How to Reduce Printing Costs

Printers are essential components of the modern workplace, but it’s important to remember that the cost of a printer goes beyond the purchasing price; you also have to factor in the expenses of toner or ink, paper and other printing materials, and routine maintenance. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce printing costs without sacrificing the quality of your print jobs. In this guide, our team at Chicago Color Label shares how to reduce printing costs easily and efficiently. When you need printing equipment or supplies, you can count on Chicago Color Label.

Switch Materials

First, consider the price of the material you’re printing on. For instance, if you’re using BOPP, a plastic material widely used in label printing, you might want to switch to paper labels, which are typically more affordable. Just remember that paper can produce slightly different results than BOPP, so you’ll want to check the quality of your printing with a small test run before making the full switch.

Add More Labels

Another easy way to reduce printing costs is to add more labels per printed row, rather than a single label per row. This option works best if you’re hand-applying your labels.

Change Media Settings

Change the print profiles of your printer driver settings to reduce ink output. This can help lower the amount of ink you use, which decreases the overall amount you need to spend on printing. Do a few test runs first to confirm that the adjustment in ink output doesn’t adversely affect the print quality.

Standardize Label Sizes

If possible, switch to a standard label size to reduce label printing costs. As long as you’re able to fit all the pertinent information that each label needs, you may be able to go with one size for all labels. This can give you a volume discount, so you’ll end up paying less than you would for multiple labels of different sizes.

Minimize Artwork

Artwork can really make your labels come alive. But small changes in the color or scope of your artwork can lead to big printing savings. For example, removing a boldly colored background reduces the amount of ink your printing requires, which can add up to a few cents of savings on every label printed. And that adds up quickly!

Use a Larger Outside Diameter Roll

Using a larger outside diameter roll lowers your overall per-label cost. Just adjusting from an eight-inch OD to a six-inch OD can reduce label printing costs by thousands of dollars each year.

Invest in a New Printer

Does your current printer meet your regular printing needs? It’s not uncommon for many businesses to need to print more and more labels as they grow and reach a wider audience. A larger-capacity printer can handle greater printing demand and is designed for heavier output, which often translates to fewer costly printing issues and less wear and tear.

Cut Shapes Yourself

A color label finisher is an ideal tool for creating your own label shapes. This keeps more of your printing work in-house, which can save you a significant amount of money when you’re looking at how to reduce printing costs.

Find All Your Printer Necessities at Chicago Color Label

Now that we’ve covered how to reduce printing costs, make sure you have all the equipment you need for the work at hand. At Chicago Color Label, we feature a comprehensive selection of printers, supplies, accessories, and finishers. Conveniently located in Crystal Lake, IL, we aim to be your trusted partner for all your business’s printing needs.