Risograph printing has genuine sustainability credentials and a distinctive aesthetic. Here is what it is and who it is for.
Risograph printing is having a cultural moment. Once the preserve of zine makers, it is now used by design studios and brands who want a distinctive, handmade look with genuine sustainability credentials.
What is Risograph printing?
Riso machines are stencil duplicators, originally designed for high-volume document reproduction. They use soy-based inks and a drum system that pushes ink through a master stencil onto paper.
The sustainability case
Riso uses soy-based inks as standard. The machines use minimal energy compared to offset printing. They produce no chemical waste in the printing process itself. The resulting prints are on uncoated paper and fully recyclable.
The aesthetic
Riso prints have characteristic slightly imprecise registration, vivid fluorescent colours and a textured surface. The aesthetic is warm, human and deliberately imperfect in a way that digital print cannot replicate.
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