Save a tree.
Print with us.
Being green is more than ink and paper. It's the building we're in, the fleet we drive, the plates we don't wash in chemistry, and the papers we source without cutting trees.
More than ink
and paper.
Most "eco-friendly" print shops say "printed on recycled paper" and call it a day. That's a narrow window into what sustainability actually looks like in a commercial print operation.
At Indie Printing, being green is more than ink and paper. It would be unwise for us to simply abide by our industry's regulations — so we hold ourselves to our own standards, on top of them. Those standards are the test of whether we really are an eco-conscious printing company.
Our commitment to the environment has led us to become members of and/or support organizations that keep us close to the movement for a better planet, and help us walk the walk. From the moment we renovated our headquarters in the University Business Park District of Downtown Los Angeles using reclaimed building materials, to our current work with a consultant on a more sensible lighting and electricity plan, we're investigating every angle of what "green printing" should really mean.
Print on paper
that isn't a tree.
We stock three tree-free substrates in-house alongside FSC-certified conventional stocks. Pick one for its look, its feel, or its footprint — all three print beautifully on our presses.
Cotton Paper
Soft, luxe-touch business cards and invites printed on reclaimed t-shirt cotton. Tree-free and biodegradable.
Shop cotton →
Sugarcane Paper
Made from sugarcane bagasse — the fibrous byproduct left after juice extraction. Bright, crisp, and carbon-smart.
Shop sugarcane →
Hemp Paper
Durable, textured, and historically the paper of the US Constitution. Hemp absorbs more CO₂ per acre than trees.
Shop hemp →Three print methods,
three ink systems.
We match the ink to the process. No VOCs where they can be avoided, soy where it can replace petroleum, biodegradable banner stocks that decompose 50× faster than vinyl.
Digital = dry toner
Dry toner inks produce virtually no VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and require no chemical clean-up. Our short-run and same-day work runs entirely dry-toner.
Offset = soy-based
Soy-based inks on every offset run keep VOC levels well below the regulated standard — without sacrificing press speed or color fidelity.
Large format = UV + biodegradable
We use biodegradable banner material that breaks down 50× faster in a landfill than standard vinyl. Bio-inks for large format are arriving to market and we evaluate each as it does.
Water-based coatings
Matte, satin, and gloss coatings are water- or toner-based, so finished products stay recyclable. Uncoated stocks are available on request.
Waterless plate-making.
Zero film.
Traditional offset uses film and chemistry. We use PressTek computer-to-plate (CTP) imaging that writes plates directly — no film, no developer chemistry, no water waste.
Waterless CTP plate-making means the imaging plates that transfer your artwork onto paper are made without contaminating water that then has to be disposed of through a third-party recycling source. It's a technological advancement in sustaining our valuable natural resources — not a marketing claim.
To minimize paper waste, we tile jobs together on larger press sheets whenever they share specs, usually leaving only about ⅛" of paper scrap per sheet. What scrap remains gets sent to recycling facilities where it comes full-circle into paper products made with post-consumer waste.
We drive hybrids.
Our team rides metro.
The press floor is only half the footprint. The other half is how paper gets in and out of the shop — and how the people making it get to work.
Hybrid delivery fleet
Every local delivery in LA County, Orange County, and Riverside County runs on a hybrid vehicle from our in-house fleet. Freight leaves the shop greener than almost any competitor we know of.
Employee metro program
Indie Printing covers 50% of the transit cost for any employee who commutes on LA Metro or public transportation. It cuts petroleum use and vehicle emissions, and saves our team money at the same time.
Pryntrax workflow
Our in-house job-tracking software eliminates paperwork from quote through delivery — reducing office paper use and the stack of carbon copies that historically shipped with every order.
Reclaimed-material buildout
Our DTLA headquarters was renovated with reclaimed and sustainable building materials. We're currently consulting on a lighting + electricity overhaul for further reductions.
Need it printed this week?
Free quotes usually within 2 business hours. Same-day production on most digital orders. Rush available on offset.