Environmental

When you support Acme prints, you are also actively being

Environmentally Concious /

+ Eco-series water-based inks
+ 100% soy-based plastisol inks & soy-based cleaners
+ Bamboo, recycled & organic apparel options

+ Regimented multi-step process to ensure plastisol ink residue is managed responsibly

+ Among the top 10 purchasers of SRP Earthwise Energy for the past 3 years

We fancy ourselves one of, if not THE, greenest screen printer in Arizona.

In a way, that’s not saying much because screen printing is under-regulated and we really don’t have much competition in the ‘green’ category. But since we’ve always been sincere about our environmental commitment, we go far, far beyond what any company like ours has to. We offer special Eco-series water-based inks, 100% natural soy-based plastisol inks, and bamboo, recycled & organic apparel. We always use soy-based cleaners, employ multiple extra steps to ensure plastisol ink residue is managed responsibly, and we’ve been among the top 10 purchasers of SRP Earthwise Energy for the past 3 years. Keep scrolling to learn more.

Environmental Action

Environmental Action turns ideas into impassioned, results-oriented activism that protects our environment from polluters and their allies in government.

Charity is our Ethos

Environmental Actions’ campaigns stand up for nature in all its forms. We’re working to stop harmful drilling in protected areas on land and offshore; stop deforestation in precious forests like the Tongass and the Amazon; save vulnerable wildlife from extinction, and beyond.

They also help SAVE THE BEES!

Plastisol Inks

Oil-based plastisol inks are the standard inks used in screen printing all around the world. Fully cured plastisols are not environmentally hazardous, but un-cured plastisols pose a risk to the environment and health. The problem with plastisols is that they don’t dry and must be cured at 300+ degrees in order to no longer be in a liquid state. So the ink on your shirt poses no risk, but the ink that gets cleaned off the printer’s screens, squeegees, spatulas, etcetera, usually goes down their drain. Presently, this is completely unregulated. When cleaning our printing instruments at Acme, we use a recirculating sink to removing the inks. Every 8 to 12 weeks Solvent Recy-clean picks up our mineral spirits, filters it, and re-uses it.

The highest standards in recycling.

“Our standards are high. So high in fact, we’re in a league of our own, moving our entire industry forward. Solvent Recy-Clean Inc. has become synonymous with the highest quality.

No one ever complained about having their work executed perfectly.”

It pays to protect the Earth.

A common question is, "aren't water-based inks environmentally friendly?"

Though water-based inks are generally thought of as more environmentally friendly, printing with water-based inks is sometimes even worse because of the harsh VOC solvents needed during the printing process, with the exception of Matsui’s Eco-Series water-based inks, which we use. They are the most environmentally-friendly type of water-based screen printing inks commercially available. They are free of all PVCs, phthalates, heavy metals, azo compounds, nonylphenol and formaldehyde, and contain no harmful chemicals or toxic substances known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.

Soy-based Inks

Far worse than plastisols are the harsh chemicals used in the screen reclaiming process. These go down the drain in 99% of screen printing shops. We use Franmar chemicals for screen reclaiming. They are 100% biodegradable, non-caustic, non-toxic and most are made from soybeans. Why don’t other printers use them? Because they cost more.

We also offer brand-new soy plastisol inks that print just like standard plastisols, but are entirely soy-derived.

Did you know?

More than 80 percent of soybeans are cultivated in the upper Midwest. The Unites States counted Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota as their leading soybean producing states as of 2022.