KLS Pureprint
100% sustainable packaging and printed materials
KLS PurePrint A/S is one of the largest printing houses in Denmark. Established 70 years ago under the name K. Larsen & Søn, the company is still a family-owned business.
After many years’ working on environmental issues in particular, the board decided on an ambitious vision – to become the world’s greenest printing house.
The foundation was laid by becoming one of Denmark’s most environmentally aware printing houses, gaining ISO 14001 certification, the Nordic Swan eco-label, FSC certification and becoming 100% carbon neutral. We achieved this in a number of ways, including through the exclusive use of electric vehicles, only using energy produced from our own wind turbine and working systematically over many years to reduce all forms of environmental pollution.
The new goal was to develop 100% biodegradable printed materials and packaging, entirely free of harmful chemicals and heavy metals.
Because this was completely new to the market, we received support from the Danish Business Authority and Green Conversion Fund, among others.
The aim was to be able to meet the requirements of the world’s most rigorous and uncompromising certification, Cradle to Cradle, which does not accept harmful chemicals or heavy metals in any form.
All constituents of the printed material, paper, ink, lacquer etc., already bore the Nordic Swan eco-label.
But none of the constituents could be approved.
The company therefore had to develop all constituents of the printed material itself, in collaboration with ambitious and far-sighted suppliers.
The development took a number of years, as replacing the unwanted chemicals and heavy metals with alternatives that were completely clean was much more challenging and time-consuming than anticipated.
A further ambition was that PurePrint should have the same quality and be marketable at the same price as traditional printed materials.
But the project was successful, and on 4 May 2015, the button for the first PurePrint run was pressed.
The former environmental minister Ida Auken helped press the button.
Since then, more than 130 businesses committed to sustainability have started printing with PurePrint, including the Pandora, Danfoss, McDonald’s, Organic Denmark & Hummel.
In 2016 we were delighted that The Danish Society for Nature Conservation issued a recommendation to use PurePrint for printing projects.
New products are continually being added to the PurePrint range, and we are currently working on new types of cardboard box, envelopes and laminating of printed material. The aim is that all production at KLS PurePrint should be Cradle to Cradle certified from the end of 2018 onwards.