer level.”

For every ton of Enviro Jet Paper used in place of the virgin product, the equivalent of 17 trees, more than 16,000 gallons of water, approximately 5,500 pounds of air emissions, and 1,700 pounds of solid waste are saved, he said. 

“We have a team spread out in Canada and the United States that meets end users to educate them in the advantage of our product offering. That’s why our slogan is to ’Make no compromise. Be productive, be colorful and be green.’” Proof of the product’s efficiency on print providers’ equipment is found in its ability to provide a quality color match.  “On our paper, they can easily make a PMS color match that will be at the level required by their customer base,” Champagne said. “And on top of that, because we have a product that works on both pigment and dye technologies, they need use only one product.”

Because Enviro Jet paper is shipped in a vapor-barrier wrapper, it does not require special storage, he added. For optimal results, Rolland recommends the wrapper not be removed until near production time.      

Inkjet Roll

Another major producer is Memphis-based International Paper (IP). Its most recently introduced papers are Accent Opaque with ImageLok, Accent Dyemond, and Williamsburg with ImageLok, according to commercial printing papers brand manager Shawn Lawson. ImageLok was specifically formulated for pigment-based inkjet presses and Dyemond for dye-based inkjet presses. Accent Opaque and Williamsburg grades keep the inks on top of the sheet to help produce remarkable color and clarity, International Paper has reported. They come in varied weights ranging from 50-pound text to 9-point reply card. Both of these brands are also offered with ColorPRO, which was developed specifically for Hewlett-Packard (HP) inkjet presses, Lawson said.

“International Paper has been developing inkjet roll paper over the past two years,” she added.  “Within these brands, we’ve recently been developing very specific basis weights and calipers for custom requests from customers, including printers and product ballots. I think one of the values that sets our brands apart is the breadth of our product line. Not only does Accent and Williamsburg come in an inkjet roll offering, the brands also offer digital sheetfed toner offerings and come in your traditional offset folio sheet sizes and rolls. This allows printers who have multiple types of equipment in their print shops to have a consistent sheet to run across all the presses.”

As for features and benefits, Accent Dyemond is a water-fast sheet, meaning PSPs needn’t worry about the ink running or feathering across the final produced piece. The other benefit, Lawson reported, is that the sheet performs consistently across various printing and finishing techniques.

“Having a consistent performing paper allows for production efficiencies,” she added. “It also helps provide bold colors and clarity allowing for color printing versus just black and white. Top performing inkjet papers allow printers to expand into producing multiple types of end-use pieces, including trans promo, books, direct mail, and general commercial print brochures. IP also has a make-to-order program, which allows us to produce specified basis weights and roll sizes, to meet exact requirements of different customers.”

EcoFFICIENT Paper

In conjunction with HP, International Paper has recently developed a 16-pound, lightweight office paper called HP EcoFFICIENT. The high-performance, lightweight paper offers increased efficiencies and utilizations; is 20 percent lighter weight than standard copy paper; fits up to 125 more sheets in the printer tray, and thus requires less refilling; and is packed in cartons 10 pounds lighter to lift and carry. In addition, the thinner, lightweight material helps save on postage and disposal costs, and is certified by the FSC, assuring the renewable forest resources it utilizes are responsibly managed.

“We developed HP EcoFFICIENT paper to align with launch of lightweight compatible printers that are in the marketplace with the goal of providing end users with a unique product that is reliable, sustainable, and efficient,” said Daniel Brooks, brand manager, HP Everyday Papers, with International Paper.  “In addition, we are seeing high-speed inkjet printers being launched to target the business environment. To optimize inkjet printing, all HP Everyday Papers’ copy, multipurpose, and inkjet products include ColorLok Technology.”

The science behind ColorLok Technology is real, Brooks added. Print quality is determined by the way ink spreads across and penetrates the paper. ColorLok papers are engineered with special additives that result in faster drying time, more vivid colors, and bolder blacks when compared to papers that lack ColorLok Technology. These additives chemically react with inkjet inks, causing the ink to absorb more deeply into the paper while holding pigment close to the surface.

The result is vivid colors for richer, brighter images and graphics, bolder blacks for crisp, sharp text, faster drying for less smear and faster handling time compared to papers without ColorLok Technology for inkjet printing. In addition, ColorLok Technology meets a range of concise specifications that apply to inkjet and laser printing, as well as standard copy machines.

“That means in an office setting with many different types of machines, ColorLok papers will provide consistent and reliable printing regardless of machine used,” he said.  “ColorLok Technology means better print quality, faster drying time, and consistent, reliable printing.”