Sustainable vs. Cheap Print: What High-Growth Brands Need to Know

As brands grow, their approach to print often needs to evolve just as quickly as the rest of the business.

What works in the early stages - quick turnaround jobs, low-cost suppliers, and reactive ordering - doesn’t always scale well. As marketing budgets go up along with brand visibility, print becomes more than a mere add-on method for getting your brand messaging out there. Instead, it becomes a core part of the strategy that shapes how the business presents itself, communicates with customers, and demonstrates its values.

So, the key question on the lips of many high-growth brands becomes: is it better to prioritise low-cost print, or invest in more sustainable alternatives?

In reality, the most successful brands don’t treat this as a simple trade-off. High-growth brands tend to prioritise print solutions that balance cost, quality, and sustainability, because all three contribute towards long-term growth, positive brand perception, and operational efficiency.

What Defines a High-Growth Brand?

High-growth brands aren’t just those that shoot to the top for five minutes of fame. They’re the ones that consistently lead the way, known in their industry for being masters of sustained, strategic expansion, supported by strong operational foundations and clear brand positioning.

In practice, this often means focusing on:

• Long-term customer relationships
• The adoption of new technologies to boost efficiency
• Workforce wellbeing and internal alignment
• Sustainability and ESG commitments

And it’s important to remember that no one priority is treated in a silo: each one is interconnected. Decisions made in one area - including supply chain choices like print - can directly influence performance in others, so a completely holistic approach is key for sustainable growth.

Why High-Growth Brands Are Prioritising Sustainability

Sustainability has been a buzzword for a number of years now, but it’s no longer viewed as a “nice to have” for growing businesses. As consumers increasingly seek out the brands that are going greener, sustainability is being treated as a core part of growth strategy for companies across the board.

Research from Forbes, conducted in 2025, shows that 37% of leaders in high-growth companies are more likely to invest in sustainability initiatives and view them as an opportunity rather than a cost, with 28% of low-growth CEOs saying the same thing.

Meanwhile, many see environmental responsibility as a way to strengthen brand positioning, meet customer expectations, and build long-term resilience. As a result, bigger budgets are being assigned, with 39% of high-growth chief financial officers reported as saying they’re very likely to plan out funding that supports ESG or broader sustainability initiatives to ensure their company’s growth.

And sustainability goals don’t show any signs of slowing down. In fact, 37% of high-growth executives say they will prioritise strengthening sustainability efforts over the next two years (with 32% of low-growth execs in agreement).

Consumer expectations also play a major role. It’s an observation most marketing teams are well aware of that when it comes to purchasing decisions, consumers are no longer driven solely by the price tag. They’re increasingly likely to look for brands that speak openly about their sustainability goals and demonstrate a genuine responsibility to achieving them. Beyond green marketing claims, modern consumers side with the brands that are actually making a difference.

In fact, studies suggest that a significant portion of consumers lose trust in brands that appear to prioritise profit over the planet: 77% of consumers, to be exact.

What Does “Cheap” Print Actually Mean?

Cheap print is often defined by its low upfront cost, but that really only tells part of the story.

In many cases, lower-cost print options achieve their pricing by using:

• Lower-grade or non-certified paper
• Less efficient production processes
• Limited quality control
• Materials or finishes that are harder to recycle

While this may reduce the initial invoice, it can introduce other challenges, especially for brands that rely on consistent, high-quality output across campaigns or locations. Understanding what sits behind the price of print is key to making better decisions that are more likely to benefit your business, and the planet.

The Real Cost of Cheap Print

If it’s numbers you’re concerned about, cheap print looks great on paper. However, the consequences of cheap print decisions aren’t completely eliminated; they’re just deferred a bit further down the road. The print invoice is tidy, but the problems and true cost arrive later, in less tidy ways.

Issues such as colour inconsistency, production errors, or poor material durability can lead to reprints, wasted stock, and additional logistics costs. These problems might not show up in your initial bill, but they can have a big impact on overall campaign budget — especially if they’re cropping up on multiple occasions.

