For many businesses and organizations, décor has become an essential extension of branding, and as rebranding cycles have increased, major interior (and exterior) décor projects have been a tremendous source of business for signage and display graphics providers like you. Smithers, for example, has been predicting double-digit growth for the digitally printed wallcoverings market, and other forecasts have been equally bullish.

That all said, print service providers looking to take advantage of this growth market must understand environmental issues—not just overall sustainability, but health and safety requirements for materials used in décor. Sustainability has become one of the most important issues in virtually all manufacturing industries, including printing processes for display graphics, signage, and wall décor. Related to environmental sustainability are health and safety concerns, and not just the health and safety of PSP's employees, but also printers’ end customers. For example:

• Do the consumables used in a printing process emit noxious chemicals that can sicken press operators or require the installation of expensive venting equipment?
• Does a final print give off an odor—be it toxic or not— when installed at a customer’s location?
• Do the materials used in print production meet the criteria for use in highly sensitive environments like healthcare facilities and schools?