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 stronger indicator of environmental stewardship than simply using recycled paper with the recycled 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. 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. Hodgins Engraving does most of the work for you.

1. Ask us to run your next project FSC.
2. We will help you select a FSC certified paper that meets the
requirements of the project.

3. Leave room in the artwork for the FSC logo. We can insert the
appropriate FSC logo for the project into your artwork.

After Hodgins Engraving places the appropriate logo, we then 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.

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.