gugler* receives Cradle to Cradle GOLD

In 2011, gugler* in Melk/Austria was the first printing company worldwide to offer Cradle to Cradle Certified™ print products. In the meantime, the company has been able to have a total of 40 materials certified, all of which meet the highest quality criteria in terms of health and ecology. For this reason, gugler* was awarded the Cradle to Cradle certificate in GOLD for the first time this year – a particularly valuable ecological sign of outstanding sustainable entrepreneurship.

From 4 to 40 certified materials
Ten years ago, gugler* started with the Cradle to Cradle optimization and certification of 4 components: the ink and 3 paper qualities. The ingredients were ecotoxicologically tested by an independent laboratory and optimized together with the suppliers. In addition to ecological success, these four components also represent a groundbreaking innovation in the printing industry: For the first time, ecological print products were as beautiful, bright, and colorful as conventionally produced goods.

Advantage through cooperation
Together with the partners of the Print the Change cooperative further components have been continuously developed with the aim of completely converting production to this highest standard. Today, the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ share at gugler* already accounts for 50 percent of the total order volume – consisting of books, publications, magazines and Cradle to Cradle Certified™ packaging.

GOLD in Austria, Europe and worldwide
In the areas of recyclability, renewable energy and water, gugler* has been carrying gold since the very beginning. The materials used have also been awarded silver from the very beginning. Roswitha Sandwieser, Cradle to Cradle product development: “It was always important for us to achieve at least the silver standard for the materials, as CMR substances (carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction) are still permitted at the bronze level.”

With this year’s Cradle to Cradle certification, gugler* is the first and only printing company in the EU with a GOLD certificate. Together with the Print the Change cooperative partner Vögeli AG in Switzerland, the two printers are even the only GOLD holders worldwide. Furthermore, this year gugler* has also developed the world’s first Cradle to Cradle Certified™ grey board made of 100 percent Cradle to Cradle recycled fibres – produced with an Austrian board producer. The waste paper for this comes from the company’s own production waste.