Printing Revolution - How Lush uses Roland DG printers to power advocacy

Deloitte's Sustainable Consumer report for 2023 underscores a significant shift in consumer behaviour, revealing that one in three consumers (30%) have ceased purchasing certain brands or products due to ethical or sustainability-related concerns. This growing emphasis on conscientious consumption reflects an evolving consumer landscape, where sustainability and ethical practices are paramount. Against this ever-evolving backdrop, Lush stands as a beacon of integrity within the cosmetics industry. Established in 1995 in Poole, United Kingdom, Lush has garnered global recognition for its unwavering commitment to cruelty-free, vegetarian and vegan-friendly products, as well as its fervent advocacy for animal rights, human rights, and environmental sustainability.

While Lush has long been a leader in ethical cosmetics, their commitment to innovation extends beyond their product formulations. One area where this innovation is evident is in their approach to prototype printing and packaging, where Lush has embraced Roland DG’s UV printing technology to streamline their operations and reduce their environmental footprint.

Housed within Lush's Research & Development (R&D) Hub, the Roland DG TrueVIS MG-640 printer/cutter plays a pivotal role in the creation of prototype product packaging for new products. Simon Allen, Senior R&D within Creative Production at Lush, emphasises the significance of this technology, stating, "Our previous printer constrained us to specific substrates, leading us to outsource portions of our packaging development process. With the MG-Series, we've significantly expanded our capabilities, thanks to its broad media compatibility. Now, we can print on diverse materials, including Brown Kraft paper, which has become emblematic of the Lush brand."

The integration of the cutter within the MG series has significantly enhanced Simon and his team's efficiency in the prototyping process, allowing them to allocate more time to innovation. Simon explains, "Prior to acquiring the MG-series, we relied on 4-5 individuals manually cutting packaging and stickers. Now, with the integrated cutter, we've streamlined our workflow, saving at least 3 to four hours per week and bringing all packaging back in-house. Packaging emerges from the print cycle fully prepared for use."

From prototyping to window dressing

Lush leverages its 104 stores as advocacy hubs, championing causes such as 'Trains not planes', Veganuary, 'Have a Heart', and 'Refugees welcome'. Central to this advocacy are the captivating window displays in the stores, serving as a platform for the projection of its diverse campaigns. Traditionally, window graphics were outsourced due to size constraints and time limitations. However, in the recently opened Glasgow flagship store and anchor shop, Lush took advantage of Roland DG's MG-640 to internally produce large window graphics, facilitating greater flexibility and efficiency in their advocacy efforts.

The MG-640's one-pass multilayer printing capability enables Lush to seamlessly apply three layers of ink in a single job, even when handling extensive print runs. Additionally, the printer offers adaptable ink configurations tailored to diverse customer preferences. From ensuring brand-accurate colours to achieving premium gloss and texture effects, the ink options cater to a wide spectrum of needs, allowing Lush to print brand-accurate colours for any season or campaign.

The MG-640 also enables Lush to experiment with ink combinations like orange and red, leveraging Roland DG's extensive range of orange and red inks to enrich their colour palette and enhance visual depth. Moreover, the inclusion of high-opacity white ink, specifically designed for window graphics, facilitates the rapid production of high-quality prints while optimising ink usage.

Simon, reflecting on the MG Series printer's capability in printing window graphics, remarks, "With the MG Series, we can effortlessly print the most intricate window graphics using a wide range of premium EUV inks. Adding to this, the adjustable media take-up unit accommodates rolls of any size, enabling us to leave the machine unattended during printing runs, a task that previously required constant supervision."

"For us, we also use Roland’s software that works and creates as much impact as the hardware. VersaWorks 6 is user-friendly, even for novices on the team, enabling detailed colour matching with built-in Roland DG Color System and PANTONE® libraries, tracking ink usage with a predictive ink calculator, and effectively managing jobs with five print queues."

What next?

Looking to the future, Lush has already purchased two Roland DG VersaSTUDIO BN-20 desktop printers to diversify the range of products that Lush can print upon, and sees the potential for further expansion and innovation with Roland DG technology. Simon envisions replicating their successful R&D hub model to other markets, including their North American offices, leveraging Roland DG printers to enhance their operations overseas.

In terms of their broader vision, Lush remains committed to their core values of ethical sourcing, environmental sustainability, and advocacy for social justice. Simon reflects, "In five years, I see Lush continuing to lead the way in ethical cosmetics, not only in our product formulations but also in our manufacturing processes. With partners like Roland DG, we're confident that we can continue to innovate and make a positive impact on the world."