Environmentally responsible commercial printing with high-quality results
Your customers care about the environment, and you want your printed materials to reflect that. You also need every piece to look sharp, feel substantial, and perform the way you planned. Many brands think of environmentally responsible printing as a specification they add to a project. At Tru Art Color Graphics, it is simply how we work. Environmentally responsible commercial printing with high-quality results starts with a partner who brings responsible practices to every job, so the pieces that carry your brand reflect your values and your standards in one finished product.
What Does It Mean When Responsible Printing Comes Standard?
It means you get the same environmentally responsible approach on every job, whether you ask for it or not. Tru Art Color Graphics values the impact our business has on the environment, so responsible practices shape how we work every day. You can count on that approach from the first conversation through the finished piece. It grows out of a commitment that runs through our company: being good stewards for long-term growth and reinvesting in the infrastructure that serves you. For you, the benefit is simple. When a customer or stakeholder asks about your printed materials, you can point to specific practices, like the inks we use and the materials we recycle, so your story stays accurate and credible.
How Responsible Practices and Quality Work Together in Every Job
Responsible practices and beautiful results come from the same place: disciplined process, modern equipment, and a partner who owns the result. At Tru Art Color Graphics, the approved proof sets the standard for every job. Color, registration, coverage, and finish all answer to the proof you signed off on. Our environmental practices live inside that same process, so they travel with the work from the first sheet to the final trim. Efficient setup also lets our team focus its attention on getting your color exactly right. When you review your next proof, you can approve it with confidence, knowing the finished piece will match it and reflect the care that went into producing it.
What Goes Into Environmentally Responsible Commercial Printing With High-Quality Results?
Some of these practices shape how your finished piece looks, and others shape how we run our facility every day. Each one reflects a choice we make on your behalf, so you benefit without adding a single step to your process. Keep this list handy when customers or stakeholders ask about your printed materials:
- UV inks. UV inks cure instantly under ultraviolet light instead of drying through evaporation, so they release very few volatile organic compounds. They also deliver crisp detail and strong color on a wide range of stocks.
- Soy-based inks. Soy inks come from a renewable, plant-based source and produce rich, vibrant color. They also help paper release ink more easily during recycling.
- High-efficiency digital printing. Digital printing needs no printing plates and far less setup. The efficient productivity of our KM-1e press also lets us skip some traditional bindery steps on the right projects, which means less handling and less waste.
- Reduced makeready. Every press run starts with setup sheets. Efficient equipment and process cut that setup waste, which saves paper before the first finished piece comes off the press.
- Closed-loop recycling. We recycle the paper we trim from every job, along with used printing plates, so those materials return to circulation.
- Responsible ink and solvent handling. We recycle, reclaim, or responsibly dispose of ink and solvent waste, and fuel blending and energy recovery keep hazardous materials out of landfills and waterways.
- Powered by Clean Energy. Our Iowa facilities are served by MidAmerican Energy, which delivered the equivalent of 95.9% carbon-free energy to Iowa customers in 2025.
- Energy-efficient warehouse lighting. LED motion-sensor lights in our warehouse use energy only where and when our team needs it, and their instant, steady light keeps aisles safer and easier on the eyes.
- Responsible paper guidance. We help you select stock that balances weight, finish, and responsible sourcing with how your piece needs to perform.
Bring Us In Early
The earlier we join the conversation, the more value our experience can add. Share your goals, how you plan to use the piece, and the quantities you have in mind, and we will recommend the approach that delivers the best result. Early planning also gives us room to suggest formats and stock that make the most of our responsible practices. Early conversations also bring back the ideas that worked on your past projects. If a previous piece earned strong results, it gives us a great starting point, so every new piece builds on the last.
Responsible Printing, Every Job
At Tru Art Color Graphics, environmentally responsible practices and beautiful results go together on every job, held to the approved proof you sign off on. We have helped clients build their brands since 1896, and our Iowa-based team cares naturally for the communities and the environment we all share. Environmentally responsible commercial printing with high-quality results is simply how we work. Bring your next project to Tru Art Color Graphics early, share what you want to achieve, and let’s build on what has already worked for you.
