FAQs

Being carbon neutral and sustainable is fundamental to the way we work

There are two main ways we manage it. Firstly, we do things in the cleanest, greenest, and most environmentally friendly way possible. This means we run off renewable energy, we recycle 99% of what we use, we use sustainably sourced pulp, and we go to great lengths to produce everything we supply in an eco-friendly way.

Secondly we look to offset any carbon emissions we produce by planting trees and supporting projects worldwide that work to reduce the harm caused by mankind that contributes to climate change.

All of our carbon offsetting projects are certified to the highest standards through the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), Gold Standard Voluntary Emission Reductions (VER) and Certified Emission Reductions (CER) programmes.

As the three largest, and most regulated offsetting standards in the world - we do not select any project that is not regulated this way as it ensures all of the money spent goes directly to the offsetting initiatives supported. This also ensures the measurements, and tonnes of CO² are accurate, and verified.

To qualify for these standards, all projects go through a rigorous and public registration and issuance process, third party audit and are overseen by the CDM Executive Board (appointed by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), ratified by the Kyoto Protocol. Regulated and verified, the international carbon credits that we use are exactly the same credits as those used by multinational organisations, and even countries in their emission reduction schemes around the world.

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) list carbon offsetting as one of the most impactful ways to tackle climate change.

Around 10% of our planting is located in Britain, but the majority is spent in locations around the world which have a bigger impact due to the faster growing species, lower cost and larger tree sequestration (carbon absorbing).

As responsible reforestation, all trees planted are native species to ensure it benefits the local wildlife and biodiversity.

The Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), Gold Standard Voluntary Emission Reductions (VER) and Certified Emission Reductions (CER) programmes have strict measures in place to ensure each project is doing what it is set out to achieve.

This is monitored by third part audits by the Carbon Standards themselves, as well as the host-country national authorities who oversee national implementation.

All reforestation, planting, and woodland management projects through the VCS, VER and CER programmes have sustainable action plans with risk management in the case of fire, wind, drought/flood, pest/disease or human involvement. For all of the trees planted there is a strict time period (in many cases of up to 30 years or more), where the trees are protected. This ensures the species grow and have a measured tree sequestration (carbon absorbing) period during maturity.

As part of our sustainability goals we aim to promote good causes. If you are part of an organisation that supports tackling climate change or promoting humanitarian welfare, please get in touch via info@thesustainableprintworks.co.uk and we will do our best to help.

When you place your order there are two factors to consider; how long it takes us to print your order (turnaround) and how long it takes to deliver it. The turnaround time varies by product and is highlighted on the website page. We use overnight deliveries so once your product is printed it should be with you the next day. However, once we have dispatched your order it is out of our hands and unfortunately deliveries can be delayed. We cannot guarantee delivery times and while we will work with you to meet your deadlines we always recommend leaving a little extra time just in case.

Our standard delivery is next day by 7pm to anywhere in mainland UK. If you need your order to arrive by midday we may be able to help for an additional charge. Please email info@thesustainableprintworks.co.uk prior to placing your order.

If you have different versions of your artwork, they must be placed as separate orders. For example, if you need two different flyers printed with a thousand copies of each, you must place two orders of one thousand rather than one order of two thousand. This reflects the work involved in setting up and processing two different jobs.

Where possible we amalgamate orders into one delivery, but this isn’t always possible. It is common to receive your orders separately and they may not be delivered on the same day. We offer free delivery on most items so this will not normally make any difference to the price.

If your order does not arrive in the condition you expect, please email us with a photo of the damaged product. If your order has been damaged in transit we will replace it free of charge.

As each order is custom printed, we do not accept returns unless there is a fault with the printing. In the unlikely event we’ve got something wrong we will happily replace your items.

We deliver anywhere in the UK mainland. We can deliver further afield, but please email us at info@thesustainableprintworks.co.uk before placing your order to discuss delivery options.

We check all artwork before sending it to print. If your artwork is the wrong size or there is another technical problem, we will come back to you. We do not check artwork for spellings or typos. If you need help with your layout, our design service is available. Please get in touch to discuss what you need.

Our daily cutoff time to receive approved artwork is 5pm. Artwork approved after 5pm will be sent to print on the next working day.

Artwork requirements vary between products, but most printed materials require bleeds and printers’ marks. Product specific information can be found alongside the product information.

If you need help setting up your artwork please email info@thesustainableprintworks.co.uk

Yes, we have an excellent in-house design service. Please email info@thesustainableprintworks.co.uk to discuss your requirements.

Our standard turn around time is 3-4 working days from confirmation of order. The artwork you supply must be print ready, every product we sell has an artwork template. It is important that it conforms to that. We are able to offer a much faster service, at extra cost. On some products, we can even dispatch them the same day if artwork is received by 10am. Please call or email us to check availability and pricing.

You can send artwork using the artwork upload link: thesustainableprintworks.artworker.io

We prefer files to be submitted in print-ready PDF format, but we can work with EPS, TIFF, JPEG, GIF, PNG or any PDF compatible files. If you are sending over an EPS, please ensure that all the fonts are outlined.

We may also be able to work with native files generated in Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign, but we can’t guarantee compatibility, and any issues may delay the turnaround time.

As a rule, we don’t work with files generated in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Works. If this is all you are able to send us, we can help, but it may require some studio time from our design team which will be chargeable.

This is because these programmes do not produce consistent layouts and results can vary from computer to computer.

You can send files up to 200GB in size.

We recommend using images that are between 200 to 300dpi (dots per inch) resolution. Anything less than 100dpi may appear pixelated.

Bleed is an extension of the background image or colour that extends beyond the finished trim size. We require bleed when you want your background to print to the edge of the page without white edges. It’s trimmed off when your item is cut to the final size.

It’s best if you can add bleed before you upload your print ready pdf file. Some applications, like InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop, allow you to do this. But if you need any help please contact us.

If you can’t add bleed before uploading, we’ll do our best to add it for you, but this is not always possible and for the best results we recommend adding it before uploading your documents.

You can use any font you like, as long as it’s embedded into the document.

When creating your project, your application may give you the choice of working in RGB (Red, Green and Blue) or CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black). We print using CMYK (as do all printers), so we recommend that you design your work in CMYK before uploading your files. This prevents any colour shift that can happen if we convert your document ourselves.

If you’re unable to convert your RGB files to CMYK we will convert them to the closest CMYK values.

Colour can look different on your screen compared to a printed page. This is because screens are backlit and transmit colour, whereas a print reflects colour.