FifthColor | Committed to Sustainability

Making sustainability a visible part of the building and in front of employees - rather than an obscure concept.

“The key to making sustainability work is to embed it in your business strategy”

GREENGUARD CERTIFIED

According to Nielson, studies show that 66% of consumers would spend more money on a product if it came from a sustainable brand.

From the start, FifthColor has been working to address our environmental impact. Our new state-of-the-art facility features highly efficient LED lighting, reclaimed wood for walls, desks, and coffee tables, recycled shipping containers, garbage compactors, and over 100 planted trees on the property. Beyond the facility, our green initiative educates and engages our employees to make sustainability part of our day-to-day operation.

CaseStudies

The Barstool Classic

The 2021 Barstool Classic hosted 27 qualifying events across 20 different states. The team needed durable signage that would last them the entire season leading up to the four-day championship event at Pinehurst. Printing the signage on recyclable plastic allowed for rain, wind, and travel from course to course, without impacting the quality of the signage. Unlike paper and banners, printing on our rigid materials lasts longer without having to re-print signage between tournaments. Our large format printing method was the perfect solution for Barstool Sports to save money, save time, and save the environment!

Miller Coors

Miller Coors utilizes our FifthColor team for our offset lithographic printing. Litho presses typically use solvent-based inks that, as they dry, release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. To reduce our contribution to air pollution and greenhouse gasses, we use SOY-based inks on litho presses inside our facility. The switch to vegetable-based ink requires less volatile solvents and cleaning methods, allowing us to reduce our hazardous waste disposal by nearly 93%.

TheData

While 90% of business executives think sustainability is important, only 60% of companies have a strategy or plan for sustainability.

Each company has a different level of impact on our environment, and while everyone’s green initiative may look different, together, it’s our job to create an expectation of sustainability to hold companies to their promises. Every company has a part to play, no matter the size, to reduce our carbon footprint and slow, or even reverse, our impact on the earth.

It is proven that sustainable practices increase efficiency by reducing overhead costs while increasing operating profits.

Consumers and clients feel strongly that companies have a responsibility to improve the environment.

Millennials are becoming the largest workforce, and over 40% have taken a job because of the company’s sustainability.

A green initiative is important to attract talent, capture consumers, and increase profits.

Printing Practices

FifthColor specializes in quick-turn, high-quality large format printing on nearly any rigid surface. Printing on plastics has become increasingly popular in the world of in-store displays and large format signage because of its durable nature. Transitioning from paper print, plastic is a long-lasting solution and holds up better for both indoor and outdoor use. All of our inks are GREENGUARD CERTIFIED:

UV/LED: Our UV press has played a key role in our reduction of VOCs because it uses UV-cured inks that are exposed to ultra-violet lights to dry immediately, minimizing the evaporation of solvents.
SOY: To reduce our contribution to air pollution and greenhouse gasses, our team at FifthColor uses SOY-based inks on litho presses inside our facility. Compared to soy, petroleum-based ink contains a high number of VOCs including toluene, benzene, and xylene, which are extremely harmful to the environment, wildlife, and people. The switch to vegetable-based ink requires less volatile solvents and cleaning methods, allowing us to reduce our hazardous waste disposal by nearly 93%.
WATER: Our latest addition to the production facility is a versatile printer that delivers unprecedented quality and colors using water-based HP latex inks to help us meet our sustainability goals. The machines produced water-based ink prints that are odorless and extremely low-emitting to meet strict health and environmental criteria allowing us to reach sensitive spaces like healthcare facilities. The water-based ink is housed in eco-carton ink cartridges to reduce plastic use by over 80% and CO2 emissions by 66%. Unlike many other ink cartridges, the empty HP eco-cartons require zero-landfill space after use. Additionally, the printer allows us to print on a wide variety of eco-friendly rigid and flexible materials. Using water-based ink allows us to deliver prints that are fully recyclable, non-hazardous, and safe for disposal.

Sourcing Material

Our experts have worked in the print industry for over 30 years, and have the knowledge and connections to source our materials from environmentally conscious companies.

