I found that the website below explained the different types of vegetable ink
Greenerprinter uses soy and other
vegetable-based inks which are less harmful to the environment than their
petroleum-based counterparts. Soy and vegetable products are used in ink for
their oils, which act as the vehicle for the ink pigments.
"There are several types of vegetable-based
printing inks, including
- linseed (Flax),
- tung (Chinawood)
- castor
- canola
- safflower
Soy is popular because it is a very stable
material that exhibits excellent "wetting" properties which enhance
its ability to carry solid pigments."
After my research, it is clear that soy ink is becoming more popular, it also seems to product better prints. Even though it costs more, it goes further than petroleum based inks.
I also found this article useful in highlighting the difference.
Soy-Based Ink vs. Petroleum-Based Ink: Which
is Greener?
By Marina Hanes, published on November 1, 2010
Other interesting facts about soy inks
- Some
printers, especially newspaper printers, have managed to achieve high quality
with all colour soy inks except black.
- Soy oils tend to be clearer than petroleum oils, so
the colours can be brighter.
- Soy inks tend to work well with recycled paper.
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