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Broudy achieves FSC Certification

Click here to download a list of all FSC Certified Papers (PDF)

We have always known that our environment is something to be treasured and preserved. As printers, we have felt a growing responsibility to care for our environment. Our customers have expressed their concern for the environment, looking for a method to show their customers a responsiveness to the need for conservation. To address this concern Broudy has earned the FSC certification.

Broudy is proud to have been awarded the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. We are now certified by the SmartWood™ division of the Rainforest Alliance to the FSC Chain-of-Custody manufacturing and material handling guidelines. Broudy's FSC Chain-of-Custody certificate number is SW-COC-003168, which is audited on an annual basis.

What is FSC certified printing?

FSC printed projects are run using papers that are independently certified to meet Forest Stewardship Council standards and produced by certified printing companies. The standards FSC sets are to ensure the wood and pulp used in the production process are grown, harvested and manufactured to high environmental standards. All parts of the manufacturing process are audited to ensure adherence to these standards. If all of the standards are met, the projects can be considered FSC certified and contain the FSC tree and checkmark logo.

A printed project containing the FSC logo is a better indicator of environmental stewardship than simply using recycled paper with the recycled logo, and makes a stronger, more positive statement about your company or organization. The criteria for use of the recycled logo are vague, at best, and there is no oversight in the use of the logo.

FSC projects are produced in a tightly controlled system. Each part of the manufacturing process, from the forest through the printing company, is certified by independent certifying agencies. The FSC mark is a guarantee materials used in production come from sustainable forests, recycled sources, or a combination of both.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international organization that has developed principles and criteria to certify forests and forest products. Their goal is to ensure forests are managed in a responsible manner that makes them a truly renewable resource. The standards FSC sets for certification are very stringent. Only companies that are committed to environmental stewardship can attain FSC’s certification. The forest and the manufacturers must go through rigorous independent audits to ensure all of FSC’s criteria are met. In many cases the certification process can take years. Certified companies then need to be re-certified on an annual basis.

How can you produce a FSC certified project?

Producing FSC certified projects is easy. Broudy does most of the work for you.

Ask your Broudy representative to run your next project as an FSC certified job.
We will help you select an FSC certified paper that meets the requirements of the project.
Leave room in the artwork for the FSC logo.
Note: As a condition of our FSC certification, we are prohibited from supplying high-resolution artwork to designers for placement.

After Broudy places the appropriate logo, we will send a PDF of the project along with the paper information to an independent certifying agency. They confirm the certification of the paper and appropriate use of the logo. The certifying process of a printed piece normally takes a day, and occurs during the proofing process of a project. This enables the project to proceed without any delay in production.

Are FSC certified projects more expensive than traditionally printed projects?

No, Broudy does not charge more for running a FSC project. In general, paper prices for FSC certified materials are not any more expensive than their non-FSC counterparts. However, only certain papers are FSC certified, so there are not as many choices when shopping papers. Please call your Broudy representative to discuss your paper options.

Click here to download a list of all FSC Certified Papers (PDF)

Which FSC logo will be used?

There are three FSC logos that pertain to printed materials. We will choose the appropriate logo depending on the paper used to produce the project.

The 100% FSC logo indicates all of the fiber used in the production of the paper comes from well-managed forests.

The mixed sources logo is used when virgin fiber from a well-managed forest is used along with recycled fiber. The percentage of recycled fiber is added into the recycled triangle. The mixed source logo can also be used when portions of a project are produced using FSC certified papers while some of the project is run on non-certified papers.

The recycled FSC logo is used when all of the fiber in the paper comes from recycled sources and has been FSC certified.

What You Can Do?

By choosing a printer that is FSC certified, you can display the FSC logo on your printed materials - showing your customers and clients that you, too, have taken responsibility for the environment. For more information about FSC and printing responsibly, contact your Broudy representative or www.fsc.org.