There are also brand implications to consider. From packaging insets and brochures to point-of-sale materials, printed assets form a key part of the overall customer experience. They provide audiences with the opportunity to enjoy a tactile, real-world interaction with your brand. When done right, your print materials can signal attention to detail, consistency, and professionalism, but if the quality isn’t there, it isn’t difficult for your customers to assign that impression to your overall brand.

Your printed assets are also another avenue for your business to communicate its values. Sustainable materials, thoughtful design, and responsible production choices all reinforce your brand’s commitment to environmental responsibility.

Overall, there are several ways prioritising cheap print can come back to bite you and your business, especially in high-growth scenarios. Here’s an overview of the true impact of cheap vs. sustainable print at a glance.

What Sustainable Print Actually Involves

Sustainable printing is sometimes reduced to a few familiar elements, such as recycled paper or eco-friendly inks. While these are important, they’re also only a small part of the sustainable printing picture.

A truly responsible approach to print considers the full production lifecycle, including:

• How materials are sourced
• How efficiently production is managed
• How waste is minimised
• How emissions are measured and addressed

For example, paper may be sourced through certification systems such as the Forest Stewardship Council, ensuring it comes from responsibly managed forests.

Truly sustainable printers will have invested in optimisations for their production processes to reduce waste and energy use, while also balancing the associated emissions through environmental programmes, such as Carbon Balanced Print (supported by the World Land Trust).

This holistic approach to sustainable print provides high-growth brands with the opportunity to reduce their environmental impact (and be able to demonstrate how), without making any compromises on print quality.

Why Print Quality and Sustainability Go Hand in Hand

There’s a common misconception that in order for print to be sustainable, it must also be lower quality. But this absolutely is not the case.

When approached holistically, sustainable print prioritises quality control as much as anything else. Having systems in place that reduce the likelihood of errors, reprints, and discarded materials not only improves efficiency, but also reduces environmental impact.

For high-growth brands, this is particularly important. As print volumes increase, even small inefficiencies can quickly scale. Ensuring materials are produced correctly the first time around helps to maintain control over the cost of print: to the business, and to the environment. In this sense, sustainability isn’t separate from operational efficiency — it’s a key part of it.

How to Choose a Print Partner That Supports Growth

As businesses scale, the role of the print supplier becomes a bit more strategic. High-growth brands benefit from working with partners who can offer:

• Consistent production quality
• Reliable delivery times
• Transparent sustainability practices
• Guidance on materials and production methods

Dependability is particularly important. As supply chains become more complex, having a print partner you can rely on helps to ensure materials are delivered when and where they’re needed so your campaigns can run smoothly. This level of reliable support allows marketing and operations teams to focus on wider growth strategies, rather than having to fight fires with printing delays or misprints.

The B&B Press approach combines high-quality commercial print production with responsible sourcing practices and Carbon Balanced Print options. Built on efficient processes and a reliable service, we help businesses to reduce waste while maintaining consistent, professional results.

For high-growth brands, this means your print marketing can scale as rapidly as you do, while supporting a clear conscience that it’s not causing any additional adverse impact to the environment.

FAQS

Is sustainable printing more expensive than cheap printing?

Not necessarily. Whilst some printers may charge a premium for sustainable print services, others (such as B&B Press) offer sustainable print at the same price as standard print services.

What is the difference between cheap and sustainable print?

Cheap print typically focuses on minimising initial costs, often using lower-quality materials or less efficient processes. Sustainable print takes a broader approach, considering sourcing, production efficiency, and environmental impact, alongside quality.

Why do high-growth brands invest in sustainable printing?

High-growth brands often view sustainability as part of a broader growth strategy. It helps meet customer expectations, supports ESG goals, and strengthens brand perception.

Does sustainable printing affect print quality?

No. In many cases, sustainable printing improves quality by focusing on efficient production processes and reducing the errors that lead to reprints.

What should I look for in a sustainable print partner?

Look for a print partner that offers responsible paper source, efficient production processes, transparent sustainability practices, consistent production quality, and reliable delivery.