Pacific Print Works » Eco Print Materials

BioFlex Banner

Morgan Cox — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:56:45 +0000

Color gamut comparison - BioFlex Banner = black, sRGB = red, US Web Coated SWOP = purple

We’ve tried several different “green” or “eco” banner materials so far with varying degrees of success. At first they tend to start out looking like they’ll work well. But after some additional testing and using it in production we come to find that they often have issues. Ultraflex’s BioFlex banner has stood up to the demands of actual production and use. It isn’t a totally ‘green’ product, but the majority of the material will break down in dark, warm environments that are rich with bacteria….like a landfill.

Bioflex is thicker, heavier, and just as strong or stronger than typical 13oz scrim banner. The trade-off for biodegrading is a shorter life in actual use. But considering that most banners are used for months not years, it is often not an obstacle.

As you would expect, it is a bit more expensive. But not as much as you might think. Depending on the scope of the job, typical prices are $0.50-$1.00/square foot more than common scrim banner. Even with that, our prices for BioFlex banner are consistently lower than any other competitor’s we’ve heard of.

Technical specs….

15oz/square yard
1000 x 1000 denier
Tensile strength 274/251 lbs/inch
Tear strength 56/56 lbs

BioFoamcore

Morgan Cox — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:36:07 +0000

Foamcore and Gator boards are not environmentally friendly in any way shape or form. BioFoamcore is the best replacement we’ve tested so far to replace common graphic boards. Instead of mounting an inkjet print that would involve toxic adhesives and likely some PVC, we use a direct print inkjet system that uses UV light to cure the water based ink into a solid immediately. This allows us to print directly to the BioFoamcore, maintaining its environmentally features.

BioFoamcore uses 15% post consumer product, is 100% biodegradable, and 100% recyclable. This all plastic polystyrene board breaks down in landfill conditions in 1-5 years. The water-proof biodegradable surface resist warping far better than Foamcore. The crush resistance is far better than Foamcore, but not quite a hard as Gatorfoam.

available in 3/16″ thickness
48″x96″ full size boards
brighter white than Foamcore
recyclable as PS6
contains at least 15% post consumer product
excellent replacement for Foamcore or Gatorfoam

Eco Board

Morgan Cox — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 04:30:38 +0000

We love this stuff. It is very rigid, flat, and prints like a dream through our direct UV print system. The majority of the board is made from post consumer product that completely biodegrades and recycles. If you are looking for a green alternative to conventional foamcore or gatorfoam solutions, this is it.

We had tested and used a version from a manufacturer that was made in South Africa. It worked well at first, but later batches were not flat enough for our demands. Plus, shipping something almost half way around the world is not the most eco friendly solution. Then we tested a similar product that was made in the US. But it would fall apart when we cut the edges. It left a messy, fuzzy edge that really worked against our strict clean shop efforts.

Now, we think we’ve found the best solution. It is available in 0.25″ and 0.5″ thicknesses, lays flat, prints and cuts great, and is still made from a huge majority of post consumer product.