Eco Friendly Printer


51 Green Printing Tips

Tip #8 - Does It Cost A Lot More To Print My Book On Recycled Paper?


by Greg Barber
11/04/2009

To answer this question, I decided to show a couple printed quotes for books we printed on 100% PCW (Post Consumer Waste) recycled paper. Then I compared those quotes to printing on non recycled paper.

Example #1: 220 page book (soft cover)

QTY: 100 or 500 books
Pages: 220 pages plus cover
Page Size: 5.5 x 8.5
Stock: 70# in 100% PCW text, and 100# in 100% PCW for the cover
Print: 1/1 black for the text and 4 color cover
Bind: Perfect Bound
Cover: Soft Cover

Price:

QTY: 100 (100% PCW)
Price: $7.50 per book, or $750 total.

QTY: 100 (non recycled paper)
Price: $725 ................... $25 less.

QTY: 500 (100% PCW)
Price: $6.90 per book or $3450.00 total.

QTY: 500 (non recycled paper)
rice: $3300.00........................ $150 less.

Example # 2:48 Page book

QTY: 100, 1000,5000 books

Page size: 6 x 9

Pages: 48 plus cover

Print: 4/4 for both text and cover.

Bind: Perfect Bind

Stock: 70# text and 100# cover in 100% PCW Recycled

Price:

Using 100% PCW:

100 books was $11.00 per book or $1100.00
1000 books was $7.00 each or $7000.00
5000 books was $2.50 each or $12,500.00

Using non-recycled paper:

100 books .......... $10 less or $1090
1000 books ..........$100 less or $6900.00
5000 books ..........$500 less or $12,000.00

Bottom Line: The paper is not a factor on most books where the quantities are under 5000 books.

And we shouldn't forget the 100% post-consumer paper saves water, energy, pollution, landfill problems, incinerator problems, and avoids Dioxins from being created, that can poison us all.