Soy Ink Key Terms

Learning about the lingo of soy ink

As scientists figure out more and more ways to use the soy bean for creating modern products, the use of soy ink is getting a lot of attention. According to some estimates, up to 30 percent of today's newspapers use this alternative ink, and lots of color publications rely on soy ink's bright pigmentation for quality visuals. If you're looking into the benefits of soy ink for business publications, contracts or merchandising deals, get familiar with some of the fundamental phrasing for describing the value of this eco-friendly ink.

Petroleum-based ink and soy ink

Soy ink is an alternative to the traditional inks that contain a petroleum base. In soy inks, soybean oil replaces a certain amount of petroleum oil. Environmental experts see this as a more environmentally friendly way to produce reading material or print media.

Thermal printing

Thermal printing, a new heat-oriented methodology, combines with the use of soy inks and other quality materials to give a rich, finished result. Thermal printing is used for all kinds of projects, from magazines to customized business labels.

Waterless printing

An alternative to conventional offset commercial printing options, waterless soy ink printing eliminates the need for some chemicals in plate processing and cuts down on waste products.

Volatile organic compounds

VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are substances that react to air and sunlight by emitting harmful gases, which can increase air pollution and cause health hazards to workers. In contrast to petroleum-based inks, soy inks are naturally very low in VOCs.
U.S. EPA site where the agency describes how "indoor air quality" VOCs are classified.

Genetically modified cultivars

A large percentage of soy has been altered genetically, using genetically modified cultivars to combine the DNA molecules and create a new set of genes. Scientist Savim Erhan helped to develop soy ink for commercial printing.
Agricultural Research Service for more information. Also see the United Soybean Board.

Renewable resource

Soy ink is called a renewable resource for a variety of reasons related to the cost, both financial and economic, of production, as soy beans can be continually reproduced naturally and soy ink is biodegradable.

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