Impressions - May 2021 - 34

educational content also has been added to the company's website
and customers can filter the information by category, all of which are
eco-related.
A large demand for sustainability exists in the 20-45 age range,
since these consumers are fashion-conscious and wants to make a
difference. But the idea of sustainability now is a multigenerational
issue, Johnson says.
" We know that younger consumers are especially eco-minded, but
it's also their parents and their grandparents. "
Regarding sustainability's future, Johnson thinks consumers will call
for more transparency. " In 2019 we took a group of college students
to go through the entire supply chain for our ComfortWash apparel
line, " he recalls. " The students saw firsthand a cotton farm, a yarnspinning facility and our state-of-the-art cut, sew and dye facilities
in El Salvador, and they asked questions about responsible sourcing,
global footprint and living wages. It was a transformational experience
for the students and for us. "

Thinking Ink
Many ink suppliers have undertaken the task of educating screen printers about eco-friendly ink and how to use them.
" As part of our education, we emphasize that the MNK BIO series
comes out of the competitive arena of ink that does not contain substances considered harmful to health or the environment, " says Flavio
Ronchini, CEO of EPTA North America - USA. " And, we further
raise the bar of sustainability: Not only are we not using polluting or
unhealthy chemicals, but the exploitation of the planet's resources has
been minimized. "

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United Kingdom-based MagnaColours has established MagnaAcademy, which allows screen printers to train in water-based printing
applications, either on site at the MagnaAcademy facility or online
via video tutorials. The company also created the " Make The Switch "
program which is designed to promote and aid a smooth conversion
to printing with its water-based inks.
" It is a tool that is used to create a roadmap to switch customers
from plastisol or other water-based systems, that is tailor-made to
[fit] customers' needs and timeframes, " says Helen Parry, managing
director, MagnaColours.
Screen printers in North America are more rapidly embracing
eco-friendlier inks due to education and awareness. However, the truth
which products truly are eco-friendly can be somewhat confusing.
" Printers have been hit with many unsubstantiated and oftenincorrect claims suggesting that certain inks are 'greener' or 'ecofriendlier' than others, " says Stephen Kahane, president and CEO of
International Coatings. " Since these claims are largely unregulated, it
should come as no surprise that many are not just misleading, but wrong. "
Staying apprised of governmental regulations is a key to understanding where sustainability fits into ink manufacturing. Kahane says
the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008
has served as an impetus to look at screen-printing ink chemistries
in a whole new way.
" Until CPSIA, phthalate plasticizers were the backbone of most
plastisol inks, " Kahane says. " Today, most of the textile inks in use in
the U.S. are formulated with non-phthalate plasticizers. CPSIA fostered a series of other regulations from states (California, New Jersey,
Washington and others) and international governing bodies, perhaps
most notably the European Union's REACH legislation. "
Parry says in the U.K. and other territories, there has been a drive for
consumers to reduce their carbon footprints or
impact on the environment, which has been
led or supported by government-awareness
campaigns. " There are environmental standards
that governments impose [regarding] the use
and disposing of chemicals [that] affect the
operational side of a manufacturing business
and, increasingly, there are starting to be more
discussions around the notion of 'circularity'
and 'cradle to grave,' and there is much more
scrutiny on the supply chain and the origins
of raw materials, " she says.
Parry also says brands, retailers and even
consumers have played a huge part in driving a
shift away from PVC-based inks toward more
sustainable, eco-friendly inks.
" It is consumers who are demanding to
have more environmentally [friendly], even
sustainable garments, " she says. " As a result,
more plastisol printers are trying water-based
inks and being pleasantly surprised by the
higher-quality hand feel and finish that's possible, as well as having a nicer environment to
work in [that's] solvent- and chemical-free. "
Sustainability's future and its role in apparel
and ink manufacturing always is ever- evolving.
Kahane says the industry already is seeing a
more holistic view of sustainability.
" That is to say, it's not just about the products and chemicals we use, but it's how we use
them in going about our businesses and lives, "
he says. " We will do a much better job rationalizing our use of resources, so that we use

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Impressions - May 2021

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