In "A Field Guide: Eco-Friendly, Efficient and Effective Print," Monadnock Paper explains how to make environmentally preferable choices in all stages of printing, from paper choice to layout design.

The third edition of the company's guide to sustainable printing also includes a primer on eco-claims, explaining what wording should be used when describing recycled content or reduced emissions as well as overstatements to avoid.

Without advocating that designers and printers take certain actions, the guide lays out how greener choices can be made when picking paper, inks, finishing choices and packaging.

"A Field Guide" touches on paper aspects from recycled content, sustainable sourcing, archival quality and types of chlorine-free production. Eco-labels related to paper, renewable energy and environmental programs are also explained.

Aside from materials, the guide looks at other printing and design choices that affect paper, ink and chemical use. Designers can change the sizing of projects to make efficient use of printing sheets, the report says, and printers can provide digital proofing and file delivery.

The guide includes some examples of practices to consider, such as using different typefaces to decrease page counts, making printed materials that serve multiple purposes and avoiding designs with bleeds since they create more paper waste than layouts without bleeds.