WHEN YOU SUPPORT ACME PRINTS,

YOU ARE ALSO ACTIVELY BEING ENVIROMENTALLY CONSCIENCE

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 must.

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. Keep scrolling to learn more.

Oil-based plastisol inks are the standard inks used in screen printing all around the world. Fully cured plastisol inks are not environmentally hazardous, but un-cured plastisol inks pose a risk to the environment and health. The problem with plastisol ink is that they don’t dry and must be cured at 300+ degrees 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. 

Recycling - Plastisol Inks

Our new, specialized plastisol ink mixing system allows us to take our custom Pantone ink mixes and reuse them as ingredients to make new Pantone inks. Nifty, eh?

Since there are almost 2,000 Pantone colors, and storing a bucket of ink for each one would take up an enormous amount of space – just on the off chance that someone will order that exact ink mix before the ink sits too long – most shops throw the vast majority out eventually. Those all go to landfills and leach into water tables. No bueno bro.

Cleaning System

Acme Prints uses a special bioremediating, non-hazardous system to remove plastisol ink from all screens, squeegees, flood bars, and spatulas to prevent plastisol inks from getting into landfills, sewers, and water systems. It's far cheaper for screen printers to put harsh chemicals on ink-covered equipment, spray them with a pressure washer, and simply wash everything down the drain.  Which is why 99.9% of screen printers do it. Though completely legal, this process leads to chemicals from plastisol leaching into water tables and is a serious environmental threat. But we choose to pay for the extra labor and specialty equipment to prevent it. Because we're not a-holes.

OzzyJuice was awarded the Safer Choice seal of approval by the EPA. Pretty sweet, eh?

Our CRC SmartWasher system employs a natural process called bioremediation to increase employee safety and literally eat hazardous waste. It combines three essential components: the SmartWasher, which is the actual parts washer, a powerful water-based degreasing solution called OzzyJuice, and a microbe impregnated particulate trap called an OzzyMat. It’s a proprietary particulate trap impregnated with natural occurring microbes. These microbes digest and break down plastisol and other carbon-based contaminants into harmless carbon dioxide and water. OzzyJuice is pH neutral, non-flammable, non-toxic, non-polluting, and doesn’t cause skin irritation.

Far worse than plastisol inks 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 plastisol ink 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. Supporting the American farmers.id 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.  Supporting the American farmers.  Supporting the American farmers