Historically, the printing and publishing industry has taken a high toll on the environment—consuming vast amounts of water and energy, accelerating deforestation, and emitting hazardous air pollutants.
Yale Printing & Publishing Services (YPPS) knows this reality better than most—which is why the print shop has spent years working to reduce its environmental footprint.
Now, YPPS has taken another step toward greening its operations by switching to a more sustainable material for printing research posters. The product, called Green Valutex, is a specialty fabric made from recycled plastic bottles that are shredded into small flakes, processed into granulate, melted, and then spun into yarn to create a 100% recycled product.
“We are always looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint,” says John Poitras, production coordinator at YPPS. “This is one little piece that we can do.”
This past spring, the Association of College and University Printers (ACUP+) recognized YPPS’ printing innovation with the 2025 Green Service Award for Sustainability. It is the second time in two years that YPPS has earned the Green Service Award—an acknowledgment of the print shop’s commitment to advancing the university’s sustainability goals.
Making the switch
Adoption of the recycled fabric followed a rigorous vetting process by YPPS staff. Over the course of a month, staff tested the product for color accuracy, clarity, and to make sure it didn’t damage the printers.
“For many clients, the poster fabric is easier than something like rigid board because you can fold it in your suitcase if you’re traveling and then put a steamer to it just before your presentation,” explains Poitras.
To make the fabric, yarn is created from used plastic beverage bottles in a process that follows Global Recycling Standard requirements for chemical management, energy use, and water reduction. It takes about 12 used 1.5-liter bottles to make one square meter of the poster fabric.
“Pretty much anyone who does a fabric research poster at Yale is using this material,” notes Poitras.
Saving water and energy, reducing waste
YPPS prints a large number of research posters so the potential environmental savings from using a greener material is significant. Last fiscal year, the shop printed and delivered 644 large-format posters made from 17,000 square feet of Green Valutex fabric.
Using data provided by the manufacturer, Poitras calculated the environmental savings from that volume (compared to using virgin material) and estimated that in one year using the recycled fabric saved 340,000 gallons of water, used roughly 20% less energy, reduced CO2 emissions by 8.5 tons, and repurposed some 18,000 plastic bottles.
Jason England, YPPS’ associate director of pre-production, says the greener poster material is part and parcel of a broader sustainability ethos at YPPS. For eight years, the print shop was certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as a chain-of-custody vendor, giving them deep experience in sourcing and handling paper from responsibly managed forests. While YPPS no longer maintains the certification due to the financial climate, England notes that the team continues to apply the same FSC-informed practices in their daily operations.
Last year, YPPS purchased an electric cargo van for its fleet to move copiers and make deliveries—for which it earned the 2024 Green Service Award from ACUP+.
“We have always been a really sustainable shop,” England says. “For us, this is just another way we can help take responsibility.”