NORTHAMPTON, MASS-TigerPress, a New England based commercial offset printer, recently announced certification by SmartWood to the FSC Standard as part of an ongoing clean, green printing initiative.

The FSC is an international, non-profit organization created to change how consumers see and practice responsible forestry worldwide.

Their principles, criteria, and standards span economic, social, and environmental concerns.

FSC Principles and Criteria for forest management are applicable to all FSC-certified forests throughout the world.

They address legal issues, indigenous rights, labor rights, multiple benefits, and environmental impacts surrounding forest management.

“We recognized that our planet is our most valuable resource,” says Reza Shafii, the owner and President of TigerPress.

“As part of our green printing initiatives, we’ve integrated environmental protection and sustainability into our core business mission.

“As a FSC certified company, we participate in a chain-of-custody system tracing timber products from their origin to their final customer.

Our commitment to maintaining the integrity of our natural environment means an obligation to responsible forestry management.”

Twenty years later, TigerPress pursues an ongoing commitment to print technology and sustainability to meet the needs of their growing customer base.

“Many customers began requesting information on Green Printing, and we were happy to work with them,” says Mr. Shafii.

“What became clear is that customers were interested in pursuing more ecologically-responsible printing practices, but were limited by budgetary constraints.”

“When TigerPress embarked on its green initiative, we knew we would have to make green printing affordable for our customers.”

TigerPress is the only FSC Certified commercial printer of its size in the Northeast Corridor using soy-based inks and chemical-free plates for standard print production.

“We’ve used a chemical-free plating system going on two years now. We switched our house ink to a soy-based ink a year ago,” says Reza Shafii.

“We are committed to supplying our customers with affordable green printing alternatives while maintaining our obligation to be environmentally responsible.”

What is FSC Chain-of-Custody?