New Environmental Label 'Digital Print Mark' Launched for Commercial Digital Printing

The Japan Business Machine and Information System Industries Association (Chairman: Toshio Homma, hereinafter 'JBMIA') has established a new environmental label, the 'Digital Print Mark' (abbreviation: DP Mark), as part of its initiatives in the commercial digital printing field, and will promote its use primarily among companies that order printed materials and printing businesses.

Environmental Label 'Digital Print Mark' (Trademark Registration No. 7031027)

This mark focuses on the aspects of reducing material usage in the manufacturing process and suppressing waste liquids, as digital printing is a method that prints directly from digital data without using printing materials such as printing plates, developer, and dampening water. Additionally, digital printing has the feature of being able to print only the necessary number of copies on demand, which can also lead to a reduction in surplus printed materials and inventory.

This mark can be displayed on short-run printed materials manufactured by commercial digital printing machines that meet the 'Digital Print Mark Certification Standards' established by JBMIA. Printing businesses using the applicable printing machines can apply from the JBMIA website 'What is the Digital Print Mark' (see the page link below). *The number of printed sheets per page (per plate) must be a small quantity (5,000 sheets or less).

By establishing this mark, ordering companies and printing businesses can clearly show the features of digital printing to their customers.

This newly established mark has been registered in the Ministry of the Environment's 'Environmental Label etc. Database' as a self-declaration type environmental label (a type where businesses themselves confirm compliance with standards and display the mark). It can be used as a means for companies ordering printed materials and printing businesses to clearly communicate their environmental policies and initiatives to the recipients of the printed materials.