Our products are 100% recyclable to meet your company’s green initiative.
Our experts have worked in the print industry for over 30 years and have the knowledge and connections to source our materials from environmentally conscious companies.
We pick our vendors based on a strict list of regulations ensuring that they adhere to sustainability practices.
Beyond plastic and paper, our facility and manufacturing processes have been modernized to improve energy efficiency.
Our office operates as a digital-first company to minimize our paper use where we can.
By recycling one ton of paper, we save close to 17 trees, 682.5 gallons of oil, and 26,500 liters of water, according to The Print Authority.

As a data-driven organization, we did a lot of research before decorating our facility. We found that live plants, both inside and outside of the facility, have countless benefits to employees, so we planted over 100 trees on the property to improve air quality and reduce the concentration of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. From our research, we found that the EPA estimates that American's spend 90% of their time indoors. Our goal at FifthColor was to bring the outside in by incorporating plant life in our new facility to enjoy the many benefits office plants have.

The Power of Plants

Bringing The Outside In

The EPA estimates that American’s spend 90% of their time indoors. Our goal at FifthColor was to bring the outside in by incorporating plant life into our new facility to enjoy the many benefits office plants have.

Improve Air Quality

Physically, plants in the office improve air quality by naturally removing harmful pollutants and stabilizing humidity levels. This also helps employees stay healthy, decreasing sick days and respiratory issues.

Improve Productivity

Psychologically, indoor plants also improve productivity by up to 15%! Plants act as acoustic and soundproofing materials. They absorb noise within the office and production area that can be distracting for many workers.

Reduce Tension

Office plants have been proven to reduce tension and anxiety by as much as 37%. At FifthColor, teamwork is at the core of what we do. Incorporating a natural element like plants not only helps with workplace culture but also overall relationships between employees.

Increase Creativity

Our research found that offices that included plants, greenery, and other natural elements increased creativity by over 15%.

Interior Designer's Dream

It was clear to us that incorporating plants into our workspace was a must-do. The physical and psychological benefits are clear, and they also elevate the "look" of the space. We have plants on shelves, tables, walls, and even hanging from ceilings!

OurSustainable Space

In 2019, office buildings accounted for 28% of energy-related CO2 emissions.

There are many different facets of sustainable operations in each company. A lot of focus is put on generating clean energy and minimizing emissions, but that’s only one piece of the larger puzzle. So, our sustainability strategy began long before we started building our facility because we knew we could dramatically reduce our energy consumption by changing the way we built our new headquarters.

Continually source recycled products for raw material
Operate as a paper-free, digital facility
Use SOY-based ink with fewer VOCs
Reclaimed wood for walls, desks, coffee tables, and walkways
Recycled bowling alley lane turned into a table
Installed highly efficient LED lighting throughout the facility
Reclaimed shipping containers for office spaces
Planted over 100 trees on the property
Installed a highly efficient air compressor that powers the whole facility
Installed garbage compactor to prevent waste from floating around
Recycled plastic bottles for high-density carpet throughout the facility
Sourced planters and pots made of recycled milk jugs

Natural Heating

The layout of the facility was thoughtfully created to use the natural resources that our land and surroundings provide. The office space features large floor-to-ceiling windows that allow for natural light and offer a natural heating source from the sun. On cloudy days when additional lighting is necessary, we installed highly efficient LED lighting throughout the facility to keep our energy consumption to a minimum. Throughout the game room, gym, and yoga studio, we installed high-density carpet tiles made from recycled plastic bottles. High-pile carpet is extremely durable and eco-friendly because of its absorbency. The carpet works to absorb sound, water, and cold air from a room to help naturally heat those spaces in the winter.

Refurbished Containers

Our reclaimed shipping containers have become a focal point of our office space. The containers were on their way to a scrap heap when we found them, and we are so glad we restored them for our office. Although there were many dents and scratches, we painted the containers and turned the shipping tags into branded elements to match the rest of our office. We refinished the inside of the containers with applewood and drywall to turn them into four separate offices. Now, the containers act as a perfect natural divide between reception and the rest of the workspace.

Reclaimed Materials

To furnish the inside of our new space, we used as many reclaimed and recycled items as possible. This includes reclaimed wood for wall features, desks, tables, walkways, and even full offices. Upstairs, our main conference room required a table that could handle large meetings of up to 20-30 people, so we sourced two recycled bowling alley lanes and turned them into an extra-large conference table. Keeping the original elements of the dots, arrows, and foul lines, we sanded down the wood and stained the table with dark walnut to match the other finishing's in the facility.

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ContactUs

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