The canvas is made from the yarn of recycled water bottles, with an estimated 22 bottles going into each square metre. Compatible with aqueous inks, HP’s Recycled Satin Canvas is designed for use in art reproductions, photo enlargements, gallery wraps and for retail décor. It is also REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) compliant, meaning it has met the requirements set by the EU regulation which protects people and the environment from the risks of chemicals.
Brand Management Group (BMG) holds a global licensing agreement with HP for all its wide-format media, as well as being responsible for new product development and global sales. Dione Metnick is the global product line manager at BMG, based in Florida.
She comments: “So, it’s [taking] water bottles before they hit the ocean, collecting them in China where there’s a huge problem with this. It’s a global problem but this is contributing to a lot of it.”
So, it’s [taking] water bottles before they hit the ocean, collecting them in China where there’s a huge problem with this. It’s a global problem but this is contributing to a lot of it”
The recycled canvas, which took over six months to develop and create, takes away the need for costly and time-consuming top coatings. “The really nice thing about it is it has a slight satin finish to it which gives it a nice pop and you don’t need to put any protective coatings on it,” says Metnick, who reiterates the crack resistance of the canvas when stretched in gallery wrap systems.
On winning the Product of the Year Award from the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association, Metnick comments: “It was great to be acknowledged for the performance and the product itself. We’re real proud of it.” The trade association, based in Virginia, US, recognises exceptional products from 68 categories in the wide-format sector and holds a yearly expo in Las Vegas where the winning products are displayed.
The canvas also qualifies for free return through the company’s large format media take-back program, which allows printers and end users to return signage media to the firm, where it is recycled again. Media printed using HP film or banner roll is eligible, provided it is printed using the firm’s inks. The recycling service is currently only available in North America and Europe for wide-format media.
As part of its initiatives to operate in an environmentally-conscious way, HP has recycled 271,400 tons of hardware and supplies since 2016 with an aim of 1.2m tons by 2025.
UK customers can purchase some short rolls of the canvas for testing, but the product will be available in full in December 2018. “We are looking to expand into a product for the latex printers – and possibly other recycled products in the future,” says Metnick.
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