Green Performance with “Blue Angel”
For five years, the industry initiative UmDEX has been working to raise awareness for product certification with the “Blue Angel DE-ZU 195”label.
Founded within the printing industry itself, the intention of the initiative is to create distance from the environment, in particular from greenwashing, but not to exclude, emphasizes co-initiator Jürgen Zietlow, expert author and data analyst. The goal of the now over 100 listed professionally sustainable print shops is to implement individual directives of the Green Deal of the European Commission and adapt sustainable transformation with holistically sustainable media production.
In the area of product certification, “Blue Angel DE-UZ 195” is the number one label for the German-speaking world, with the “EU EcoLabel”, as the European counterpart. Both labels are awarded and monitored by RAL (German institute for quality assurance and labeling). While the “EU Ecolabel” also permits the use of sustainably certified virgin paper, “Blue Angel” requires the use of recycled paper with the “Blue Angel” label (with DE-ZU 14a).
New edition in 2025
For five years, the initiative UmDEX has been working to raise awareness for product certification with the “Blue Angel DE-ZU 195” label. As part of a campaign, the institution together with partners and patrons relies on a far-reaching online presence, expert presentations in public and expert contributions in trade media. According to Jürgen Zietlow, in 2025 the extensive trade magazine “77” will be published with a total of 77 best cases from the printing industry. Trademark holders, advertising agencies, printing shops and creative service providers that have been commissioned with or produced print products certified with the «Blue Angel DE-ZU 195» label will be surveyed to this end. Besides the similarly presented product features, the focus is on the motivation of the participants. Jürgen Zietlow on the planned edition: “The best case compendium ‘77’ ideally complements the work of the ‘Blue Angel’ campaign and of the Federal Environmental Agency.”
Holistic sustainability
Within the UmDEX, the initiative has registered holistically sustainable print shops. Based on a current 5,000 print shops in Germany, 3,500 theoretically meet the requirements for certified sustainable media production as is defined by UmDEX. But in reality, the independent search engine that acts as a current business overview only lists about 100 print shops right now. In addition, print products produced by print shops certified with the “Blue Angel” label also count, adds Jürgen Zietlow: “Often, the share of DE-UZ 195-certified print products accounts for barely three percent of the production volume of a print shop.” This is why the initiative aims to continue pushing for certified sustainable print production in the German-speaking world and product certification with the “Blue Angel DE-ZU 195” label.
Yours,
Frank Baier
Editor-in-chief bindereport
