The US has the largest printing industry in the world, which is why it’s no surprise that so many ink cartridges end up in landfills every year. Also, printer ink accounts for around $20 billion worth of sales worldwide per annum, with the price per gallon sometimes as high as $9,600. However, it doesn’t necessarily have to be this way, with remanufactured ink and toner being a key development that could lessen the environmental impact of the industry, while simultaneously reducing business spending.
At Green Imaging Solutions, we stock a wide range of remanufactured printer cartridges, so we’ve written this article to expand on the concept, while also explaining the benefits of choosing remanufactured ink cartridges.
What Is Remanufactured Ink?
Remanufactured or refurbished ink cartridges are generally name-brand cartridges that have been previously used and then recycled in the most literal sense of the word.
Rather than the empty cartridges being sent off to recycling plants to be broken or melted down into new products, they’re sent to a remanufacturing factory. It’s here that the empty cartridge is refurbished and touched up, before being filled with ink or toner that doesn’t come from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). Once it’s been filled with this ink or toner, the cartridges can be repackaged and sold under the banner of the company that completed the remanufacturing.
A lot of people don’t realize that ink cartridges can be recycled at all, which is why over 300 million end up in landfills on a yearly basis, when in fact most ink or toner cartridges can be remanufactured up to 3 times before being recycled in the more traditional sense. Remanufactured ink cartridges are designed to work with the same printers that the OEM cartridges did, which is why they’re sometimes referred to as “compatible”, but this terminology can also be used to describe brand new, off-brand ink and toner cartridges.
Are Remanufactured Ink Cartridges Reliable?
Before you start stocking up on remanufactured cartridges, you might be a little bit apprehensive about the effectiveness and reliability of these products. If printing is a large limb of your business, you really need your printing systems to be trustworthy, so how much can you trust remanufactured ink cartridges? Really, it’s all down to the seller.
Failure Rates
Brand new ink cartridges generally have a failure rate of around 0.5%, which in some cases remanufactured cartridges can have failure rates of 1% for black or even 3% for color printing. However, this isn’t a one-size-fits-all rule, as in many cases, the remanufacturer won’t have put their construction and testing processes under the same diligent quality checks that a brand like GIS does. In the right hands, remanufactured ink cartridges can be very reliable.
Ink vs. Toner
It’s also worth considering that remanufactured toner cartridges are generally much harder to get right, with the filling process significantly more complicated. When buying remanufactured cartridges, make sure to choose a reputable supplier, as you might lose some toner definition or efficacy if you choose willy-nilly.
Black vs. Color
Black is generally your best call for remanufactured ink, meaning that you’ll get the most reliable results when reserving printing for documents rather than producing high-definition color images. At GIS, we’re proud of the quality of our remanufactured ink and toner, with higher success rates for black and color printing than many of our competitors. That’s why we sell all of our products with a lifetime satisfaction guarantee.
Remanufactured Ink vs. New Ink – Quick Comparisons
So, should you forego name-brand or brand-new compatible ink and toner for remanufactured cartridges? Here are a few quick comparisons.
Price
When it comes to the cost of either, it’s all but guaranteed that you’ll be spending significantly less on remanufactured ink than you would be on new ink, not to mention the massively inflated price of name-brand cartridges. In fact, you can expect to pay around 30% less for remanufactured ink cartridges when compared with new name-brand products, which could do wonders for your budget if you print regularly.
Efficacy
In the case of how effective remanufactured printer cartridges are, as mentioned above, you might be sacrificing a slight degree of quality. However, with the right brand, such as GIS, the testing process is so rigorous that you can generally expect your cartridges to work just as well, especially in the case of black and white printing. There’s really no need to buy brand new if your printing is mostly reserved for documents and communications.
Environmental Impact
This is perhaps the most important selling point of all remanufactured ink cartridges, as they can massively reduce the environmental impact of your printing practices. The US produces the most municipal solid waste in the entire world, and with so many ink cartridges going to landfills needlessly, it’s up to all of us to make more conscious choices. By choosing remanufactured cartridges you’re supporting a greener industry and contributing to positive change in the wider business landscape.
Final Thoughts
Choosing remanufactured ink can save you a lot of money and increase your eco-friendliness, without the need to sacrifice much or even any quality. However, it’s important that you choose the right brand, as any old cheap knockoff could mean that your printing suffers. Green Imaging Solutions takes pride in putting our products through diligent and rigorous tests and checks, so you can trust that you’re getting quality you can rely on.
For more information on the industry or to check out our range, visit our website today.
