Ilford used the SGIA 2011 show to unveil its new BioMedia range, a biodegradable alternative for today’s wide format commercial inkjet vinyl products.
BioMedia won the Media-Vinyl Category in the prestigious SGIA Product of the Year Awards.
The company says its BioMedia range completely breaks down under anaerobic (no oxygen) landfill conditions thanks to a unique enzyme that accelerates the biodegradation process.
As a replacement for widely-used, and ever-lasting, traditional vinyl-based products, the ILFORD BioMedia line includes rigid mounting boards, laminates and films that employ the company’s renowned coating technologies to create print surfaces that maximise the environmental benefit without compromising image quality.
The BioMedia products have been tested by an independent laboratory and meet ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) standard D5511. This standard determines the anaerobic biodegradation of plastic materials and confirms the media is biodegradable under anaerobic (no oxygen) conditions. As the products completely biodegrade, they help to save valuable landfill capacity and eliminate the potentially harmful runoff often associated with common commercial print materials. Where landfill is not an option, BioMedia can also be incinerated without the release of any harmful gases or chemicals.
The new ILFORD BioMedia line includes:
BioMedia Display Film: A flexible printing substrate available in standard roll sizes and in 250, 350 or 500 micron. Using a microporous backing layer, BioMedia Display Film is compatible with aqueous, eco-solvent, solvent and latex technology and, according to ILFORD, is certified by HP for use with their latex printers. It is suitable for indoor applications as a direct replacement for coated vinyl or polyester media and can be used in a variety of applications from pop-ups and point of sale displays to posters and exhibition panels.
BioMedia Display Film UV: Compatible with UV printers, the range is suitable for outdoor display applications including poster displays or banners. The product range is available in a range of weights and roll sizes to meet the different application requirements.
BioMedia Rigid Display Board: These direct-to-print boards are suitable for all UV print platforms and, at 750 microns, 1.5mm and 3mm thicknesses, offer durable replacements for traditional mounting boards such as Foamex. They are perfect for heavy-duty signage, internal cladding or displays.
BioMedia Laminate: For a biodegradable satin finish, the BioMedia line includes 75, 125 and 250 micron laminates. These have similar properties to traditional polyester laminates yet are biodegradable as well as recyclable and can be used with a variety of substrates for indoor or outdoor applications.
The ILFORD BioMedia range will commence shipping at the beginning of January 2012.
Ilford
www.ilford.com
