Environmentally Friendly Screenprinting

In a world where bio-fuel, hybrid cars, recycling, and sustainable agriculture are becoming a necessity for our planet, eco-friendly screenprinting is another smart option. Combining water based ink screenprinting with natural fibers such as organic cotton, hemp and even recycled plastic bottles, creates a screenprinting technique that is safe for the environment and safe for you.

The Case for Water Based Screenprinting

The majority of screenprinting companies use plastisol ink because they are simple to use, inexpensive and durable. Unfortunately, and unbeknownst to the common t-shirt wearer, plastisol inks contain PVC and phthalates that destroy the environment and have been associated with many medical issues including cancer, mental disorders, and infertility. Additionally, the cleaning process for plastisol inks call for environmentally harmful, petroleum based chemicals. (Mantis Graphics has not used such chemicals for over 10 years!)

Water based ink screenprinting contains neither PVC nor phthalates making them an environmentally friendly choice. Water based ink ingredients are non-toxic, lead-free and do not contain any heavy metals. As such, they are safe for use on infant clothing, underwear and swimsuits.

Unlike plastisols, water based inks contain no ozone-depleting chemicals such as CFC's and HCFC's, aromatic hydrocarbons or any volatile solvents. Best of all, instead of dangerous solvents, water based inks wash out easily and safely with water.

Find out more about Water Based Screen Printing and why Mantis Graphics encourages our customers to consider it for their projects.

Organic vs. Conventional Cotton

Organic apparel printing offers another environmentally friendly screenprinting method. Using organic cotton that is grown with safe, nontoxic, non-chemical pest repellants such as manure and herbs, protects the ground, our food, and all animals — including humans. Additionally, organic cotton is pure and has not been genetically altered or modified. Organic growing employs ecology and environment sustaining techniques including: crop rotation, cover cropping for weed control and harmful insect trapping. To ensure quality and organic standards, QAI (Quality Assurance International) inspects and verifies all products.

Meanwhile, conventional cotton is one of the most widely manufactured fibers today. Conventional cotton is grown with toxic chemical pesticides and fertilizers which remain on the fibers even when they are manufactured into wearable apparel — these chemicals have been scientifically proven to negatively affect health.

In the United States:

• Nearly 10% of all pesticides sold for use in agriculture were applied to cotton in 1997. ACPA
• Over 2.03 billion pounds of synthetic fertilizers were applied to conventional cotton in 2000 (142 pounds/acre), making cotton the fourth most heavily fertilized crop behind corn, winter wheat, and soybeans. USDA
• Almost one-third of a pound of pesticides and fertilizers are used to grow enough conventional cotton for a single T-shirt. SCP
• The Environmental Protection Agency considers seven of the top 15 pesticides used on cotton in 2000 in the United States as "possible," "likely," "probable," or "known" human carcinogens (acephate, dichloropropene, diuron, fluometuron, pendimethalin, tribufos, trifluralin). EPA

Hemp and Bottles

Other environmentally friendly material alternatives to conventional cotton are hemp, bamboo and recycled plastic bottles. Hemp is known as a viable clothing fiber due to its durability, versatility, sustainable growing abilities, and long fibers. Hemp can be used for everything from food to textiles, car parts to paper. Recycled water bottles have been used for tote bags and fleece and represent a sound way to re-use an overused, wasteful product.

Sweatshop Free

We've taken our committment to the Earth one step further by offering sweatshop-free apparel — taking care of the Earth by taking care of its people.

Sweatshops exploit people in the workplace with slave labor methods that dehumanize employees. Sweatshop workers earn less than the living wage and work in unsafe, unregulated environments. Sweatshops rely on and promote racism, sexism, classism and many other human rights violations.

Lessening Our Footprint

At Mantis Graphics, we recycle our waste, and our building is chemical cleaner and solvent free. We keep our utility usage low and are planning to cover our roof with solar panels. Mantis Graphics is also a member of TerraPass, which funds renewable energy projects such as wind farms. These projects result in verified reductions in greenhouse gas pollution, and these reductions counterbalance our emissions.