In its continued effort to put in place steps to protect the environment, Print Art, Inc. has earned an official FSC certification through the Rainforest Alliance's SmartWood program.

While FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certifications are common among commercial printers, this particular FSC program is one of the most rigorous, requiring extensive audits and detailed annual reporting. The SmartWood program is in place to encourage companies to handle forest products, such as paper, responsibly, with minimal impact to the environment.

"This is less about a certification and more about a dedication,"said Carl Blase, CEO.  "We are dedicated to improving our environmental footprint.  It's fashionable to say you're 'green' for marketing purposes. But we've been doing it since we started, before it was fashionable.  All of us here are working to preserve this earth for our children, and their children-because it's the right thing to do."

In addition to the recent FSC certification, Print Art recycles all metal plate materials, separates paper, bottles, and corrugated cardboard. In 2009, they installed an environmentally friendly washer for all press parts and the company exclusively uses low-voc vegetable-based inks on all projects.

"We congratulate Print Art for successfully meeting the FSC Chain-of-Custody (CoC) certification standards," said Dave Bubser, US Regional Manager for SmartWood. "We appreciate their commitment to supporting important global assets like forest biodiversity through the use of FSC certified paper products."