Eco-Friendly Printing for Businesses That Value Sustainability

Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a core value for modern businesses. At Lulu, we’ve combined sustainable practices with reliable, scalable printing services so you can sell your books in an environmentally conscious way. 

Certified as a B Corporation since 2016, we’re committed to making printing better for the environment, businesses, and society. This has become increasingly important for small, medium, and even large businesses. Those not looking for renewable and sustainable business practices and partners will struggle in the long term. 

According to this article from Forbes, adopting green practices enhances brand reputation, attracts like-minded partners, and builds a competitive edge. Businesses that prioritize sustainability are perceived as responsible and ethical, which can lead to stronger partnerships and market opportunities.

That’s why Lulu is the choice for eco-friendly printing to help your business stay environmentally conscious while benefiting from reliable, top-notch printing services.

Why Eco-Friendly Printing Matters for Business

The traditional printing industry simply cannot match print-on-demand for sustainability. Paper waste, the carbon emissions from bulk printing and transportation, and excess books (that end up being pulped) all have an enormous impact on the environment. Here are the top environmental issues with traditional printing:

• Material Waste: Traditional publishers print thousands of books in bulk. Most of those books will never sell, leading to a lot of waste when unsold books are discarded or pulped.
• Carbon Footprint: Because they print in bulk, books are first shipped to distribution centers, then shipped in smaller quantities to bookstores and retailers. All of that movement generates substantial CO2 emissions.
• Excess Inventory: Warehousing books only to dispose of (or pulp) unsold books requires climate-controlled storage and results in significant waste. 

These three factors alone create an outsized carbon footprint and lead to thousands of destroyed books every year. 

Lulu takes a different approach. The print-on-demand model naturally reduces waste and emissions. By printing books only when they’re ordered, we eliminate the need for bulk production and warehousing, minimizing our environmental impact.

Lulu’s Approach to Eco-Friendly Printing

In 2016, as part of our first B Corp certification, we looked hard at our printing process. Print-on-demand already reduces waste because no unwanted books are printed. Here’s how we manage to keep our environmental impact low while still giving you the printing reliability you need:

1. Print-on-Demand Technology 

Obviously our bread and butter. Lulu has always used print-on-demand technology to print books efficiently. Because traditional printing (called offset printing) requires manufacturing thousands of copies to be economically reasonable, it often results in unsold inventory and waste. 

With Lulu’s print-on-demand model:

• Books are printed only when an order is placed, ensuring negligible overstock and waste.
• The need for warehouse storage is minimized, which reduces carbon emissions and lowers costs for businesses.

2. Eco-Friendly Materials 

This is an area of environmental consciousness that any printer could be leaning into. Many do. We use environmentally responsible materials in our products and packaging:

• Sustainable, acid-free paper is used in our book blocks. This paper is sourced from responsibly managed forests.
• The majority of our packaging materials are either recycled or recyclable, ensuring minimal impact on the planet.

3. Localized Printing for Reduced Shipping 

While it isn’t obvious from the outside, Lulu’s international print network plays a huge part in minimizing our environmental impact. 

Our network of global printers ensures that books are printed and shipped from locations closest to your customer. This reduces shipping distance, cutting down on both carbon emissions and delivery times.

4. Low Defect Rates

We’ve spent years (literally decades) fine-tuning our printing process to make it incredibly efficient. On average, we see an annual defect rate of just 0.5%! This means you can rest assured that your customers are getting high-quality products and that we’re wasting very little material during production. And if you should happen to fall into that small number of orders that do have a defect, our customer support team is ready to help you out!

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What Lulu Offers for Sustainable Businesses

Lulu is a partner for businesses committed to sustainability and growth. Here are some of the key offerings we provide to help your brand thrive:

• Reliable Printing at Scale: Whether you’re a small startup or an established brand, Lulu’s printing network scales to meet your needs.
• Customizable Products: From books to calendars, we offer over 3,000 product combinations, allowing you to create exactly what you want.
• Support for Companies of All Sizes: Our platform works just as effortlessly for individual entrepreneurs as it does for large businesses. No matter your size, Lulu sustainably supports your growth.

A Culture of Sustainability and Community

At Lulu, our commitment to responsible business practices extends beyond printing. We believe in creating a positive impact for everyone. Our B Corp status reflects our dedication to building a better future through some important, core principles. 

• Transparency and Accountability: Being a Certified B Corporation requires rigorous assessment of our governance, customer stewardship, and environmental and social impact. Recertification happens every three years, ensuring that we meet the highest ethical standards in every aspect of our business.
• Collaborating with Local Organizations: We partner with local organizations (to our home in North Carolina) like Note in the Pocket, CompostNow, Activate Good, and Second Harvest Food Bank to support sustainability efforts and our communities.
• Advocating for Conscious Consumerism: A Statista survey conducted in October 2023 (requires a paid account, see the image below) found that 22% of Gen Z and 20% of Millennial respondents in the United States exclusively purchased from brands they considered sustainable or aligned with their values. Additionally, 57% of Gen Z and 53% of Millennial respondents considered sustainability alongside other factors when choosing brands.

Empower Your Business with Eco-Friendly Printing

"After all the years writing my book, it was important to me to find the best print-on-demand partner that delivers high-quality books and is sustainable, ideally across the range of global issues that we face. Lulu.com came out on top with its B Corp Certification, a real plus knowing that it ticks many boxes of good practices when it comes to both people and planet."

• Dr. Melanie van de Velde, author of Lead Like A Genius

Eco-friendly printing isn’t just a responsible choice—it’s a competitive advantage. People are actively seeking out businesses that are socially and environmentally conscious. With Lulu, you don’t have to choose between environmental responsibility and reliable printing. We take pride in being able to provide quality book printing without negatively impacting the planet.